“It’s. Mine,” she screams. “RyRy gave it to me! He said it was mine.”
She rushes her little body toward him, grabbing for the blue pool toy I gave her when I was passing out things to the two of them. The same toy she played with for two second before trading it in for a pink inflatable horse.
“Lyra,” Jake's voice is deep and stern, intending just her name to be enough for her to know she should stop. But that little princess has never stopped that easily. She is stubborn, strong-willed, and brilliant.
“It’s mine, Daddy. I had it first.”
“You put it down.” Tyler argues with her like it’s the only logical thing to do.
“But I want it now.”
“I’m playing with it now. You can’t have it.”
“We better separate them. They both look ready to explode,” Jake tells me already heading that way.
“Give it!” Lyra screams, grabbing for the toy the same time Tyler snatches it away.
Swear on all that is holy, time stands still.
Lyra stumbles forward, eyes wide as saucers, hitting the water before we can grab her. At the same time, Tyler stumbles and slips on the wet cement surrounding the pooling, slamming his head against the concrete.
Jake jumps in the pool grabbing Lyra while I rush to Tyler. They’re both crying as Jake and I check them out. Lyra is wet but fine. Tyler has a lump on his head and probably the beginnings of a decent headache.
“I’m sorry,” he cries as I sit him up. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”
I smile at him, at his worry. He’s not afraid that he might be in trouble. He’s genuinely sorry that Lyra is hurt. My chest squeezes at what a good boy he is. Kind and considerate and caring. Just like Heaven. I’ve seen it all day. In between the suicide dives, that is.
“It was an accident, Ty.” I try to make my tone gentle and reassuring. I’m not sure I succeed, but he seems placated.
“An accident that wouldn’t have happened if a certain little girl would remember she doesn’t get everything she wants.” Jake looks at the little munchkin sternly with warning in tone. She sniffs and begins to cry again. “All right, princess. Let’s get you inside and dried off. I think swimming is done.”
“I want, Mommy,” she whimpers as she clings tightly to Jake.
“Of course, you do,” he chuckles. “I’m just the dad, after all.”
I help Tyler to his feet, rubbing my hand through his hair. “Think that’s a good idea. Let’s get you in too, okay?”
“I really didn’t mean to hurt her. I should’ve just given it to her, but she was being a baby.”
“I get it. She was being bratty, but she’s also only four. You have to remember that she’s younger than you,all right?”
He gives me a wobbly smile and nod, still looking a little teary eyed.
“Food’s ready,” Maddox tells us when we walk in the door.
The smell of it wafts through the room, making my stomach rumble and mouth water. From the sound of it, I’m not the only one. “Hungry?” I look down to Tyler as he wipes his face one last time.
“I’m starving.”
“Good,” Maddox tells him with a wink. “I made enough to feed a small army. Or everyone in this house.”
“Go get cleaned up,” I jerk my head towards the stairs.
“Holy shit,” I breathe out once he’s out of earshot. “That damn kid has taken ten years off my life today.”
“Thought you were immortal?” Dane remarks from across the room where he sits with Cami perched in his lap on one side of the table and Matt and Angel on the other.
“I am fucking immortal. But even the gods had weaknesses.”
