“You can’t know yet. Mixed children are usually delayed with their first shift.”
I shake my head and the regret on his face makes my heart clench. Will this change how he feels about being in our son's life?
“He’s an aerokinetic. His abilities are already manifesting. It’s early for my kind and that might have something to do with your genetics but…” I trail off with a shrug. “He isn’t like you and you’ve never looked after a baby like him before. What if you came here instead? You could take a few days to get to know him. Make sure he’s comfortable with you. And it’ll give you a chance to learn umm…how to look after a psyker infant?” That sounds a lot more patronizing that I mean it to be.
He considers it and the silence stretches between us. “Fine.”
I release the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Okay. Good.”
We stare at each other for a beat. “His name is César?” he asks. His eyes keep flicking toward the staircase, and I know he wants to see him again.
“Yeah. César Afonso Sousa.”
A muscle tics in his jaw.
When he doesn’t snarl or growl at me, I move closer and tentatively reach out, tugging on his sleeve. “Come on,” I say and lead him up the staircase to my room.
Outside the door, he hesitates for only a minute before following me inside. The lights are out, but there is a small night-light and sound machine beside César’s crib that illuminates his sleeping form. Careful not to wake him, I wave toward my bed, indicating that Jordy have a seat. His eyes are glued to our son, and a small smile curls the corners of his mouth as he takes a seat, leaning forward for a better view.
“He’s perfect,” he whispers, and I can’t help but match his smile.
“He has your eyes and your mouth,” I tell him, claiming the space beside him.
“He does?”
I nod.
We sit in silence, watching our little boy sleep, and despite today being a complete disaster of epic proportions, a small part of me is hopeful. Jordy wants to be in César’s life, and that alone is more than I could have hoped for.
54
Jordy
Istay at Joaninha’s until just past midnight watching my boy sleep, the steady rise and fall of his tiny body doing something to soothe the raging wolf inside of me. I have a kid. A son. And one who doesn’t and probably won’t ever shift. My heart soars and plummets at both realizations.
Fuck.I scrub my hands over my face and look down at Joaninha. She’d drifted off to sleep close to an hour ago, her tiny body curled up beside me on top of her comforter. Exhaustion lines her face and a part of me is sorry for that, but the bigger part of me, the all-consuming asshole deep inside is furious with her. I’m trying really hard not to explode, shift out of my human skin and run until I can’t run any longer.
What the actual fuck?
I shove to my feet and lean over the crib railing, giving César one last look. “I’ll be back later, little man.” I tell him, tracing a finger along his cheek. He’s so small. Fragile. Looking at him brings home the fact that my entire world is about to flip upside down.
I head for the door, leaving Joaninha undisturbed on her bed. She said I could see him tomorrow. Well, technically today. But I need to run, grab a few hours of sleep and a shower before I’ll be in any sort of shape to meet my little boy.
I jog down the stairs, grabbing Desmond’s keys along the way and head straight for my place. My mind is roiling and my stomach is twisted into knots. I want to call Rafael, but I know he’s got his hands full with Isa’s shit right now, and she needs him more than I do. And isn’t that a fucking plot twist. Joaninha’s what? Stepdad, or whatever he is to her, is one of the sons of bitches who tried to kill Isa. And what the hell is Jo doing living with a vampire? Her mom is clearly human. What was she thinking? Does that bastard have her under some kind of thrall or some shit?
My blood boils as an entirely different sort of anger thrums through my veins. I need to do something. Hit something or someone. I fight the urge to slam my palm against the steering wheel, knowing it would break.Fuck. What the hell am I going to do?
Joaninha seems onboard with me being in César’s life, but that could be the adrenaline of the night’s events talking. A lot has happened. And I didn’t miss the fact that she did not agree to me presenting him to my Alpha. That’s going to be a problem.
And probably not the only one. What if she wakes up in the morning and changes her mind? What if she decides I’m not good enough? That since our kid doesn’t shift she doesn’t want anything to do with me. Or fuck, worse, what if she takes off again? She might. She’s done it before, and with her mom taking that asshole’s side. What if—
Shit.I still don’t have the girl’s fucking number.
I’m about to turn around and go back when my phone pings with the sound of an incoming text message.
Isa:Are you okay?
I pullover to the side of the road and stare down at the illuminated screen.
