Page 129 of Dean

Or maybe he didn’t tell me because I shut him out.

Fuck, was this because of me?

I think about Elaine and wonder if she’d be disappointed in me as I drive myself to Anthony’s estate. Asshole taking my son away, but at the same time, he always was a bit of a shit-stirrer.

At least Ben is safe, I think as I tighten my grip on the steering wheel.

He’s in a relationship with Cash and Ford now. The three of them are together. Hell, I fucking knew it but thought I was going crazy, making shit up in my mind. But it all makes sense now.

They love him. They’ve always protected him.

And as he got older, it must have changed. Ford and Cash together have always made sense, but adding Ben in?

Maybe I don’t want to think about it too hard. But as long as he’s happy, I’m happy. I pull up to the large gate leading up to Anthony’s house and park my car in the roundabout, seeing that Cash and Ford are here as well.

Hell, they beat me. Must have burned rubber coming here.

I told them I wanted a minute with my son first, but it seems they couldn’t let this go. Seems they love him more than I thought.

It warms my heart.

My knuckles rap on the door and a man I don’t recognize opens it, eyeing me silently. Must be a guard.

“I’m here to see Ben.”

As I say that, I hear a loud commotion in the foyer.

“We just want to see him,” Cash yells, his voice growing angry.

I look at the man who continues to stare at me. “Um, that’s my best friend. He’s here for my son, Ben,” I try to explain. “Can I just…can I just go in? I can make sure everything deescalates.”

The guard nods and steps aside. I walk through the foyer, seeing Cash and Ford arguing with Anthony, who looks far too calm in this moment.

Probably because he knows he could have them disposed of quickly. They pose no real threat.

“He’s safe. When he wants to see you, you’ll be allowed to,” Anthony tells them, his voice made of steel. He’s not backing down.

My eyes flick to the stairs when I hear a commotion and see Ben standing there with his best friend, Tatum. God, I haven’t seen that kid in ages. The two of them walk slowly toward us. He’s grown up. Looks just as much of a brat as he always was.

“No. Thank you, but I’m…I’m here,” Ben says, his voice wobbling as he addresses us.

Ben meets my gaze but it’s pulled toward Cash and Ford, who are rushing up the stairs, pulling him into their arms. They don’t even give him a minute to breathe. Before I can blink, he’s crushed between them. I don’t know where Ben starts and where Cash and Ford end.

“You never fucking run from us again,” Cash grumbles, his words making my chest constrict. I can hear the panic in his voice, the urgency. They were afraid.

They were afraid they lost him.

“Never again,” Ford adds, and Ben sniffles loudly.

“Okay.”

They stand like that for a long time, the three of them holding on to each other before Ben turns his gaze back to me. Anthony is off to the side next to Tatum, who is standing on his tiptoes and whispering something in his ear. Anthony’s fist clenches near his side before he suddenly grabs onto Tatum’s neck and walks him backward into the hallway, Tatum smirking the whole way.

Like I said, he always was a little shit. Ben walks up in front of me, looking contrite.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers, his cheeks darkening.

I can’t handle it. My son looks broken, like he doesn’t know what to do. So without a word, I pull him into a hug. “Shit, Ben. You don’t ever need to run from me. You can always tell me things. Anything. I’ll always listen.”

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