Cherry Bomb (31 page)

Drake’s condo finally sold a few weeks ago.
So that was one thing off our to do list. He still did
investigative work but only the legal and moral jobs. His days as a
playboy was over. He even sold his share in the club. So other than
taking me to a private room from time to time his days as Master of
The Dungeon was over.

He crawled over me until I was flat on my
back and hovered over me. He had given up the club but he still was
Master where I was concerned. Under heavy lids, his eyes bored into
mine with a glow of need and desperation. “How did you make me love
you so quickly and deeply? What kind of power do you hold in this
beautiful body of yours?” he asked, stroking a hand over my newly
pierced nipples.

“Some people fall in love so quickly because
their demons already knew each other.”

He rolled over onto his back. “When I went to
live with Jerry, I didn’t see my mom for four years. Then one day
out of nowhere she reappeared in our life but not for me. The
second I saw her; I went back to the little boy who just wanted a
hug. But as always she wouldn’t look at me. I kept saying hi but
she acted like I was invisible. I guess I always was with her. She
had come to take Katie for the weekend. After she left I went in my
room and I think for the first time in my life I cried. I told
myself I was crying for Katie, but as always Dad knew the real
reason why. I just wanted my mom to love me for at least a second.
To make me feel like something other than trash. He sat down beside
me and told me one day someone would come around and silence all
the demons and hurt in me. You’ve done that. From day one, when I’m
with you all the bad goes away and for once, I feel happy. You’re
my demon whisperer.”

“Are you sure you want to go see your mom
next weekend?”

Drake had finally gotten the clearance to
visit his mom. I was still unsure why he wanted too but I had no
choice but to support him. He has yet to miss coming with our
family when we made our monthly trek to visit James.

“One more time. She needs to see she no
longer controls me. My life is no longer effected by her choices.
You have saved me from myself.”

“We saved each other.”

“Yes, we did.”

“Drake, sleep with me?”

Henry sat up in bed and rubbed his fist over
his eye, his arms covered in thick marker lines. He told me he
wanted “taties” like Drake’s.

“That’s the plan,” Drake answered and hopped
out of my bed. When he got to the bed Henry was on he held up one
of Henry’s arms. “What is all over your arms?”

“I’m like you now,” Henry said with a gleam
in his eyes that mimicked the one in Drake’s.

The possibility was moot, but still I
couldn’t help to envision what a child with Drake might look
like.

Drake fist bumped Henry. “Buddy, you will be
a lot better man then me because you have the world’s greatest
mommy.”

“And you’re my daddy.” Henry said in a
hopeful tone.

Drake sat down beside Henry and scraped his
knuckles through his hair, stealing my heart for the four hundred
sixty-eight millionth time.

“Buddy, you have a daddy that loves you a
lot. I know he made some mistakes that confuses you but he is still
your daddy. But I’m the luckiest man in the world because I get to
be your bonus dad.”

“Bonus dad?” Henry asked, twisting the words
around as if he was enjoying the taste of them.

“Yeah, one night I prayed that God would give
me the greatest son in the world but you were already born. So he
found a way and allowed me the privilege to be your bonus dad.”

“I didn’t think God answered your prayers,
Mr. Hart,” I said.

Drake glanced in my direction and did that
slow sweep of his tongue between his lips. “Oh, he started the day
I met you, Mrs. Hart.”