Chapter 17

Olistaire

"How come we're doing park times again?"

I look down at Lucas, who grabbed onto my hand without prompting as we walked out the diner and is swinging it back and forth now.

"You don't want to go?" I ask, trying not to let my mind linger on exactly what might be going on between Grace and Brad right this moment. Which turns out to be easy, once Lucas begins to talk.

"Mamma says the park's no good at nighttime, and plus I already did the park today, but it wasn't for very long, so I guess it's okay if you take me again. But it's gonna be night soon so you have to remember to take me home before the park becomes bad, okay?"

I quirk a smile at his barrage of words. "I promise."

He was so quiet and solemn at the diner, barely even smiling, but as soon as he stepped out with me, he almost immediately exploded with words and energy.

"Okay, just don't forget!" He lets go of my hand as we reach the grassy expanse around the outskirts of the pine grove, throwing me a beaming smile before balancing terribly on one foot, and beginning to hop forward. "I like you, horsey."

My smile stretches as I stroll along beside him. "I like you too, buddy."

The thought crosses my mind that connecting with this four-year-old child seems so much more effortless to me than any female I've ever been with, but then I realize that isn't quite right. Grace does seem to be an exception to that rule, since I've never been friends with a lover before her.

I suppose little Lucas must get it from his mother.

"Should I run to the trees and back?" Lucas pipes up after a few more seconds of hopping.

"Uh, sure?" I hedge. "If you want to?"

He shoves both his hands on his hips and stares up at me incredulously. "You're supposed to tell me to stay where you can see me."

"Right," I say seriously, fighting a chuckle, "please stay where I can see you."

His hands flop suddenly loose, and he sighs dramatically as he tips his head back. "Nah, actually, I don't feel like it."

My brows shoot up my forehead, but before I can so much as reply he darts in front of me and begins walking backwards.

"This park doesn't have any jungle gyms, does it?"

I slow my steps so I don't bowl him over. "I'm afraid it's not that sort of park."

"What kind of park is it?"

"The kind people have picnics in."

"Can't you have a picnic and

a jungle gym?"

"Do you always ask so many questions?"

Lucas starts jumping backwards, his blonde hair bouncing into his mischievous blue eyes. "Do you always change a subject when you don't know the answer?"

"Wow, little lamb." I snort and palm his head affectionately, drawing him forward and swinging him without warning into my arms, before throwing him up to sit on my shoulders. I grin at the way he squeals in delight and clutches my horns for support. "That was rude."

"Nuh-uh!" He giggles and bounces on me as I keep walking. "Hey, how long is Mamma gonna be?"

I sigh and pat his leg. "I don't know."

"Can we go back to your house while we wait? Does your house have a garden and a jungle gym?"

"Unfortunately, it doesn't. Sorry, little goblin."

"That's okay." He leans forward, reaching an arm through my horns and patting me back gently on my cheek. "I don't mind. Can we still go? We can play the Switch, maybe! Or play on the Xbox!"

Gods, he's making me feel old. I don't even know what a Switch is. "Sorry, I don't have any of those either."

He lets out an almighty sigh and collapses against my head. I can feel his body flopping listlessly, and I reach an arm up against his back just in case he falls. "I never get to play on the Switch or the Xbox! Brad is always hogging them!"

"Well," I say slowly, not exactly sure how much Lucas knows or can comprehend, so I decide to stick with the basics. "Now that you aren't living with him anymore, you can play more, can't you?"

He drops his pointy little chin onto my skull, and mumbles into the longer hair on the very top of my head. "We left the Xbox at our old place, and Brad took my Switch when he came over before."

I slow down, and then stop as his words register. "Brad took something from you?"

"Yeah," he sighs, and wraps both his hands under my jaw. "I saw him take it when you were kissing Mommy downstairs."

I slide Lucas down over my shoulder so I can hold him to my chest and see his expression. That spark of anger is flaring up inside me again, as well as a painful little twist at the glum look of disappointment on his face.

"Did he really do that?" I ask quietly, to which he nods and pouts, staring up at me with wide eyes.

"He always takes my things! Mamma boughted me the Switch for my birthday because I wanted to play Super Mario Bros, but Brad was always on the Xbox, so she got me the Switch, but then Brad was always taking the Switch, too!" He seems to be getting on a roll with his words, his face animating with scrunched intensity and his arms beginning to wave in big, angry gestures. "And I got in trouble one time because I lost the Switch and Mamma didn't buy me a new one for one whole month!

But it wasn't my fault, Oli, it's not fair!" He plants both his little palms against my chest and shakes me for emphasis. "Brad was looking after me, but he took me to a lady's house and he locked me out of the bedroom because they were talking. I was downstairs for ages and ages playing on the Switch, but I falled asleep because it became night time, and when I woke up Brad was rushing me and he grabbed me and ran out and I didn't get it, and I left it at the lady's house, and it wasn't my fault! But he said I lost it at the park and Mamma was mad at me for not looking after my things, and… and…"

He suddenly throws himself forward, curling his arms around my neck and pushing his face under my chin. "It's not fair."

I wrap my arms around his back and remain speechless. Am I hearing things right? Did Lucas just say what I think he did?

Slowly, my feet start up again, and I allow the little boy to remain snuggled against my chest as I turn and walk us back to my car.

"Did you know that lady?" I ask him, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"No." Lucas sniffles. "Brad said she was an old friend. He had lots of old friends he took me to see, but I was just a little boy before. I wasn't big like I am now, so I don't ‘member good."

I suck in a sharp, angry breath, and remain quiet. If Lucas is telling the truth—and I have no doubt that he is—then that male is worse than I'd thought.

He didn't just hurt Grace, he hurt her little boy. Neglected him, used him, and clearly didn't give two donkey's shits about his well-being. What kind of a person takes a child along with them while cheating? Leaves them alone, unsupervised, while getting his dick wet in another room and paying no attention at all? Anything could have happened, and he wouldn't have known until it was too late.

I hate that male. He is a threat, unsafe and unworthy of the air he breathes. If he ever comes near Grace or Lucas again, he'll have me to deal with. I don't care what kind of agreement he comes to with Grace today. He doesn't deserve a single thing more from her.

I have half a mind to storm right back into that diner now, but I choose to prioritize the child in my arms over my sense of anger at the injustice that male has caused, and I refrain. I'll deal with him if I ever see his pallid face again.

In the meantime, I have an electronics store to visit before it shuts. Lucas is going to get any Xbox, Switch, Glitch or Twitch his heart desires, and nobody will take them from him again.

***

Several hours later, the sun has long set and I'm still with Lucas. I'd gotten a message from Grace that she might be longer with Brad than she'd thought, so after purchasing several devices for Lucas, we went back to mine to play. I spent much longer than I should have, trying to figure out how to get the Xbox I'd bought him working. To my great humbling, the four-year-old had to help me through set-up and then teach me how to play Smashing Brothers, or whatever the game is called, before proceeded to absolutely dominate me on screen—even when I actually tried not to lose.

His absolutely hysterical laughter at my pathetic gaming skills were worth the mild embarrassment at being so horrendously bad at something, and once he was finally tired of playing games, I ordered us takeout, slipping both Xbox and Switch into the backpack I'd also purchased so that he could easily take everything home, before getting him ready to sleep.

"Is this your bed, Oli?"

"Sure is," I reply absently, helping him take off his shoes and socks before he clambers onto my mattress.

"I can't sleep here, I'm not a horse!" But he wriggles down under the comforter anyway with a wide grin.

"Don't worry, goblins are allowed to sleep in horse beds."

"Oh, okay." He yawns widely. "That's good."

"Alright," I say, sitting on the edge of the mattress while he settles down. "Is there anything else we need to do before you sleep?"

Lucas shrugs, looking absolutely tiny in my large bed. "Today was fun, can we do it again?"

"Sure, buddy," I chuckle. "We'll organize it with your mom. You're a good kid."

"You're a good kid, too," he mumbles, smiling sleepily. "Can you be my new dad now? You're way more better than Brad."

Warmth blossoms suddenly in my chest even as cold fear immediately follows, twisting my gut. I stare at him, not knowing what to say.

"Oh, wait!" He clambers out from under the sheets while I'm still lost for words, crawls over, and gives me a quick hug, his little arms squeezing tight around my neck. "We forgot the goodnight hug! Now you gotta kiss my cheek."

He presents his chubby face to me, and without thinking, I give him a peck. He immediately turns and lays a wet kiss on my own cheek, before giggling and muttering, "Fluffy!" as he crawls back to the pillow. My arms move automatically to get him tucked back in, and he lays there grinning at me.

"Way

more better than Brad," he says, wriggling further into the pillow. "Kay, goodnight. You can go away now."

"Goodnight, little lamb."

I leave him to sleep and head back out to the living area in something of a haze, his words bouncing around in my skull in an echo. I don't know how to feel about it. And for some reason, my throat feels tight.

Dropping down onto my couch, I stare at nothing for a long time.

My thoughts begin to revisit memories of my childhood. A rotation of new females in my home. Snatches of a cold father, doing everything necessary to keep me alive and educate me. Paying for my food. Financing my schooling. Existing for long enough to make sure I was able to look after myself.

I remember trying to make eye contact with him when I was young, how I longed for any connection to the male who had sired me. Even if he wouldn't touch me, he could have at least looked at me.

When my phone pings with a message tone, I pull it out of my pocket listlessly.

Sorry, Oli, I'm still with Brad. Maybe you could take Lucas to Ella's for me? I don't know how long I'll be. I'm so sorry for being such an imposition, I really didn't expect this.

I blink down at the message, taking a deep breath and holding it, trying to ignore the new wave of emotions that cascade through me at the mention of Brad. I force my fingers to type.

I've already put Lucas to bed. Come get him whenever you like.

No pet names flow from me in my reply, no teasing, not even anger at the mention of Brad. I find myself in a strange mood, and I put my phone down and rub absently at the scratch on my inner wrist. Instead of healing, the mark seems to be getting worse, now a long, curved line of missing fur.

I drop my arm and lean my head back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling, and remain like this until I eventually fall asleep.