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I wasn’t even worried about leaving Gabriel alone with D. Honestly, it wasn’t even a second thought. Thinking about that now, I keep wondering in the back of mind if it’s possible he’s playing me in any way and decide to squash that thought. He’s done nothing to cause me to doubt his motives. I’d feel it in the pit of my stomach if he weren’t genuine. I know I would.
“I know, but I missed you guys. What did you two do last night?” I reach over, taking over holding the bottle in Gabriel’s mouth. I really did miss them both, and being here right now, I do like it a lot. Alana may be right, to a degree, but I do know that this little guy is in the best possible place he can be. And for that reason alone, nothing else matters.
“Watched Sports Center.”
“Ooh,” I exaggerate. “You both went wild.”
Drago chuckles, falling onto his back.
Putting his hands behind his head, I take the opportunity to admire his naked torso.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Drago chastises. “I can’t do shit about it with him in here.”
“Don’t cuss in front of him.”
“Seriously?” He laughs. “He can’t talk. He can’t repeat it.”
“You say it now, and you’ll still be saying it when he’s ten,” I reason.
“Bri,—his eyebrow shoot up—“don’t you think you’re getting a little too attached to this kid?”
Not him too.
It’s then I realize what I’ve just said. I guess I should be grateful he picked up on me thinking he and I would still be in Gabe’s life years from now, because Drago would still be in mine, and not because I was thinking of Drago being this sweet baby boy’s dad.
I should be grateful that’s how he took it, but it only feels sour in my stomach.
Lies. I hate lies. I hate it even more when it’s me doing the lying.
It’s never bothered me when it was for my job—until now. It feels wrong, like I’m betraying him in a sense. Maybe I am. And if I am...?
I don’t want to think about that, so I change the subject.
“How come you’ve never once asked me the details of my investigation?”
“Because I’m not worried.” There is no hesitation in his voice and I don’t understand why. If I have a member of law enforcement hell-bent on putting my ass in jail, I think I might sweat a little at the least. “But...”
He looks up at the ceiling, not finishing what he was going to ask, so I prompt him. “But what?”
“Why do you still have him?” His head turns, Drago’s eyes landing back on me. “You’re not in social work, you’re a cop.”
“I know I am.”
Where is he going with this?
“It just seems... odd is all.”
Gabriel pushes his bottle out of his mouth, not wanting any more, so I place the near-empty bottle on the nightstand behind me.
Reaching underneath him, I scoop Gabe into my hands and then place him on my chest. The connection I feel with him is instant.
He’s exactly where he should be, I think to myself.
“Look, D. I can’t tell you the details, I want to, I really do, but my hands are bound—for now. Just know that this, here with me, is the second-best place he can possibly be.” And it is. I’m damn sure of that.
“And the first?”
“Somewhere”—I shake my head—“he can’t be at the moment.” I start to lightly pat Gabriel’s back. “Can we drop this subject, please? I got enough of it from Alana.” And I’m tired of fucking hearing about it. I get they don’t know the whole story, the story at all, but I’ve got this.
