“Don’t make a mess,” I tell Alex as he heads to the living room with a bag full of food.
“Are you going to eat?”
“Can I shower first?” I look away from Ignacio. My mind is so full of everything, I don’t know why I asked that. I came for his help, but I’m making it sound like I expect him to put us up or something. “I mean. Shit—”
I drop my head, but he doesn’t let it hang long before a crooked finger urges it back up.
“Come on.”
I follow him through the condo, noticing the boxes everywhere but not opening my mouth about them.
“I have two rooms. You can stay in here.”
The lights, motion-activated, come on when he walks into what is clearly the master.
“I’m not taking over your room.”
“Will you ever stop arguing with me?” When he turns to face me, there’s a small smile playing on his lips, and either I’m too tired to see it or it’s because it’s not there, but I don’t see an ounce of judgment or anger on his handsome face.
“Probably not,” I answer honestly, breathing him in when he gets close enough to press his lips to my forehead.
“Take your time.”
I do take my time in his shower, but not because I need to relax. It takes forever for the tears I’ve held back for the last couple of days to subside. I didn’t want to cry in front of Alex. I didn’t want him to think this entire situation is his fault, because it’s not.
When I climb out of the oversized shower, I find the bag I packed in a rush right outside the bathroom door. My trek back to the living room is silent, and Ignacio’s and Alex’s voices drifting toward me makes me pause.
“I understand,” Alex says softly.
“Because some bad choices have lifelong consequences.”
I grind my teeth. Is he really in there hinting that me getting pregnant at an early age was a bad choice and that Alex is a lifelong consequence?
“You’re lucky you didn’t end up hurt even more,” Ig continues, and my heart slows a little. “Now, it’s my fault for not making it more clear to Cedric that you were out. I hate that you were hurt because of me.”
“I wasn’t, Dad,” Alex says on a sigh. “It was my choice to sell. I put myself in that situation and no one else. I wanted to help. I could see Mom struggling. I didn’t want to ask for things. All the guys made it seem so easy. I just wanted to make things easier for her.”
Oh God, the guilt. My eyes start to burn again.
“It’s all over now,” Ignacio assures him.
“Do we get to stay here with you?”
A long silence fills the air, and I hold my breath to wait for his response, expecting him to say that Alex is welcome, but I can’t stay.
“I want you here, so bad.” And here comes the rest. “But I can’t stop your mom from taking you away if that’s what she wants. I’d never ask you to choose. I’ll go where you guys go, though. That I do promise.”
“I want to be here.” My son lowers his voice, so I can barely hear him. “But I’d never leave her. She needs me. I have to protect her.”
I spin around and head back into the bedroom Ignacio offered to me. I almost don’t get the door closed before I’m overtaken with sobs.
Chapter 35
Ignacio
You don’t understand just how uncomfortable your own furniture is until you spend a night on it waiting for the woman you love most in the world to come out of your room and ask you to join her in bed.
That wait for me took all night, as in Tinley never opened her door back up after her shower. She didn’t eat or come out to tell Alex goodnight. I imagine she passed out, exhausted from the trauma of Alex being hurt and the long trip to get here.
My back is killing me when I wake, painkillers and coffee the only things on my mind when I climb off the couch with a groan. Shit, when did thirty-one start feeling like sixty?
The coffee pot takes a lifetime to spit out the dark brew, and as I wait, I’m seriously tempted to just lean my head down and guzzle it from the machine. With fingers tapping on the counter, I glare at it as if mentally urging it to work faster will help.
It doesn’t.
If the way I feel right now is a clue as to how my day is going to go, then I think I’ll curl back up on the couch and risk permanent damage to my back.
“Hey, Dad.”
And that’s all it takes to make my lips curl up in a genuine smile.
“Hey. Are you hungry? There’s not much in the fridge but I can put in an order for delivery.”
“How about some of that coffee?”
I scoff. “Not a chance, but there is juice in the fridge.”
He rolls his eyes before walking across the room to get a glass out of the cabinet. “Where’s Mom?”
“Still asleep,” I tell him as I’m finally able to lift the coffee cup to my mouth.
It lights the skin inside my mouth on fire, but the pain is worth the infusion of caffeine.
“Maybe some of those sausage sandwiches I like?” Alex says as he pours his orange juice.
I grin, pulling my phone out and opening the delivery app. I know exactly what he’s talking about. It’s a good thing I know what Tinley likes from there as well because as much as I’m anxious to see her pretty face, I’m not going to wake her up to ask what she wants for breakfast.
“Twenty minutes,” I tell him once I get the confirmation on the app.
We both turn our heads when someone knocks on the front door. Alex looks anxious, and I rest my hand on his shoulder to set him at ease.
“It’s fine. You’re safe.”
He stays back, lingering in the kitchen while I head to the door.
I give Deacon a nod as soon as I see it’s him standing there. “Hey, man.”
The door is pushed back open when I go to close it behind him.
“Wait for me.” A frown turns my mouth down.
“What are you doing here?”
Brooks gives me a wide smile. I still haven’t forgiven his ass for flirting with Tinley in front of my house.
“I wanted to meet Alex.” He shrugs, shouldering past me into the condo.
“Alex,” I call. “This is Deacon Black, my boss, and Brooks Morgan, a guy I work with.”
Brooks frowns at the lackluster introduction, but both men shake my son’s hand like he’s grown, neither mentioning the bruises on his face.
“And the reason for the visit?” I prod, a little agitated they’re invading my world when all I want to do is spend time with my family.
“Just swinging by before work,” Deacon says, eyeing the coffee pot on the counter with expectancy.
I head to the kitchen and pour Deacon a cup, smirking at Brooks when he looks affronted that I didn’t pour him one.
“Mugs are in the cabinet,” I say as I walk past him. His chuckle tickles my back, but I ignore it. “And how are things at work?”
“Same old, same old,” Deacon mutters as he takes a sip of coffee. “Wren is in the doghouse, or should I say bird house with Whitney. I think Puff and Simon’s little feud is taking a toll on their relationship. He texted this morning that he was moving into the office.”