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Mostly, he just seemed tired and worried about Alessa.
Luckily, he'd taken a shower, then crashed hard.
Me, well, I sat up for a while, feeling useless before I finally passed out for a couple of hours before waking up feeling unrested.
"Look, your mama dukes dropped off bagels," Brio said when I'd walked out to find him sitting on the kitchen counter, eating a bagel without cutting or putting anything on it, holding a cup of coffee in the other hand.
It didn't escape me that his knuckles were bloody.
He likely hadn't gotten any more sleep than I did, but he looked wide awake.
"Is she coming back?"
"She said she had to run a few errands, and would check back later."
"Okay," I said, heading toward the lifeline that was the coffee machine. "Any updates?"
"We're working on some leads," Brio said. "Nothing definitive yet, but we're having fun sussing shit out."
Brio's version of fun meant a lot of bloodshed and screaming. But if it was effective, then I had no problem with the methods of obtaining the information.
Whoever wanted to hurt my son, but ended up hurting Alessa instead, well, they needed to pay.
I'd barely gotten halfway through my coffee and a bagel when Avi came out of his room. Not bleary-eyed and bed-headed, but wide awake, dressed, and holding what looked like a wad of cash in his hand.
"Hey, look at this baller right here," Brio said, waving at Avi. "What you got there, little man, a cold G? Santi, man, you didn't tell me your kid was such an earner."
Holding back a little chuckle at seeing the tatted and bloody capo interact with my kid, I looked at Avi. "What's up, bud? You okay?"
"I want to get Less flowers," he declared, raising his chin. "I have my birthday money," he added, waving his wad of cash out. "Is it enough?"
"Think you could buy the whole florist out with that, little man," Brio said, nodding.
My kid.
He had a big heart.
I wasn't sure how much of that came from me, but I was fucking glad he had it.
"We can pick up Alessa flowers, bud, but save your money. I'll pay for it."
"No, I want to pay. I want to get them for her."
"Okay. Alright. That's fine," I agreed. "Why don't you go grab one of my wallets to put it in?" I suggested, planning to stuff some more cash in with it, so he had something left afterward, depending on how grandiose he decided to get at the florist.
"Okay," Avi said, brightening, leaving the cash on the counter.
As soon as he rushed off to get a wallet, I slipped some more money in the pile.
"He's a good kid."
"Yeah," I agreed. "I don't know if Alessa likes flowers, though."
"All women like the thought, though," Brio said, shrugging.
"True," I agreed.
Brit had always liked flowers. I always made sure I took Avi out to the florist for birthdays and Mother's Day and even Valentine's Day after she and I stopped celebrating that holiday with each other.
So of course he thought the right gift for Alessa was flowers. And she was good. She would fuss about it, bolster him up.
"Heard you're bringing her back here," Brio said, holding his mug out when I went to top off my own. "Even though her step-ma wanted to have her home."
"Yeah. She and I both think it is for the best."
"Yeah, I'll bet you do," Brio agreed, shooting me a smirk.
"If you're thinking it, say it. I have no fucking patience for the pussy-footing around a topic," I declared, my patience running thin.
"She's beautiful."
"Yeah."
"Figuring you noticed."
"Hard to miss when I see her around my house all the time."
"Couple of good-looking people, close quarters..."
"No," I said, shaking my head, even if there was a little bit of Yes in there as well.
"Hm," Brio said, shrugging.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, bud?" I asked as I watched him stuff his money into one of my old wallets.
"Can we stop and get her chicken nuggets too?" he asked.
"Is this a ploy for you to get yourself some chicken nuggets for breakfast?" I asked, shooting him a smile.
"Less likes chicken nuggets."
Alessa liked anything battered and fried.
"So, you don't want any?" I asked.
"Well, if we're going to get her some..."
"Yeah, that's what I thought," I said, chuckling.
Sure, teaching your kids healthy eating habits was important. I believed that. But I also believed that sometimes you had to say fuck it and have dessert for dinner or chicken nuggets for breakfast. It all balanced itself out.
"Alright. Let me grab my keys, and we can go. Are you coming with?" I asked, looking at Brio.
"Yep. I'm on until noon."
"Who is taking over then?" I asked, taking my last sip of coffee, then going toward the door to get my keys. Then, when Brio distracted Avi, slipping a gun from the box Brio had brought with him into a holster I'd clipped onto my waistband before putting on my suit jacket.
