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"Go home, Knox. I'll call you if anything changes here."
"Thank you, old man."
"Get out of here," Caeo laughs. "Go fuck your boy and spoil your pet."
Chapter twenty-three
Porter
I'msoexcitedwhenKnox and Caeo walk into the kitchen for lunch. I'm sitting at the kitchen table, but the exciting part is that Nico is here too. Gladys insisted he had a comfy chair brought through from the dining room, so he had support, but he is upright and eating, and I'm so proud of him.
Well, he is slumped and picking at a muffin with his left hand, but I'm still proud of him. There is more crumb on the plate than he's eaten, but I still consider this progress.
"You're looking tired, treasure." Knox kisses my brow, which means I've got some crumbs around my mouth.
"And you're looking well, pet." Knox places a similar kiss on Nico's forehead and the boy practically slips out of his chair. Thankfully my man has big strong arms and keeps him in place.
"I'm sorry, pet."
"I never been kissed like that," Nico declares. "And it was another man's boyfriend!"
He makes another attempt at falling off the chair, but Knox holds him steady.
"Nap time for you, young man," Gladys insists. She's been doing a fantastic job looking after Nico. She does a great job looking after me too. Maybe Mum wasn't being mean when she said I couldn't have a pet until I learnt to take care of myself. Not that Nico is a pet, even if it is the nickname Knox has for him. Pet is a good name, he's very much like a feral cat who's been brought indoors for the first time. I'd say Knox was good at nicknames, but there is nothing precious about me to warrant being his treasure. I dug up a pretty stone when I was about eight and I called that my treasure. If a worthless rock can be someone's treasure, then I'll allow the pride I feel when he calls me that name.
I need to think of a nickname for Knox, something that Nico could use. I do understand that my feral cat can't call the top dog by his first name, but I think we need something less formal than Mr Boss Man.
My big strong man scoops Nico up and carries him off.
"Don't be jealous poppet," Gladys comforts me. "Knox has been guilty for six years about turning his back on that boy."
"I'm not jealous." My heart blooms at the sight of Knox showing such care for someone I also care about. My thoughts were on taking Nico's tea and cake through for him. "I'll be fine."
"You are doing the kind thing having him here, but I wouldn’t encourage you to continue this. Knox- Well, it's not my place to say, but he has feelings for that boy."
"You're right, and I mean this kindly, but it isn't your place."
"I understand, poppet. I shouldn't have said anything."
"I know you meant well," I thank her. Knox and I let Nico's disappearance disrupt our sex life, so I know how much this means to Knox. I know this is more than me wanting to adopt my first donkey, just like Knox did all those years ago. I understand how he felt then, wanting his good fortune to be about more than just him.
When I take Nico's lunch through, Knox is sitting next to him, stroking the sleeping boy's hair.
"Does he seem normal to you?"
"I don't really know what normal is for him. He is quieter than when I was at the warehouse but look at what he went through. I'd be curled up crying if anyone did that to me.”
“I saw Gavriil’s workplace today. Not a good place for a kid to grow up.”
"Gladys thinks you're sweet on him." I give a chuckle to make it clear I don't believe her.
"Porter, I am sweet on him." Knox doesn't look away from Nico. "He lost the only person in his life the day I lost the most special person in mine."
Knox stands up and comes to me, the biggest smile on his face. His hand takes mine in that way where his fingers interweave with tiny digits.
"Seeing Nico reminded me that I wasn't alone in my grief. Showed me that we were both putting on a brave face. He may not have known it, but he helped me through. Seeing him carry on helped me to do the same. I love him, like a brother. Maybe cousin or nephew is more accurate. In some crazy way, my sister lived on in him." Knox's face presses against my cheek, and I'm hungry for his kiss.
"I'm not worried, as long as there is room in your heart for me too." I can't come into this man's life and expect him to forget about everyone who means anything to him.
