Page 106 of Vulnerate

He looks up at me and his brows slowly come together as he sucks all the air out of the room.

“Are you my dad’s girlfriend?”

He was just talking to Val for fuck’s sake, why is he askingmehard questions? I need to keep my hands busy and put the paints back as I pluck an answer out of my ass.

“We’re friends, why?”

Fuck, he can’t have seen or heard me say anything.He doesn’t act uncomfortable and throws himself on the sofa as he says, “My dad doesn’t have friends.”

I’m going to laugh in Val’s face when he comes back, little loner. Viktor pokes his head up over the back of the sofa and he’s perfected his no bullshit stare as he clues me in to the culprit behind our conversation.

“If my dad has a girlfriend then I’ll have a mom, that’s how Jax got a new dad. His mom got married.”

I’m going to kill Val; the snake has set up his own son because I keep saying no to his lame ass proposals.I sit beside Viktor and pick my words carefully as guilt tears through me.

“Doyouwant a mom Viktor?”

He shrugs and turns to me. “Not really. But I like you and you teach me things.”

My heart is going to burst. Hugging him to my side, I kiss his head and I’m sure I’m squeezing the air out of his lungs, but I can’t let go.

“I’m always going to be here,” I promise, “for anything you need. Okay?”

I’ve never given a more meaningful promise and he chokes out, “Are you going to be weird like my dad? He always needs cuddles too.”

I can see the tops of my cheeks from how hard I’m smiling and force my arms to relax so he can breathe.

It doesn’t matter what he does or what happens with Val, I’ll always be in Viktor’s corner. I don’t know what a normal aunt-nephew relationship is, and I’ll never hear him call me by the title but it’s fine as long as he’s happy. Putting on a random movie, he stays by my side and we both feel the effects of the long ass day of running around pulling at us as we sink into the cushions and my eyes close.

A little handtaps my cheek and my eyes open to darkness. There’s something shuffling behind me, and Viktor presses his finger to my lips telling me to keep quiet. He hasn’t moved from his position pretending to be asleep. Val said he’d let himself in if we fell asleep but there’s more than one person. Viktor stops me moving and presses three fingers to the back of my hand.

He’s so calm and there are three people who shouldn’t be here inside my home. There’s always random things stuffed under the cushions from when I’m working on something, and I hope to fuck one of them is a knife. Or a gun even though I don’t own one. I should buy a gun. Why the fuck don’t I have one, I live alone and don’t even have pepper spray.

The shuffling moves closer, Viktor’s entire body goes stiff, and I tighten my arms around him protectively. They’ll see there’s nothing to steal and fuck off. Fuck, fuck, where’s my phone? I messaged Tali and put it on charge. In my room. Fuck, Val’s going to go ape shit.

He’ll be here soon.

My arm tightens around the little boy who he isn’t even breathing harshly as he taps against my knee counting something out in his head. He’s like a secret agent who’s been trained, managing to remain calm while I’m freaking the fuck out. Something cool touches my hand and I thank the universe at the sharp palette being found. I keep the wooden handle in my fist as the little taps increase in speed.

Something grabs my arms forcing a blood curdling scream to erupt from my throat. Aiming my arm behind me, I hit air and something hard knocks into my temple. All hell breaks loose as a little boy tries to fightshadows, I’m dizzy as fuck and the lights burn my eyes revealing three blurry figures.

Another knock to my temple and I finally hit meat digging the sharp point of the palette knife into the fuckers thigh. I push all of my body weight forward as Viktor pulls a knife out of his backpack and I grab his arm pulling him behind me.

My voice is panicked which is owed to the situation. “I’ll give you whatever you want and I won’t call the police.”

The child I’m trying to protect does more damage with one hand than I could with two as a pained scream sounds.

“You little fucking bastard.”

He keeps slashing while trying to get out from behind my legs. Warm liquid touches my hands as I reach back grabbing his arms to keep him covered.

But I can’t focus after my brain being knocked and all the adrenaline coursing through my blood should be helping. None of the faces are recognizable as I keep Viktor hidden behind my legs and push his body into the back of the sofa once he finally stops throwing his knife wielding arm out. The man I got with the palette knife has a flick blade stuck in his thigh and blood pours out around the weapon as the lights come on from behind me – four people.

I don’t turn in time as I’m dragged over the sofa by my hair and Viktor grabs my leg trying to keep me in place. It’s wrong, I’m supposed to protect him but there’s a dull thud against the back of my scalp and it all blurs as his small body charges forward with something in his fist.

My hands are tiedin front of me, my ankles bound with the same zip ties. Viktor is by my side stood up with the same ties around his limbs. Shuffling closer to him, I ignore the way my brain protests every movement. This is the first time my vision has cleared enough to be able to see he’s rigid, shoulders back and spine straight as he stares at the door. Keeping my voice low, I try to move my lips as little as possible.

“Tudo bem.”1

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