Chapter Ten

***Magnolia***

"Are you sure he's okay?" Easton whispers to ask me for the second time and I see him scratch his forearm repeatedly.

We're standing in the bedroom of a large luxurious apartment Calix brought us to. Joshua is finally sleeping in a big bed and the reason he didn't want to sleep was because he wanted his Daddy to keep reading the book he gave him. Ketchup is curled up beside him and the cat is purring with his eyes closed.

I glance at Easton and wrap my fingers around his wrist to stop him from scratching and to pull him out of the room. I close the door but leave it slightly open. We move to the living room where a large couch sits in front of a big screen TV along with a fireplace and some comfy chairs along with it.

A Christmas tree stands in the corner. I'm touched how the bikers of AF MC Ohio and their old ladies all came by with Christmas stuff they wanted us to have to decorate the tree and this place with. Calix arranged the tree, but it was Easton who brought it in all by himself.

I'm pretty sure it's the reason he's been scratching his forearms, due to irritation from the tree. Maybe he's allergic but he didn't mention anything when the three of us took our time decorating everything.

Calix owns the apartment and told us to stay as long as we wanted. I don't know how long that will be, but for now I'm glad we have a place that doesn't remind us of what happened so we can spend the next few days together without worry and just relish in the fact it's Christmas and we're together.

"I'm sure he's fine, Easton." I plant my ass on the couch and pull him down beside me. "I know it sounds crazy but all of us saw and experienced it differently. Joshua for sure. He saw us, he saw you. All his eyes caught was you firing a gun while the one holding him was waving a knife. When you shot the guy, Joshua didn't see anyone getting hurt or so much as a speck of blood. Calix was right there to grab him and he pulled him into his chest. He didn't see a body, any blood, nothing."

He nods warily and I know it's hard to accept for him, but I know my son. Okay, things can backfire, but from what I've seen in the last couple of hours was still the same cheerful boy he was before this happened.

His nails drag over the skin of his forearms again and I can see the redness spreading. "Stop scratching," I scold and head for the bag where I know I have a tube of ointment in there that will help with the rash spreading his skin. A giggle slips out when I sit down next to him and grab his forearm.

"What?" he grumbles as I start to apply the ointment.

"C.Rash," I snicker. "If I didn't know any better, I would think it stands for Christmas Rash."

Easton chuckles and shakes his head. My heart skips a beat when I look at him. The last few days he's been involved in every second of Joshua's life and the way he shows how important he is to him has made Joshua open up to him completely.

At first, I had my doubts and fears about how all of us would react to these new circumstances, but we easily fell into a routine and all enjoy every minute of our time together. I clean up and wash my hands and when I stroll back to the couch, Easton isn't scratching his forearms anymore but has his intense gaze locked on me.

I clear my throat as I sit down next to him. "He really liked the book you gave him. And I think it's even better you gave it to him, instead of putting it underneath the tree as if Santa put it there."

A slow smile spreads Easton's face. "You're right. I feel better already knowing I'm getting the credit for giving my little man that book. And now I can tell the reason I gave it to him and how I loved it as a kid too, instead of the old man with the beard and red suit stealing my thunder."

I can't help but snort. "First priority on Daddy's list...never let Santa steal your thunder."

He bumps his shoulder against mine. "Hey, I'm still new at this, okay?"

I release a deep breath and pull my legs up on the couch as I lean into him and snuggle close. "You're amazing, Easton. Don't worry so much. For the first time I feel completely safe. And with you sitting here, how you reacted and handled everything? Not just your quick reaction by handling Peter, I'm talking about what happened after you saved our kid. The way you were there for him, how gentle you were and how you listened to every word Joshua said and nothing else mattered but him. You made him feel strong and safe. You did that, and that's why he's sleeping peacefully. Hell, I'm pretty sure he's dreaming about becoming an astronaut because of the book you gave him. See? It's all about how you handle things and I'm thankful you're a part of our lives now."

His arm reaches around me and he pulls me closer, placing a kiss on the top of my head as if he's finally at ease. Though the tightness of his muscles tells me differently. He's still tense and filled with worry. This used to be me every second of the day.

I close my eyes and let my thoughts flow. "All these years, there has been a kind of restlessness dominating my life I couldn't take away no matter how hard I tried. It was always right there at the surface, as if I needed to be ready for anything at every second; always on edge. Tight as a string like the way you feel now. I don't feel it anymore, it's gone. It's as if the bullet you fired took that down with it too. It's over. I can finally put all of it behind me and this is why I know Joshua will be fine too. I'll be there for him if he needs me. You will be there too. There's no risk of Peter taking me again or tormenting me. One of my biggest fears has been the risk of being taken away from my son, or worse…having something happen to him because of me. No more. It all ended today. You made it possible and I can never be more thankful."

Easton's breath rushes out. "I have never been more scared in my life as I was today." His voice cracks and his arm tightens slightly around me. "I've been shot a few times in my life. Hanging on the balance of life and death, not knowing if I close my eyes it would be for good. But standing outside of that window while my son was in the arms of danger? Fuck."

I take his face in my hands and the torment edged on there is slicing through me. "You're here. He's here. I'm here. We're all safe. You saved us. Don't dwell in the past, let it go and look forward. I had to force myself to look forward countless times. Years ago, when it all happened…when I woke up at the hospital and knew the nightmare was real…I didn't know if I wanted to live. Then they told me I was pregnant and there was no doubt in my mind Joshua was the gift I needed to move forward and give my life meaning. The night we spent together all those years ago has given me strength over time. They were the kind of memories I needed to live through and spark my life with. A reminder that there are good things worth living for. The scars Peter inflicted, the pain, the torment, humiliation, the beatings…with what we know now, and those girls found dead. If I didn't escape, I wouldn't be here. Joshua wouldn't be here. And I still don't understand how I managed to escape and why I can't remember how or recollect what happened those last few days of captivity. Maybe I didn't escape, he let me go instead because he was sure I couldn't identify him or couldn't say anything to incriminate him. Maybe that's the reason he kept coming back, because it didn't matter if I was in a cage with him or free…all those years he still had me in an invisible cage built by fear. And you…you smashed that cage for me today. So, don't you dare create a new cage with thoughts, fear, or uncertainties. No more, you hear me? We're going to pull through this together and finally have no other worries than our little family where hard decisions are something like…like…what cookies we need to bake tomorrow."

A chuckle slips past his lips and the sound makes me sigh in relief. His lips gently feather over mine. "You're really something, you know that?"

I shrug. "Meh, I've been told once or twice."

Finally, his body relaxes and though silence wraps around us, I know both our minds are busy with working through everything that happened. But we're sitting here. Comfortable and soaking up each other's strength.

Time passes when Easton suddenly says, "We need to wrap all those presents I bought and place them under the tree before Joshua wakes up."

I dash up and with wide eyes I tell him, "I can't believe I forgot. He can wake up at any time. Everything I bought him is already wrapped. We need to do yours behind the couch, if he walks in one of us can distract him and he won't see anything. Oh, and you're not coming near the tree. Well, no touching the branches anyway."

He glances down at his forearms and lets his gaze slide back to me. "Sounds like a plan."

The smile spreading his face warms my chest. I dash off the couch and head for the large bag I placed in the bedroom. Stalking back, I take out the few gifts and place them carefully underneath the tree. I glance over my shoulder and see Easton on his knees behind the couch, taking out the stuff he bought along with the wrapping paper. He glances at it as if he's thinking up a plan to tackle it.

"Need some help?" I question and make my way toward him.

"If you could show me a few times how this whole wrapping thing works, that would be great. I want to do a few myself too. I can hardly let you wrap your own presents, right?" the man easily supplies.

And in this moment I realize, "I didn't get you anything."

He leans in close and brushes his nose against mine. "You gave me so damn much already. There's no better gift than to be here with you two, fussing over wrapping gifts while knowing the three of us are just starting out together. Don't you realize it's the best present ever? Just don't give the old man with the beard any credit, though. Cause you and I both know it was us who did all the hard work."

My head tips back and laughter flows out. Instant joy spreads my body and I hug the man who's crawled back underneath my skin. I tighten my hold because I don't ever want to let go of this moment.

His words flow on repeat through my head. The three of us are just starting out together . Yes, we are. And I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us.