by Aliyah Burke
“Is your mother here?”
Not a verbal answer, but him lowering his gaze told her no.
“Is she on her way?”
He lifted one slender shoulder in a long, drawn-out motion.
“Well, I have to get ready to close up, so do you want to wait up front so she can see you while I do that? You can even bring the bears.” He looked almost hopeful, so she reached out a hand. “Come on. I’ll take one bear and you bring the other.”
Ever so slowly, he left his hiding place. True to her word, she took one of the brown bears while he brought the white one and they walked together up to the front. She cleaned off the large bench, which supported a bunch of empty game boxes for a display, and put one bear on.
“Climb up, we’ll have you just sit here. That way you can see out the door and she can see you when she approaches.”
He did and she went back to the counter, which allowed her to keep an eye on him as well as the door. Closing time came and passed all without the appearance of the tall woman who’d come for him before. Money counted out, she blew out a breath as she cast a glance to the boy who’d wandered into her shop. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear he was sound asleep. Her heart went out to him even as she frowned and checked the time again.
Five more minutes and she’d call the cops. She sat there and occasionally went to the door and peered out. Still nothing. The ringing of her cell phone had her jerking.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hi, Halyn.”
Enzo. She smiled even as she ducked her head to hide the flush she felt.
“Hey, there. Congratulations.”
“Thanks.”
His response was short and almost curt. She frowned. Was something wrong? Perhaps he needed to find a way out of taking her with him to the party.
“Something wrong?”
“Yes, actually. I am going to be late tonight, I know it’s short notice and I’m really sorry but this…I have to take care of.”
“Not a problem. I have, um”—she glanced to where the boy still sat—“a slight situation at work which I have to deal with.”
“Everything okay?”
The protectiveness and concern in his voice touched her. “Yes. Just having to wait on a little boy to be picked up by his mother. I almost closed up with him in here. Didn’t see him until—”
“A boy? What’s he look like? Is this the boy who was in there one day while I was?” His tone was urgent.
“Yes. That’s him. Cute, dark curlyish hair, brooding look.”
“Thank you. Jesus. Don’t let him leave, Halyn. Whatever you do. I’ll be right there.”
He ended the call and she stared at the phone, more than slightly confused. She decided to hold off on calling the cops—perhaps Enzo was with the mother and they were on their way there. Together. To pick the boy up.
She didn’t like the jealousy churning in her stomach. Shoving it away, she gathered all her items and went back to the child. He glanced up at her with those brown eyes, which in her opinion had seen too much.
“I think your mom is just about here. Come help me put these bears away.”
He slid off the bench and took one in each hand and led the way to where the bears sat. On their way back to the front, he veered off down an aisle and paused before the puzzles again.
“Astronomija.”
The sound of his voice shocked her. “What did you say?”
“Astronomija.”
She shook her head, not understanding.
He frowned and tried again. “Zvezda.”
She ran over the words in her mind but still had nothing to go on. Then again, she paused looking up at one of the games. As she reached for it, the sound of the door chime and Enzo calling her name stopped her.
“Halyn!”
Giving the boy a small smile, she popped out into the aisle. “Right here.”
Enzo looked more than a bit harried. “Liev,” he said. “What were you thinking?”
Her hand suddenly filled with a smaller one. Halyn looked down to the boy beside her. He stood there, face remaining blank, but watching Enzo.
“Where’s his mother?” she asked, looking past the man who’d turned her life upside down.
“Gone.”
Enzo moved closer to them and crouched before the boy. The only indication he acknowledged him there was a tightening of his hand in hers. Reaching out a hand, Enzo clapped him on the shoulder.
“You know you’re not supposed to run off like that.” He shoved to his feet and raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t even fucking know if he speaks English.”
“Enzo,” she admonished. “Mind your language.”
He glared at her but shut his mouth. Past him, the door opened again and she watched as his brother, sister-in-law and their kids entered. A few more people she didn’t know followed them in. She figured he knew them, for one man immediately crossed to Enzo and whispered in his ear. For being past closing, her shop was getting rather full.
“What the hell, man?” Gio snapped. “You call and demand all of us get down here ASAP but can’t even tell me why?”
“Language!” Halyn bit off. “No cursing in my store.”
Jaydee met her gaze and gave her a slight grin. Gio looked shocked but she refused to back down. Children were very impressionable. And if this child didn’t speak English, the first words he learnt need not be cuss words.
“What was so”—Gio eyed her—“blasted important for me to get everyone in the van and down here?”
“This.” Enzo gestured to the boy still holding her hand.
They all fell silent, unsure of what he meant. She could see the confusion on everyone’s face and was pretty sure they mirrored her own.
Nonplussed, Gio shrugged. “It’s a child.”
“That’s not all,” Enzo announced, crossing his arms. “It’s my child. This is my son.”
Halyn’s knees wobbled a bit and she locked them to ensure she didn’t fall. His son? She ignored all the loud voices and stared down at the boy who’d yet to speak, other than those words she didn’t understand.
How did I miss it? Armed with new knowledge, she could pick out some features that were Enzo’s on the child. The boy—he’d called him Liev—peered up at her from beneath thick lashes and she gave him a squeeze and a smile of encouragement.
They made their way through the people and sat on the bench together. Feet flat on the floor, she stared at the way his dangled from the bench.
“So,” she said softly. “Your name is Liev?” She leaned closer to him. “Did I say that right?”
This time, a shy smile lifted his lips and like a board to the head, she saw his father in him, completely. That smile. That devil-may-care, I’ll-take-your-heart-without-you-even-knowing-it smile.
“So I think I have figured out what you were trying to tell me back there. You were looking at the games with all the stars. The astronomy ones, am I right?”
A silent nod.
“Are you insane?” Gio yelled.
“What do you want me to do with him then?”
She shot to her feet and gave him a video game which had been opened and sat behind her counter. “Play this.” Then she rounded around on Enzo, who stood toe-to-toe with his brother. The other men were making noises as well. She saw Jaydee on the outside moving the stroller up to where the child sat. Their eyes met and Halyn knew Jaydee would keep an eye on him.
“What do you all think you’re doing?” she demanded. “Shouting like this in front of that child.”
“I want Gio to take him.” Enzo glared at his brother.
Had he reached in her chest and pulled out her heart, she couldn’t have been more surprised. Halyn had to catch her breath. She interrupted Gio.
“What do you mean take him? Like he’s a book or a picture?” She stomped over to stand in front of Enzo. “You just said that child there is your son.”
“So she told me when she dropped him i
n my lap. What am I supposed to do with him? I have races to compete in.”
“Are you serious?” She glanced at his brother. “He isn’t, is he?” Gio shrugged and she focused back on Enzo. “You need to stop talking about him like he can’t hear you. And you need to be a father. That’s what.”
“I can’t just stop racing, Halyn. People are counting on me.”
“So is that little boy, who by all accounts just lost his mother, if what you say is true, and yet the man who is supposed to take care of him is trying to fob him off on someone else. Who cares how this inconveniences you, what about him?”
She was so angry she was shaking, so she walked off before she broke her own rule about not cursing in front of children. Pausing before going around a corner, she looked back at him. “Shame on you.”
Chapter Eight
The day, which had started out so perfectly, had gone to shit in an instant. Halyn was pissed off at him and he had a son he’d known nothing about until this day. Gio stood across from him and beside him, he heard his team manager talking up a storm on how to get the child out of his racing schedule.
“Wait a second. Just wait, Ben!” He paced a bit. “Let me think this through.”
A son. He had a son. If he thought sitting and putting his head between his knees would help, his ass would be on a chair or the floor in a heartbeat. But he didn’t think it would do anything.
He had lived a life of speed and beautiful women up until now. Having an ex-lover show up and deposit this life-altering thing in his lap totally disrupted everything. No, not ‘thing’, his son. His flesh and blood.
“What are you going to do, Enzo?”
A throbbing in the back of his skull had him wincing. “I don’t know, Gio. You won’t take him?”
“He’s your son, Enzo. You need to be a father to him.”
“I have races—”
“Take him with. He’d probably really enjoy them.”
“But he’d have more stability with you.”
“I love you, brother, but this is insane. He’s your boy. You made him. Step up and take responsibility.”
“What do I know about being a father?”
“Same thing I did before mine were born. Very little. It’s a learning process. But you can’t shove him to the side and pretend he doesn’t exist.”
“I know that,” he growled. “I can’t take him with me.”
“Why not?” Gio countered.
“That’s no place for a child, Gio. It’s a busy time.”
His brother crossed his arms and glared at him. “So call Mama and tell her to take care of her grandson while you continue to jet around the world.”
Yeah, right. Not in this lifetime.
He flipped off his sibling and walked away, heading up to where the women were in a different part of the shop. Liev sat between Halyn and Jaydee. The triplets were in their carriage, sound asleep.
“Hey,” he said, more calmly than he felt.
All of them peered up at him. He couldn’t read Jaydee’s expression but Halyn’s disapproval was strong enough for him to taste. His son sat closer to Halyn, and she had her arm draped around his slender shoulders.
“A moment, Enzo.” Halyn rose and walked off to the side.
He followed without question, but with a final glance back to where Jaydee sat.
“What?”
“He does speak English. But also Russian. He’s just very shy, so it’ll take you some time to get to know him.” She held up her hand, stopping his next words. “I know, it’s none of my business but I care for him and I think he deserves so much more than he’s been given.”
She turned to walk away and he grabbed her wrist. “What do you suggest I do?”
Her gaze held his and he felt her searching. For what, he wasn’t positive, but something.
“I would suggest you take care of your son. He has no one left except for you. If you were in his shoes, would you want to be passed off on someone else?”
“And the racing?”
“What about it? Take him with you.”
“So he can do what? Shouldn’t he be in school?”
“Okay, so set him up in school. Make a home for him and be his father.”
Frustration welled up. “So suddenly I am supposed to give up my life, my way of living.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Did you have this much trouble deciding about your life before”—her voice dropped to a hiss—“you fucked his mother? Because you did and that child, that innocent child is the result.”
“I could hire a nanny or caretaker for him.” He noticed her clenched jaw.
“You should probably go figure this out. I need to get home.” She turned back to Liev and crouched before him, murmuring something only the two of them heard. When she faced Enzo again, her expression was closed and he didn’t like that.
“We need to get going,” he said.
Everyone moved to the door, Jaydee and Halyn whispered amongst themselves before Jaydee held out her hand to Liev and he took it. The last one to leave, Enzo stared at the woman who was locking up her store.
“Halyn?”
“I can’t go tonight, Enzo. Thank you though for the opportunity.” She forced a smile. “Have a good night. I wish you the best of luck, Liev seems like a very sweet boy.”
“Are you bailing on me?” He blocked her in with his body.
“Bailing? On the party tonight? Yes. I think you have more important things to deal with than going to party and my feelings are strong enough that I would lose respect for you if you passed him to someone else just so you could.”
“I have to make an appearance, Halyn.”
She sniffed, her position clear.
“I do.”
“You owe me no explanation. It’s your life.”
He needed to think. He needed to figure this out. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”
She headed off with a wave over her shoulder. He watched her until he could see her no more. Then a call from his brother got his attention. When he’d woken this morning, he’d had no idea his life would change so much.
He joined them and, at Gio’s facial expression, he reached out for Liev’s hand. His heart clenched a bit as the small, soft hand settled into his. He jerked his gaze up to find Gio’s on him, a knowing smile on his lips.
Damn it. He didn’t think anyone would have affected his heart like his niece and nephews did, and not with a single touch. But this…was happening. Had happened. Yes, he’d fought it. And probably still would in some ways, but in that second, Enzo Cassano knew he would do whatever it would take for his son.
That little hand stayed in his all the way to his vehicle. I will need a car seat. He helped Liev into the back and buckled him in.
“Enzo?”
He turned and shut the door after giving Liev a small smile to find his brother there, leaning out of his car window.
“What?”
“Come to the house. Don’t expose him to the circus that is your life right now. You two can stay with us for the night then decide what will be best.”
That sounded like the smartest idea. “Thanks, man. We’ll be right behind you.”
He climbed in and looked at the child in the rear-view mirror. The boy stared out of the window.
Stop thinking of him as ‘boy’, he’s your son. Liev. His brain’s admonishment rang loudly and fiercely.
He drove in silence and as he finally turned into the driveway behind Gio, he checked again in the mirror. Liev had fallen asleep. His head rested against the window and he finally looked peaceful.
After parking, he got out and walked around to the passenger side, only to halt and go back to the rear driver’s door. He didn’t want him to fall out when he opened it. So he reached across, unbuckled the belt and slid him carefully along the seat until he could heft him up in his arms. Shutting the door with his hip, Enzo cradled his boy in his arms and headed up into the house.
Gio met him on the second floor and di
rected him to a room for Liev. “You can put him here.”
Enzo laid him down and removed his shoes, before covering him up with the folded quilt at the end of the bed. On his knees, he glanced up at his older brother.
“Is it always like this?”
Gio nodded. “From what I can tell, yes. Do you want another room or should I bring you a pillow for the chair?”
“I’m staying here.”
“Figured. I’ll bring you another one.”
He didn’t watch his brother leave, having returned his attention to his son. When Gio did return, he rose to talk to him at the door.
“Can you keep an eye on him while I make my required appearance?”
“Sure. But you better not make me come after you.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Okay, we’ll keep him safe. Go.”
They hugged and he left after reaching down to touch his son’s cheek one final time. Not much later, dressed in a suit, he strolled into the party, a ready smile on his face. What met him was a camera flash.
Shit! This would be all over the paper now and he knew Halyn would see it.
* * * *
The bastard! The rat bastard! Her fingers clenched around the newspaper in her hand. After everything, he’d gone to the party anyway. She’d thought better of him. Hell, she’d hoped for better from him.
Tossing it down, she then pushed it away, not wanting to read about how much fun he’d had. She ate the remainder of her bagel with cream cheese and fruit before cleaning up after herself. Then she moved on to tidying the rest of the house.
So much for a day off. She’d just finished mopping the kitchen floor when her doorbell rang. Pulling off her rubber gloves, she grumbled under her breath. No one ever comes to the door when I’m not sweating like a sinner in church. They always wait until I’m drenched and stinky.
She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear as she padded over the carpeted floor to the foyer and the front door. Without checking, she opened it and gasped. Enzo stood there, and at his side was Liev.
“Afternoon, Halyn. Can we come in?”
Her breath had caught and wasn’t really inclined to release. She struggled for a few seconds until she managed to breathe in some crisp afternoon air.
