Page 100 of The Thug And His Doll

“Of course. I’ll just finish my drink first if that’s alright?”

“Sure, mate,” he replies, glancing at me. “Bed?”

My cheeks heat at the offer. “I think we’ve all had enough fun for one day,” I reply, but take his hand nonetheless, standing with him.

“Watch out, Lia,” Dalton says with a smirk. “Drix will be using this accident to garner sympathy at every opportunity. Don’t fall for it.”

“It’s too late for that, I’ve already fallen,” I reply, throwing Drix a warm smile.

“Good luck with that,” Dalton replies, winking at Drix so he knows he means no harm, though I suspect that there’s a whole host of complicated reasons why the idea of love is so offensive to him.

“You know, you should try it sometime. You might even like it,” I add, pointedly looking at Daisy who has suddenly found the flickering flames in the hearth more than a little interesting.

“Nah, love isn’t for me,” he says with a shrug.

“No, you just love the temporary rush of fucking without any emotion attached, isn’t that right, Dalton?” Daisy interjects, but there’s a lot less anger behind her words.

Drix rolls his eyes. “That’ll be our cue to leave.”

Half an hour later, Drix has fallen fast asleep, the events of the day wearing him out. Instead of joining him in bed, I go to check on Toby who is cuddled up to his toy unicorn, still wearing a santa’s hat. Undressing out of my clothes, I pull on my pyjamas and slip into bed behind him, hugging him back against my chest.

“I think we’ve found a home here, Toby,” I whisper against his cheek, knowing that I’m utterly in love with Drix Hammer, and he’s in love with us too, but completely unaware that in just a few days time that love will be tested to its limits.

TWENTY-SEVEN

DRIX

Surrounded by a heap of wrapping paper, and watching Toby bubbling over with happiness as he stares at his gifts, I grin, feeling that same joy buzzing inside of me. Christmas morning has never felt so special, and despite Toby getting us all up at six am, I don’t need a coffee to wake me up like I usually do. Right here and now, this feeling is all I need to keep me energised.

“Look at all my things!” Toby says, grabbing Lego set Lia bought him at the toy store yesterday, his eyes are like saucers as he stares at the dinosaur on the front. “It’s a diplodocus!”

“It sure is. I can help you build it later if you want?” I offer, glancing over at Lia who smiles gently.

“Yes please!” he replies, jumping up and dropping himself in my lap. He curls into me, his cheek pressing against my chest as he lets out a happy little sigh as I hug him close.

God, I love this kid.

“What about your presents?” Toby asks me.

“You being this happy is my gift, kid,” I reply, bopping his nose with my finger as I glance over at Lia. “And having the love of your Ma.”

“Ahhh! Drix Hammer, you big softy,” Daisy says, her eyes sparkling as she wraps an arm around Lia’s shoulder and hugs her. “You two are goals.”

“It’s the honest truth. I’m so damn happy,” I reply.

“Me too, Drix,” Lia says, her smile the best fucking present I could receive.

“Well, I probably can’t match the gift of love in quite the same way,” Daisy says after a beat, “But I can give you this.”

Reaching behind her she pulls out a present, and passes it to me, a mischievous look on her face. At Christmas we tend to buy each other novelty presents, nothing too expensive, but meaningful nonetheless. The box she hands me is similar in size and shape to Funko Pop packaging. I grin, and say, “I wonder what this is?”

“You’ll just have to open it and see!”

Toby hops off my lap, and sits down beside Lia, and the three of them watch me unwrap Daisy’s present. As per usual it’s wrapped in brown paper covered in hand drawn artwork. This time it’s Christmas trees. She does it every year, personalising the wrapping paper with her terrible art. She doesn’t know it, but I’ve kept every single sheet of wrapping paper ever since our first Christmas after we were adopted together, the wrapping almost more special to me than the gift itself. Last year it was snowmen, the year before holly, the year before fat little Santa’s with stick arms and legs.

“Just rip it!” Toby yells, bouncing on Lia’s lap as he watches me.

“I don’t want to tear the paper and ruin Daisy’s lovely artwork,” I reply with a wink, pulling at the sellotape carefully, then resting the paper on the side table next to me so I can put it away later when she isn’t looking.

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