Page 54 of Brendan (The Doherty Mafia)
Rosalie smiled at him and kissed his forehead.
“Were you scared, honey? It’s okay, you can tell me how scared you were. I want to hear everything you’re feeling.”
“I was scared, Mommy. I just wanted to be with you and Brendan,” he replied.
I felt an ache in my soul somewhere.
This kid actually liked me. He trusted me. It was like he knew through some sixth-sense that we were connected somehow. That I had the responsibility of protecting him.
“I know, Davey. They were bad people, the men who took you. It never should have happened. I should have kept a closer eye on you. But you’re safe now, honey. You’re with us.”
Davey nodded, hugging his mother harder. It looked like he was ready to fall asleep. I didn’t even want to imagine the fear he would have experienced, the uncertainty and helplessness.
“I’m taking you guys back to my place. I don’t want you staying at that apartment,” I said.
I caught Rosalie’s eyes in the rearview mirror and she nodded.
I didn’t want them to spend the night alone. I didn’t want them to spend any night alone. Whether Rosalie decided to be a part of my life or not, I would make sure they were watched by someone from the family at all times.
My son’s life wasn’t one I would ever risk again.
By the time we got to my apartment Davey was already asleep. I carried him up to my place while Rosalie followed close behind.
I made sure all the doors and windows were locked and then I sent a text to Killian to tell him to send someone over to keep an eye on the apartment building.
Davey would never be taken away from us again.
We tucked Davey in the spare room’s bed that had never been used by anyone before. I didn’t exactly entertain guests regularly.
Rosalie had the presence of mind to bring the teddy bear from her apartment when we went to pick up Davey.
I was worried he’d feel uncomfortable or strange in a new apartment, in a room he had never been in before—but either he was too exhausted to care, or he was just happy to be with us.
Davey fell asleep quickly while Rosalie told him a few bedtime stories. We didn’t have any books to read from but it didn’t seem to matter. Davey held both our hands on either side of him as he drifted off to sleep.
Rosalie and I sat there by his side for ages, neither of us were saying a word.
I knew this had been a nightmare for her. One she never wanted to relive. To me it had felt exactly like I had relived my own nightmare from the past.
Eventually, we slipped our hands away from him and left the room. He needed sleep and we needed to talk.
Now that he was finally safe and home with us, we could focus on the things we’d brushed under the carpet so far.
“Do you think he’ll remember this when he grows up?” Rosalie asked as we made our way to the living room.
“Tristian barely remembers the night he was kidnapped, and by the sounds of it, Davey was treated well by Aldo and his men.”
“I just hope he doesn’t feel any long lasting effects after tonight,” Rosalie said.
I grabbed some beers from the fridge and brought them over to her. She took one from me and drank the beer greedily. Like she hadn’t even realized how thirsty she’d been.
As she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, she gave me a look. I knew she wanted to talk too.
“Thank you for everything you did for us tonight.”
“I wasn’t the one who brought Davey back.”
“But you weren’t going to stop looking for him. You were willing to go to any lengths you had to.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Rosalie. He’s my son. I did it for me more than I did it for you.”
She looked down at her feet, refusing to meet my eyes as she asked the next question.
“Do you forgive me? For keeping Davey from you?”
“Yes,” I said without missing a beat.
She looked up at me with her blue eyes sparkling. Her hair was a mess but it made her look even more ravishing. No makeup. Old jeans and an oversized sweater. Rosalie was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and she was the mother of my child.
“You’re not going back to that apartment,” I said.
“What?”
“I don’t want you guys living there. I don’t want you living alone.”
“So where will we live?” she asked.
“Here, with me.”
Of course, she could have said no. In fact, I expected her to. I didn’t think she would go for it. Why would she willingly put herself in more danger by being around me?
But then Rosalie smiled.
“I thought you would never ask,” she said.
Twenty-Nine
Rosalie
I went to him.
