Mason (Striking Back #2)

by S. M. Shade

  “Yeah, well, blame the condom company.”

  “I’m an uncle,” Alex announces, and Parker grins.

  “Fuck, yeah, we are. When can we meet him?”

  I don’t want to overwhelm Cody, but I want him to meet his family, to see he has more people who’ll love him. “Come over this evening.”

  “Is there anything you need for him?” Alex asks.

  “Evie pretty much cleaned out the mall,” I reply. “But thanks.”

  “Mason, we’re here if you need anything. A babysitter, whatever,” Parker volunteers, his hand clamped on my shoulder.

  I glance at my brothers, the two people I know always have my back. “I have no fucking idea what I’m doing,” I confess.

  “You’ll learn as you go, like all parents,” Alex assures me. “And we’ll be here to help.”

  “Cody’s a great kid. You’ll love him.”

  “Of course we will,” Parker replies, climbing in his truck. “See you tonight.”

  Alex waves as he takes off. I’m so lucky to have them. I can’t imagine a life with no family, like Evie.

  Evie and Cody sit cross legged on the porch, a game board between them. “Daddy! I beat Evie at Candyland. She keeps getting stuck in the molasses swamp!” He bounds to his feet.

  I barely hear the rest of his sentence. My heart is pulled tight at the word “daddy”. I’m Daddy. “That’s great, buddy.”

  Evie’s soft smile speaks volumes. She recognizes the effect my new moniker has on me. “Did the judge say yes?” Cody asks, bouncing around like a sugared up bunny. “Do I get to stay?”

  I sweep him up into a hug. “Yes. You’re my boy. You’re staying with me.”

  “Yay!”

  “You have two uncles who can’t wait to meet you. They’ll be coming by after dinner.”

  “I have uncles.” His little face screws up. “Will they like me?”

  “Are you kidding? They’ll love you.” I run my palm over his head. “Just like I do. Are you hungry?”

  “Evie’s making spaghetti,” he says, flashing her a charming smile. “Can I go watch cartoons?” he asks, turning back to me.

  “Sure, buddy.”

  Evie wraps her arms around me after he runs into the house. “How are you?”

  “Overwhelmed, terrified, and ecstatically happy.”

  “Your brothers will love him. He’ll fit right in.” Her hands cup my ass and squeeze.

  “This is going to limit my ability to bend you over whenever I want,” I growl, licking her ear.

  “All part of dating a DILF.”

  “You did not call me that.”

  “I believe I did.”

  * * * *

  Alex and Parker show up loaded down with presents, and Alex carries a cake with Welcome Cody written in icing. Cody takes to my brothers instantly. “Why do I got presents? It’s not Christmas.”

  “No, but it’s a celebration,” Parker says, leaning toward him. “Plus, I know where to find the best toys.”

  Cody giggles as he unwraps a box with four ping pong ball guns. Within seconds, the house is filled with flying ping pong balls as a war breaks out. Evie peeks out of the kitchen where she’s cutting the cake and gives me an I-told-you-so wink.

  It’s good to see Cody having fun, coming out of his shell. I have no illusions to the struggle in his future. He’s losing his mother, the only family he’s ever known. No matter how much he voices his desire to stay with us, or complains about how she treats him, she’s still his mother.

  We’re biologically programmed to love our parents and seek their acceptance, even if they’re horrible people. I struggled the first few years after my mother’s death, because as strong as my hatred for my father was, I also missed him.

  Cody’s little face is flushed as he plops on the couch to rest, and Evie brings him a juice box. Excitement widens his eyes when Alex retrieves a large box tied with a ribbon. “Here you go, pal. Some stuff for rainy days.”

  “Art stuff. We have art at school!” Cody cries, digging in the box. Out comes a giant box of crayons, markers, and colored pencils. Evie stacks the supplies on the coffee table as Cody exclaims over each item before moving on to the next. Glue, safety scissors, glitter—that should be fun to clean up—and thick stacks of paper, every art supply you could think of.

  Cody’s brow wrinkles at the cans of brightly colored Play-Doh. “Is it paint?”

  Alex pops open a can of blue. “It’s Play-Doh. You can make stuff with it.”

  Cody squishes it and grins, “Will you make something, too?”

  “What should I make?” Joy emanates from Cody when Alex sits on the floor beside him and opens the cans.

  “Boats?” Cody suggests, and they set to it. It’s sort of an irresistible activity, and before long we’re all gathered around, sculpting.

  Cody examines our attempts, complimenting Evie’s flower and my shark. Parker tries to block the cock and balls model he’s made from Cody’s sight while flashing it at the rest of us, a silly grin on his face. I swear, he’ll never grow up. He isn’t quick enough, and Cody gets a peek. “What’s that?”

  “A rocket,” Parker replies, not missing a beat.

  “Oh, it looks like a wiener,” he remarks in a disinterested tone, causing the room to erupt in laughter. After the Play-Doh is cleaned up and put away, I hand out slices of cake and everyone digs in. Sugaring up the kid before bed probably isn’t wise, but what the hell, we’re celebrating.

  A knock at the door fills me with dread. No one but my brothers just drop in. It has to be Jamie. This is going to be ugly. I don’t want to let her in, but I need to stall her long enough for the cops to show up.

  The babbling begins the second I let her in and continues as she follows me into the house. “Sorry I’m late, but I had trouble getting a room. I just need a little more money and I’ll take Cody, you…” Her prattle fades at the sight of everyone in the living room. “You having a party?” Her nails pick at the skin on her arms while her gaze brushes over Cody without acknowledging him.

  “I got presents,” Cody announces. “Look.” A quick grin flashes across her face as she replies without looking at him.

  “That’s great, baby. Mason, really, I need to go, and I need some more money.”

  Evie picks up her phone, nodding to inform me she’s calling Officer Roberts, and disappears into the kitchen. Parker scoops Cody onto his hip. “Let’s get that icing off your face and you can show me your room, okay, partner?” I’m grateful he’s removing him from a volatile situation.

  You ever see a junky desperate for money? When she finds out she isn’t getting any, rage is the likely result. I’m having trouble containing my own anger when I turn to her. “More money? For Cody, I’m sure, right? Like the five hundred I just gave you.”

  “It got stolen,” she snaps. “And you fucking owe me anyway. You think it’s cheap raising a kid?”

  “You aren’t fucking raising him! You bring him here starving and crawling with head lice, and you think I’m going to let you leave with him?” I swallow the insults and names I want to call her, aware Cody may be able to hear.

  “If you just gave me more money, I could feed him more!”

  “Bullshit! You want him for the welfare check and because you can use him to get sympathy. People see a kid, they’ll give you money. So you can put it in your vein while your son goes to sleep hungry in a damn car!”

  Rage takes over as she realizes I’m not giving her a damn thing. “I’m taking my kid. You can’t stop me.” Stalking across the room, she yells, “Cody, get your ass out here! We’re leaving!” She bares her teeth at me like a wild animal when I grab her arm. “Don’t touch me! I’ll call the cops!”

  “Do that,” I scoff, relocating her ass to the chair.

  “Mom?” Cody’s voice is small. He stands in the hallway, clinging to Parker’s hand. He has wiped the icing from his face and put on his new Hulk pajamas. Evie returns and lingers quietly beside Alex.
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  “Get your shoes,” Jamie snaps at Cody. “We’re leaving.”

  “I don’t wanna.”

  “Get your goddamn shoes!”

  He flinches but shakes his head. “I’m staying with Daddy.”

  “He’s not your daddy you worthless little shit.”

  Cody buries his face in Parker’s neck as he picks him up and takes him back to the bedroom. His timing is good because the crack of Evie’s palm on Jamie’s cheek rings out a few seconds later. “Don’t you ever call a child worthless, you pathetic excuse for a human being,” Evie hisses. Alex steps in front of Evie, and I shove Jamie back into the chair when she lunges at her.

  “He isn’t even yours, you stupid son of a bitch!” Jamie screams.

  “I have a DNA test that says he is. And I was granted custody just a few hours ago, so save your foul breath. I feel sorry for your future cellmate.” It thrills me to be the one to tell her she’s busted. “Once the judge realized you have three outstanding warrants, custody was no longer an issue.”

  Fear fills her face when there’s another knock at the door. “And there’s your ride,” I taunt. Evie leads the officers into the living room.

  “Jamie Weslow?” Officer Roberts asks. When she fails to respond, he produces a set of handcuffs and rattles off her rights.

  “You can’t do this! She…she hit me!” Jamie nods at Evie while the officer cuffs her. “I want to press charges!”

  “I see no evidence of that,” Roberts replies, ignoring the red handprint glowing on her cheek.

  “Thank you.” I shake hands with him and his partner.

  “Just worry about your boy,” Roberts advises. “We’ve got this. She’ll be in Judge Hennon’s courtroom.” Judge Hennon works with Striking Back and will have no problem holding a neglectful mother and armed robber without bail. Threats and curses spew from her lips all the way to the squad car. I don’t envy the officers’ ride back with her. The silence after they’re gone is a relief.

  “I’m sorry,” Evie says softly. “I shouldn’t have lost it. When she called him worthless, I…”

  My lips on hers put an end to her apology, and she squeezes me tight when I embrace her. “You were perfect.”

  Alex agrees. “I wanted to beat the shit out of her too, Ev. No worries. She deserves way more than she got.”

  “I have to talk to Cody. I’m sure he’s upset.” What the hell am I supposed to say to him? What do I say to a boy who knows his mother doesn’t give a shit?

  “Go ahead,” Alex encourages. “We’ll clean up.”

  * * * *

  Cody sits on Parker’s lap on the bed. Parker glances up at me and continues reassuring him as I take a seat beside them. “Bad drugs make people really sick. It makes them say and do bad things. It’s not because there’s anything wrong with you. Your mom is sick. She’s going to a place where they’ll help her get better.”

  “So she won’t take bad drugs?”

  “That’s right.” Parker rubs his back.

  Cody looks up at me, and the fear in his eyes breaks my heart. “What if she comes back?”

  “She can’t come back, buddy.”

  “Cause the cops took her to jail?”

  Shit. I was hoping he didn’t hear that. “Yes, she did bad things and has to stay in jail, but they’ll help her get better.”

  His mouth turns down as he crawls off Parker’s lap and lays his head on his pillow. “So, I’ll never see her again?”

  “We can visit if you want to.”

  Indecision is reflected on his face. “I don’t want her to yell or hit me.”

  “That isn’t going to happen. No one is going to hurt you. I promise.” I pull the covers over him. “Everyone gets angry. You just have to find a good way to let it out. Yelling and hurting people is wrong.”

  Yawning, he asks, “How do you let it out?”

  Parker grins and slaps my leg. “You should bring him to the gym tomorrow.”

  “I like to kick and punch a big punching bag. Would you like to try that?”

  His eyes light up. “Like a boxer? Are you a boxer?”

  Parker leans over like he’s sharing a secret. “Your dad is a champion fighter.”

  “Really? Do you slam guys like John Cena?”

  “Not exactly.” I laugh and kiss his forehead. “I’ll take you to the gym tomorrow and show you.”

  “Okay.” The poor kid is exhausted after the night he’s had and his eyes drift shut.

  Parker pulls me into a one armed hug as we leave the room. “He’ll be fine.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Evie

  “Will you please tell me where we’re going?” I ask as Mason steers the car into a middle class neighborhood.

  “There’s someone you need to meet.” We park in front of a small brick house and I’m led to the door. Standing on the porch, Mason takes my hands in his. “You’ve been so wonderful to Cody and helped me so much with him. I have every intention of making you part of my family as soon as you’re ready, but I know that doesn’t fill the hole left by your own family. You should know someone with your blood.”

  “Mason, there’s no one…”

  My statement is cut short when Mason opens the door and leads me into the living room. A man sits on the couch. He’s obviously very sick, his hanging skin betraying a recent weight loss. He’s wrinkled, bald, and hunched over, but I’d recognize his eyes anywhere. Eyes I last saw being swallowed by murky water.

  “Everly?” he asks, his voice raspy. “God, you grew up beautiful.”

  No. No, he didn’t do this. Didn’t spring my father—the father I thought was dead—on me without warning. I can’t do this. “Evie!” I hear Mason call as I flee down the stairs. His arms wrap around my waist, preventing my escape. “Evie, stop! It’s okay, sweetheart.”

  “I need to get out of here. Now.” Water. Darkness. Blood. My father’s eyes. The world spins and I shove him off me just in time as my lunch makes a reappearance.

  “I got you, baby.” He holds my hair back until I’m done and hands me a water bottle from the car. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think meeting your father would upset you like this.”

  “You knew I wouldn’t come,” I choke. “That’s why you tricked me.” I jerk away when he tries to hug me, and his shoulders droop.

  “It wasn’t a trick. I just didn’t want you to worry or obsess over it. I thought it’d be easier for you.”

  A sickening thumping in my head makes it hard to think, and I massage my temples. “What can I do, Panda? What do you need?”

  “Take me home.”

  “Okay.” He opens my car door and makes a quick call. “Yeah, can you take Mr. Perkins home, please? No, it didn’t go well. Shut the fuck up, Devon.” The phone is tossed onto the seat.

  When I note the direction he’s driving, I shake my head. “Home, Mason. Take me to my apartment.”

  “Evie, don’t. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

  “I know, but I need to be alone. I can’t deal with this and act happy with Cody, and…” I babble, hearing the panic in my own voice.

  “You promised not to run.”

  “I’m not. I’m not leaving you.”

  “I already arranged for Cody to spend the night with Parker. I figured we’d need some time alone. There’s no reason for you to stay at your apartment.”

  “Fine,” I sigh, swiping at the tear running down my cheek.

  When we enter Mason’s house, Alex is sitting on the couch. He gives Mason a questioning look and looks at me with sympathy when Mason shakes his head. So I guess everyone knew what was going on but me. “You okay, Ev?” he asks.

  “Fantastic,” I reply, kicking off my shoes.

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Ask Mason. Apparently, he makes all my decisions,” I reply, making a beeline for the back patio and flopping onto a lounger.

  I know I’m being a bitch when Alex isn’t to blame for any of this, but now that the shock is wear
ing off, anger is taking its place. He just decided I was going to meet my father, then made it happen with no thought of how I might feel about it.

  When he first told me my father was alive, I was shocked. I really didn’t want to deal with it or think about it, so I didn’t. I just pretended I never heard it. I accepted the death of my parents a long time ago.

  There has been plenty of other drama to keep me distracted. Since I met Mason I’ve been knocked out, almost drowned, fell in love, agreed to move in with him, discovered he has a son, and come face to face with my dead father. No wonder I feel like a psycho.

  A few minutes pass before I hear Mason’s back door slide open. I swear if he comes near me, I’m shoving his ass in the pool. It’s Alex that takes a seat beside me and asks, “Plotting his violent death?”

  “Violent maiming, perhaps.”

  His arm slides around my shoulders. “I tried to tell him it was a bad idea. So did Parker, but he was adamant.”

  “Why?” I groan. “Why was it so fucking important I meet my dad that he’d corner me like that?”

  “He’s got his own daddy issues, Ev. Especially with our father’s execution date approaching. I think he wanted to reunite you with your father because he’s losing his.”

  I look up to see a dismayed look on Alex’s handsome face. “What execution?”

  His eyes widen and he shakes his head. “He didn’t tell you.”

  “He said your dad is on death row, but I know people stay there for years with appeals and stuff.”

  “Appeals are up. He’s got six months at most. He keeps calling, wanting us to visit, but Mason and Parker won’t hear it.”

  I pull Alex into a warm hug. “I’m sorry. I had no idea. How are you handling it?”

  “Still deciding whether to talk to him. Mason doesn’t care, but Parker would be really pissed.”

  “Well, decide for yourself. If you want to visit, then do it.”

  Alex grins. “Mason told me you’re moving in together. I’m happy for you.”