“You know what, son?We’re gonna get along just fine.You may have gotten your brain from your mama, but that smart ass mouth came straight from me.”
“What about me?What did I get from you?”Lovelyn asks quietly, her eyes shining with eagerness.
“To be honest, little Love, I can’t say for sure.This nose sure looks familiar,” I reply, tapping a finger against it.
“Because you weren’t around,” Legend adds.
Anger at the situation comes quickly but disappears just as fast when I catch the vulnerable expressions on their faces.“Look, guys, I’m gonna be real honest with you here, okay?”
They watch me earnestly, waiting to hear what I have to say.
“Somewhere along the way, there was some miscommunication between me and your mama about you.Me and her will work on getting it figured out, but I promise you this.There’s never been a moment that I didn’t want either of you.”
Legend drops his chin to his chest and picks at the frayed hole in his faded jeans.
Lovelyn is more open to me than Legend, so right now, I need to focus on getting through to him.Reaching out, I tuck a finger under his chin and lift his face so I can see his eyes.They’re glassy and full of sadness.
“Talk to me, little warrior.”
“Do we have to go back to him?”
“Fuck no.”
Lovelyn giggles, and the sadness leaves Legend’s eyes at my reassurance.Anger replaces it too quickly for my liking, but I can tell it’s not aimed at me.His little hands form fists that he digs into his thighs, unable to express his anger any other way.
“I hate him.”Crimson fills Legend’s face as rage surges through his little body.“He’s an asshole, and he hurts her.”
Something tells me it’s not often, if ever, he gets to let this out.Instead of reprimanding him like I should for cussing, I let him be while hoping Birdie stays where she’s at.The moment he sees her, there’s no doubt he’ll bottle it all up again to protect her.
Legend jumps up, startling Lovelyn so much that she climbs into my lap.I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer while we keep an eye on her brother.
“He likes to hurt her.All the time.She does so good at hiding it, but we’re smart and we see the spots on her.Mama’s strong.She always protects us.But Dad ...”
I grunt as the name shoves into my chest, burrowing deep.Legend doesn’t even realize he’s said it, but I do.
Holy fuck, I do.
This time, when Legend turns to me, tears fall from his eyes and his lip trembles.“Who protects her?”
I open my other arm and indicate the empty space with a nod.“Come here, little warrior.”
He just stares at the spot as his eyes scream out his anger and sadness.Finally, he makes a decision.The sob that tears from his chest as he rushes over fucking breaks something pivotal inside me.
My arm tightens around Legend as his body shakes against mine.“I got you, son.I gotallof you.”
“Pro-promise?”he asks through a broken hiccup.
“I promise, Legend.You, your sister, and your mama are mine.I protect what’s mine.She won’t be hurt anymore.Not if I can help it.”
“He wasn’t always a scary man, Daddy,” Lovelyn whispers.
I brush a kiss on the top of her head and hug her closer.“I know, little Love.I’m so damn sorry you all ever had to experience something like that.My lifestyle is hard as fuck, and sometimes it’s pretty scary, but I’ll do my best to never let that darkness touch you all.”
“Do you think Mama will be okay?I mean, all the way okay, like before, when he didn’t hurt her?”Legend asks.
Goddammit.
Pain shoots through my jaw as I grind my teeth together in order to hold off the anger that surges under my skin once again.
