Page 27 of Echoes of Danger
No matter how much I want to. But I decide to keep that part to myself.
“Then you’re fired,” he says with an even tone. “You’re no longer employed by Reynold’s Inc. Now, come home, baby, so I can finally kiss you.”
“Wait, you can’t fire me. I need this job. I need the money.”
“You don’t, Freckles. I want the pleasure of taking care of your every need. Now, get your ass home. I need to hold my family before I leave. Don’t speed, baby.”
With that, he hangs up the phone.
“Get out of the damn road, lady,” someone yells, honking their horn. It’s only then do I realize that I’ve stopped in the middle of the crosswalk.
“Sorry,” I wave, rushing across the street.
“Del, we have to go,” Knox says, rushing from the restaurant with my kids. I mean, my teenager and Jacob’s baby.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, accepting the baby. “You’re as white as snow.”
“Just anxiety,” he admits. “Remember how I told you how being out and about is hard without Taylor at my side?”
I nod. I remember that conversation from last week.
“Well, I was doing fine until he called me for a last-minute club meeting. Now, I need you to get me back home before I faint.”
Nodding, we follow Eli as he leads us back to my car.
“Jacob fired me,” I say. Eli turns, his eyes wide, and Knox just sighs.
“What the hell for, Ma?”
“Something about him wanting to kiss me and me saying no because I can’t date my boss,” I admit. “Or something along those lines.”
“Oh, about time,” he says, turning and continuing his trek to my car.
“Tell me about it,” Knox says, his voice more breathy than usual. “He wanted to whisk you away the very second he saw you.”
“Wait, he did?” I ask. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he says. “I promise. Just need my Papa.”
I nod and Elijah looks back with concern. Knox explained to both me and Eli the type of relationship he has with his husband. It was new to me but apparently not very new to my son. He asked Knox a dozen questions before doing the same to Taylor.
My boy is a caretaker by nature. I should know. I can’t get him to stop parenting me.
If he decides to partake in that particular lifestyle I’ll support him completely.
“Can I hug you?” Eli asks Knox.
Surprised, it takes a few seconds before Knox nods. The second Eli, who is massive in comparison to Knox, wraps him in his arms, Knox sighs and digs in further.
“Everything is going to be alright, Knoxy,” Eli says, using Jacob’s nickname for his friend. “I know your brain doesn’t want to cooperate right now, but trust me to keep you, Butterfly, and Ma safe until we get back home.”
Turning his head to look at me, Knox says, “You’ve got yourself a good kid here. And yes, the second Reynolds saw you, he knew you were meant to be together. He freaked out, and that’s why he slammed the door in your face.”
I remember that. I was so surprised and a little hurt. I was seconds away from walking away when he opened the door, apologized, and told me that he would be right back.
But surely it wasn’t because he was interested.
“Come on, ladies,” Eli says, releasing Knox from his arm cage. “Let’s get home. Butterfly will want food soon. She eats like her favorite brother.”