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Jericho pushes out a breath. "The soldiers won. They’d shoot Pinky with their guns—bam.Pinky would put up his best fight, but in vain.Crash—he’d fall on the floor, unable to move.Splat—his pink fluff would burst out, like cotton candy dino blood."
I can’t help but snort. "Morbid."
Marcello frowns. "You didn’t tear your dinosaur apart during the game, did you, boy?"
Lazaro gnashes his teeth. "That wouldn’t be very nice."
"Of course not." Jericho rests his palms on Lazaro and Marcello’s chests. "Pinky only exploded… in my imagination. She remained very much alive."
Lazaro cups Jericho’s cheeks. "This dino will be Pinky the Second."
Lazaro
I’m not sure what Jericho will say in response.
It’s never an easy decision to name a new stuffy after a much-beloved childhood one.
However, Jericho seems like he enjoys this new pink dino—he associates it with the positive memory of playing with his brother as a boy.
I wait with bated breath.
At last, Jericho stares dead into my eyes. "No, Daddy."
I try to fight the disappointment that wells up inside me. Pain—that’s what slashes my insides, shredding my ribcage.
No.I work extra hard not to roar this out. Scream it.
How can Jericho reject Pinky the Second in this way? Hot tears threaten, burning my eyes. Pinky never did anything wrong—all he wants is for Jericho to love him. To kiss him and cuddle him. To give him wonderful memories of the games he played with Bentley as a boy and let light into his soul.
My body shakes, a grimace forming on my face. "N-No?"
Marcello growls as he palms my shoulder. "Calm down."
Santino grabs my jaw. "Whatever you’re thinking of saying, don’t. This is Jericho’s decision—his choice."
Hurt causes my fingers to clench into fists. "I’d like to know where you get off hurting Pinky’s feelings."
Jericho’s eyes well with tears. "Oh, no. I don't want you to ever think I’m rejecting your name for Pinky—the problem is that I already had a Pinky the Second."
My heart stutters and thumps. "When?"
"In prison." Jericho’s voice is a whisper as he cups my cheeks. "This cute dino will be Pinky the Third."
Marcello shakes my shoulders. "See, Lazaro? You had nothing to fear."
Relief. It hurricanes through me, causing hot tears to rain down my cheeks.
They pour across my chiseled jaw, seeping onto my collarbone and muscular shoulders.
"Don't scare me like that, boy." I hold Jericho tight, my heart slamming against my sternum. "You nearly gave Daddy a heart attack."
Jericho pitches forward and wraps his arms around my chest. "My prison stuffy get through bad times in the joint. When men… hurt me."
Santino’s eyes narrow. "I refuse to believe it."
Jericho clamps his lips shut. "Can’t talk about it. Not now. Not ready."
Santino, Marcello, and I hold Jericho. We caress his skin, thread our fingers through his hair, support him by refusing to let him go.
