Page 46 of Cold

I sighed. “Needy things, aren’t they?”

“You have no idea,” Amadeo muttered, but he didn’t look as irritated as he tried to sound. “Where’s the popcorn?”

“I think I have a box in that cabinet,” I said, pointing to it. “Since when did we become the ones that take orders?”

“Ever since we met them.” He laughed.

* * *

I closed the front door, and the moment I turned around, Romare threw himself into my arms. Laughing, I picked him up and he nuzzled his face into my neck. He held on tightly and left a line of kisses on my bearded chin.

“What’s all that about?” I asked.

“Thank you for convincing me to hang out with Six. It was fun,” he sighed. “But I want it to just be the two of us now, okay? Can you, uh, play?”

“What kind of play?” I asked as I sat on the couch and cradled him in my arms. “The big kind? Or the little kind?”

Ro lit up. “The little kind! It was nice spending time with other people, but it made me tired.” He rubbed at his eyes. “But I want to play.”

I smiled. “Alright, what do you want to play sweet, ragazzo?”

Romare shrugged. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “Something fun.”

Something fun? What did someone his age think was fun?

“Um.” I looked around and my eyes landed on the couch. “How about we build a fort?” I asked. It was one of the suggestions on the ddlb website. “Does that seem fun?”

Romare perked up. “Yes! I haven’t built a fort since I was little!” He bounced away from me and tore off down the hall to his room.

“Stop running!” I called after him. Images of him falling and smacking into the ground made me shudder.

“Sorry!”

I shook my head and smiled at his apology. Romare said I’m sorry so many times in a day, he was like a broken record. But I understood why. In a world where saying sorry kept him safe, he had no choice but to adapt. And it would take him more than a few days to shake that habit.

Standing up, I glanced around the living room. I hadn’t built a fort since the boys were young. My nephews always wanted to do stuff like that while little Rayna led the pack in bossing us all around. Memories of my family made warmth spread in my chest. As much as I knew they hated me for what I’d done, thinking about them made me miss my family.

Those were the emotions that I had shut out for so long. It was easier to force being dead inside than it was to slap on a smile and pretend that everything was okay even when it hurt.

It’s weird that Romare is stronger than I am. He keeps that smile intact even though he’s been through hell.

Romare dashed back to me and I growled. “Boy, if I tell you to stop running one more time, you’re going to end up getting in trouble,” I threatened. “Sit down.”

He plopped onto the floor. “Sorry. I got excited.” He hugged the blanket to his body. “I’ll be good.”

I sighed. Reaching down, I caressed his cheek before I gripped his chin and tilted his head up. Romare gazed up at me through his long lashes, those gray orbs staring into my soul. He looked so eager to please. Something about that stirred me and I smiled down at him.

“You’re always good,” I assured him. “But I want you to be careful because I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re too precious for that.”

“I’m precious?” he whispered.

My heart skipped a beat and left me breathless. “Very precious to me.”

When Romare smiled up at me, it was like the sun coming out after a harsh storm. I pushed my fingers into his hair, petting and stroking his head as he leaned into my mouth. There was no way in hell I could have given him up. Even if he’s in danger, he’s supposed to be right by my side. I’ll protect him.

“Let’s build this fort,” I said as I turned away and started collecting up cushions. “Bring that blanket over, baby.”

Romare scrambled to my side and held it out. The smile on his face warmed me. All I wanted to do was draw him into my arms and kiss him until we were both breathless, our lips too sore to go on.

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