Page 17 of Static

He was about to speak, and I really didn't want to know what he had to say. If he said he didn't want me to be his, it would break my heart. But...I was also terrified he would claim me. I don't know if I was ready for that. I was a complete mess and didn't want to subject anyone to my issues. "Can we get the children please?" I asked.

He jerked his head in a single nod and pulled back out onto the road. We were going to have to talk about what happened at some point. Just not now. I couldn't do it now.

We rode the rest of the way in silence, but the worry for Sean overpowered my guilt for comparing Static to Trent. As soon as Static pulled up to the drop off curb, I was out of the car and running toward the building. I hurried into the office and Beverly—the school's secretary—gave me a sympathetic smile. "They're in the back." She pointed over her shoulder to the little door that led to the nurse's station.

"Thanks, Bev," I said and went around the desk. As soon as I stepped through the door my anxiety fled only to be replaced with the overwhelming need to nurture. I was with them now. They were fine. Grace was sitting on a chair, swinging her feet and singing softly to herself, and Sean was lying on the exam bed, the paper crinkling with every movement.

"Baby," I said, voice soft.

Sean's eyes met mine and I read the misery there. This had hit him hard and he had that look. The one that you saw and just knew he felt awful.

"You ready to go home?"

He nodded. I looked over at Grace and she smiled at me. There was no sign of her feeling unwell, yet. Sean slipped off the bed and quickly took the hand I held out to him. He leaned heavily on my side. I'd offer to carry him, but he'd be horrified if I had to carry him out of school. A nine-year-old boy's pride was a funny thing.

"I'll get Grace."

I turned at the deep voice, surprised when I saw Static. He had followed me in here. Trent had never once picked the kids up from school. He never cleaned up puke. Had never even changed a diaper. The portions of my heart that hadn't already melted for Static did so and then began to bubble and simmer there in my chest.

Grace kissed his cheek when he picked her up and started chatting to him about her day. As we walked out of the school, I heard her whisper, "Sean isn't feeling good. He frew up."

Static's chuckle was a deep rumble in his chest.

We put Sean in the back, then Grace in her booster seat. After getting their bags from the office, I climbed in the front.

"What about my car?" I asked as Static began driving us home.

"Don't worry about it. I'll have one of the guys help me pick it up. You just take care of these two."

Sighing, I turned in my seat and checked on the kids. Sean was already asleep, his mouth open wide as he dozed. Grace was looking through a picture book I'd pulled from her backpack and given her. I tried not to let them have electronics too often. Since they were both occupied, I faced Static.

"I really am sorry."

He side eyed me, then nodded in acceptance. "Maybe I shouldn't call you Sugar. Spice might be more appropriate," he teased.

Laughing, I shook my head. Then I sobered and added, "I shouldn't have said you were like Trent. You're so different from him it would take me a year to list all the ways," I admitted.

That devastating smile spread over his face. "If you can forgive me for acting like a jealous asshole, I can forgive you for comparing me to your ex."

"Done," I replied, with a happy smile. "Thank you so much for bringing me to get them."

He grunted. "No way I was going to make you detour to get your car first. It's no problem at all."

A retching sound followed those words, making us both grimace.

CHAPTER 8

Static

"I'm so sorry," Gwen whispered for the tenth time as we carried the kids up the stairs.

"Sugar."

She paused on the stairs, her daughter's head resting on her shoulder as she slept. Her deep blue eyes held worry and hope. The clashing emotions were written all over her face as well. She didn't need to say it out loud for me to know that if this had happened in her ex-husband's car he would have been pissed. And probably taken it out on her and the kids. As if he wasn't the damn father to these children. He may have donated the sperm, but that piece of shit wasn't a dad. It was easy to see.

"Stop apologizing," I told her in a low voice so I didn't wake the sick boy I was holding. "It wasn't your fault. Or theirs," I added. I should have thought to give Sean a bucket or something in case he felt like he was going to puke on the way home. There'd been no way for me to know Grace was going to end up spewing the contents of her stomach all over me from the backseat, like some twisted version of a horror movie. I stunk. Badly.

But there was no way I was going to make any of them feel as though they'd done something wrong. Pulling the car over and putting my vomit covered cut into the trunk had been an act of self-preservation, but consoling the crying kids had come just as naturally. Once they were calm and had fallen back asleep, I'd had to comfort Gwen. I wanted to pull over again, pull her into my lap, and give her a huge hug. She looked miserable seeing how sick her babies were. But I wasn't stopping that car even if the fucking apocalypse happened. I wanted to get them home and in bed as quickly as I could.

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