All Kidding Aside - Macy Blake Page 0,42

care of them. Provide for them. He’d already contacted the architect Eduard had chosen for the property across the street and asked him to design a second home on the land. There was more than enough acreage, and Victor…

No. He needed to stop. His attachment was getting more out of hand by the second. This was all temporary, and he needed to remember that. The building project would end within the next couple of months, and Riggs would be off on his next adventure. And Gus… well, they only had Gus for another week.

Victor smiled when he found Walt and Shelly in the kitchen. Walt scowled at a tray of chicken nuggets like they were his worst enemy. They probably were.

Walt huffed when he saw Victor standing at the window. “You eatin’?”

“Yes, please.” Victor knew better than to ask for anything in particular. He’d eat what Walt fed him and like it. Fortunately, he always liked everything Walt made for him. “And Riggs says Gus is still hungry and wondered if he could have some more chicken nuggets.”

“Gus, my ass,” Walt huffed. “Grown man eatin’ enough of them damn nuggets to feed all the orphans in this place. You tell him he’ll eat what I give him. Oh, and take this to little Gus. Just in case he is still hungry. That kid knows how to eat.”

Walt seemed so proud that Victor couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Walt.”

“Ryan! We gotta another order. You helpin’?” The little boy Victor had seen the other day in the kitchen with Walt and Shelly popped up from behind the counter.

He ran to the oversized fridge and pulled out a container. Victor turned and made his way back to the table with Riggs and Gus, carrying the small plate of nuggets as he went.

Riggs eyed the plate greedily, but Victor held it away from him. “Walt says you’ll eat what he gives you. These are for Gus.”

“Chickey!”

“He’s already had four,” Riggs complained. “That’s plenty for a little guy like him.”

“Uh-huh. And how many have you had?”

Riggs mumbled under his breath.

“That’s what I thought.” Victor sank down in the seat beside them and rolled his neck around his shoulders. He hadn’t realized how much tension he’d been carrying until the pressure eased.

“You okay?” Riggs asked softly.

“Yeah. Headache.”

Under the table, Riggs’s big hand settled on his knee. “We’ll figure this out,” Riggs promised.

“But first we have to get through the visit from the fae. Talk about a headache. At least Loch will be here. That should help.”

“Who’s Loch?” Riggs asked.

“Oh, he’s Nick’s brother’s mate.”

Riggs frowned. “I thought that was your cousin, Eduard.”

Victor grinned. “It is. Sawyer has eight mates.”

He held back a laugh as Riggs’s eyes widened. “Eight? How do they… Wait, don’t answer that.”

“They do it often and loudly and everywhere they want,” Victor answered with a laugh. “And, don’t tell Eduard I said this, but it’s incredible how much they love each other.”

Riggs smiled at him. “I like your laugh.”

“Bird!” Gus shouted.

“So does Gus.”

Victor grinned and let Gus climb into his lap. He settled back against Victor’s chest and began babbling. Victor couldn’t wait for the day when he understood what Gus—

His thoughts stuttered to a halt. He closed his eyes and leaned down to nuzzle Gus’s head.

Riggs’s hand was a comforting weight on his knee. He gave it a gentle squeeze, as if he knew exactly what Victor was thinking.

An insistent ding from his phone was the only thing that pulled him out of his thoughts. He glanced at the message, sighed, and typed out a reply one-handed.

“Everything okay?”

“Yes. I need to get back to—”

“Can’t it wait until you eat?”

The care sparked a surge of annoyance in him. Victor glared. “I have a lot of people counting on me. A lot of balls in the air. The longer I put things off, the more items end up on my list.”

Riggs shook his head. The look on his face was more than upset, but Victor couldn’t quite define the emotions he saw there. Instead, Riggs, held out his hands. “Fine. Give Gus to me.”

Victor scowled. The little boy had settled against his chest and didn’t look ready to move any time soon. That burst of anger eased and remorse took its place. Victor sucked in a breath and blew it out. “I’m sorry.”

Riggs’s hand returned to Victor’s knee, and he squeezed it gently again. “It can wait until you eat. Have you talked to Nick about getting you some help? You’re working more hours than