Page 44 of Knocked up By the Minotaur

“This park doesn’t have any jungle gyms, does it?”

I slow my steps so I don’t bowl him over. “I’m afraid it’s not that sort of park.”

“What kind of park is it?”

“The kind people have picnics in.”

“Can’t you have a picnic anda jungle gym?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?”

Lucas starts jumping backwards, his blonde hair bouncing into his mischievous blue eyes. “Do you always change a subject when you don’t know the answer?”

“Wow, little lamb.” I snort and palm his head affectionately, drawing him forward and swinging him without warning into my arms, before throwing him up to sit on my shoulders. I grin at the way he squeals in delight and clutches my horns for support. “That was rude.”

“Nuh-uh!” He giggles and bounces on me as I keep walking. “Hey, how long is Mamma gonna be?”

I sigh and pat his leg. “I don’t know.”

“Can we go back to your house while we wait? Does your house have a garden and a jungle gym?”

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Sorry, little goblin.”

“That’s okay.” He leans forward, reaching an arm through my horns and patting me back gently on my cheek. “I don’t mind. Can we still go? We can play the Switch, maybe! Or play on the Xbox!”

Gods, he’s making me feel old. I don’t even know what a Switch is. “Sorry, I don’t have any of those either.”

He lets out an almighty sigh and collapses against my head. I can feel his body flopping listlessly, and I reach an arm up against his back just in case he falls. “I never get to play on the Switch or the Xbox! Brad is always hogging them!”

“Well,” I say slowly, not exactly sure how much Lucas knows or can comprehend, so I decide to stick with the basics. “Now that you aren’t living with him anymore, you can play more, can’t you?”

He drops his pointy little chin onto my skull, and mumbles into the longer hair on the very top of my head. “We left the Xbox at our old place, and Brad took my Switch when he came over before.”

I slow down, and then stop as his words register. “Brad took something from you?”

“Yeah,” he sighs, and wraps both his hands under my jaw. “I saw him take it when you were kissing Mommy downstairs.”

I slide Lucas down over my shoulder so I can hold him to my chest and see his expression. That spark of anger is flaring up inside me again, as well as a painful little twist at the glum look of disappointment on his face.

“Did he really do that?” I ask quietly, to which he nods and pouts, staring up at me with wide eyes.

“He always takes my things! Mamma boughted me the Switch for my birthday because I wanted to play Super Mario Bros, but Brad was always on the Xbox, so she got me the Switch, but then Brad was always taking the Switch, too!” He seems to be getting on a roll with his words, his face animating with scrunched intensity and his arms beginning to wave in big, angry gestures. “And I got in trouble one time because I lost the Switch and Mamma didn’t buy me a new one for one whole month!But it wasn’t my fault, Oli, it’s not fair!” He plants both his little palms against my chest and shakes me for emphasis. “Brad was looking after me, but he took me to a lady’s house and he locked me out of the bedroom because they were talking. I was downstairs for ages and ages playing on the Switch, but I falled asleep because it became night time, and when I woke up Brad was rushing me and he grabbed me and ran out and I didn’t get it, and I left it at the lady’s house, and it wasn’t my fault! But he said I lost it at the park and Mamma was mad at me for not looking after my things, and… and…”

He suddenly throws himself forward, curling his arms around my neck and pushing his face under my chin. “It’s not fair.”

I wrap my arms around his back and remain speechless. Am I hearing things right? Did Lucas just say what I think he did?

Slowly, my feet start up again, and I allow the little boy to remain snuggled against my chest as I turn and walk us back to my car.

“Did you know that lady?” I ask him, trying to keep my voice neutral.

“No.” Lucas sniffles. “Brad said she was an old friend. He had lots of old friends he took me to see, but I was just a little boy before. I wasn’t big like I am now, so I don’t ‘member good.”

I suck in a sharp, angry breath, and remain quiet. If Lucas is telling the truth—and I have no doubt that he is—then that male is worse than I’d thought.

He didn’t just hurt Grace, he hurt her little boy. Neglected him, used him, and clearly didn’t give two donkey’s shits about his well-being. What kind of a person takes a child along with them while cheating? Leaves them alone, unsupervised, while getting his dick wet in another room and paying no attention at all? Anything could have happened, and he wouldn’t have known until it was too late.

I hate that male. He is a threat, unsafe and unworthy of the air he breathes. If he ever comes near Grace or Lucas again, he’ll have me to deal with. I don’t care what kind of agreement he comes to with Grace today. He doesn’t deserve a single thing more from her.

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