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“What is it, Daddy?” Ripley asks, unable to see with the sunglasses.
I’m about to scoop up my nephew. But Donnelly is faster than Maximoff to intervene. He’s pulling Farrow several feet back, who’s physically ten-times more built than Charlie’s tall, lean stature.
“What in the ever-loving…” Oscar is here, racing in from the bathroom.
It’s organized chaos. Less unruly than what Eliot incites. Possibly because Farrow, Donnelly, and Oscar are bodyguards, three men with a whole lotta restraint.
Farrow still hasn’t given into Charlie or his own anger, and inside this palpable messiness, I lock eyes with Donnelly, a painful longing burrowing back in my lungs.
Fuck him and die.
I’d rather be living on the other side of this trope.
Fuck him and survive.
Why can’t that be my reality?
9
PAUL DONNELLY
I’m waitingfor Luna in the penthouse elevator with Oscar and Charlie. I’m containing gnarledangerI’d usually expel in an insult or shit-talk or at times, a fist to a face.
Lashing out at a Cobalt? Can’t do it, not even if they insulted my pride and joys of Philly. Breathing, though, feels tougher sharing space with Charlie. I’m not gonna be able to keep my mouth shut for much longer.
My Cobalt brethren called mecontaminated—like I’m toxic waste. But that’s not even what’s got me hot.
I finally speak. “I know you might not be mindful of babies and whatnot,” I tell Charlie. “But you gotta be when you’re around them, and you shouldneverprovoke Farrow or anyone in front of their kids like that.”
Charlie has on dark shades. Can’t see his eyes. “He wasn’t going to hit me.”
“You wanted him to,” Oscar points out.
“No, if Ireallywanted to be punched, I would’ve gone for Moffy, but I didn’t.”
Oscar is shaking his head repeatedly, unable to look at Charlie right now.
Charlie’s frown deepens.
“You stepped into Farrow’s face,” I tell him. “Don’t think you were asking him for a kiss on the cheek, unless you were.”
Charlie is unamused.
“Just sayin’,” I add.
He drops his head a fraction, then turns to me. “I’ll be more conscious if their son is around. It didn’t cross my mind in that particular moment, honestly.”
I nod, hoping to cool off.
Luna arrives, a small backpack on her shoulder. Slipping into the elevator, she waves but senses the tension and says nothing. Oscar hits the lobby button, and I press30so Luna and I can stop at the Rookie Room and get Frog.
Descending, she whispers, “You okay?”
“Getting there,” I whisper back. “You see Farrow?”
Her gaze falls. “Yeah.” She edges closer. “He seemed really upset. I could tell he wanted to be alone with Moffy.”
Farrow was only defending me, but he ended up trapped in a place that I know he would never want to be.
