Sold To the Grizzly Don (Alcee and Bruno) novel Chapter 143

Chapter 143

Alcee watched as Torq came from his office looking haggard after his therapy session. She was on the floor with Antero, she’d kept him from school again, playing with some magnetic building blocks and when she looked up at him, she was surprised by how wrecked he looked.

He sat down cross–legged next to her and without warning pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. He buried his face in her hair and the long shuddering breath he exhaled made her open her eyes wide in shock. Was he crying?

She slowly wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him tight as his body shook once in her embrace.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered against her ear, his voice raspy and thick.

“You already apologized.”

“Not nearly enough,” he was squeezing her tight. “You’re such a remarkable mom to our son and the amazing boy he is, is entirely because of the work you put in. My actions yesterday undermined all of our efforts and hard work and probably made you feel unseen and disrespected. I am so fucking sorry. How the fuck you didn’t just take him and leave me is beyond me but I’m so grateful for you, Alcee.”

“He deserves a chance to be with his dad,” she answered quietly against his chest. “I can’t take this chance away from him.”

*I don’t deserve to be his dad.” Torq whispered. “The psychologist pointed out he’d not had an outburst in six months, and it wasn’t even violent one, only one where he shut down. This fighting and punching and flailing he hasn’t done since he was three and a half.”

She nodded, her cheek rubbing against the soft cotton of his t–shirt.

“I did that. I caused that. I caused our son harm.”

The undeniable sniff made her close her eyes. Part of her wanted to reassure him it was going to be okay but the other part of her wanted him to feel this. She wanted him to feel the pain and to sit with the fallout of his actions. Only by understanding what he’d done and feeling the ramifications of it would he truly comprehend what needed to be done to keep their son happy, healthy and to teach him to thrive.

So far this morning, other than a few words, Antero was not talking much. The marker to the face of his father helped him more than Alcee wanted to admit, the humor of the situation a soothing balm to the fear and the stress the boy was feeling, Yet, he wasn’t himself still. Morose, quiet, and contemplative were the words she was using to describe him and even playing with his blocks, he was withdrawn.

Now Torq was feeling the guilt, the horrible feeling every parent felt when their child was harmed under their watch. There wasn’t a good parent alive who never felt some kind of guilt, she knew this. Kids got hurt all the time even under watchful eyes. Slips, trips, bumps, and bruises happened and the guilt from not protecting your child was a feeling every mother and father felt, She knew this. However, it never made the feeling less to know other people felt the same.

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She heard the shuffling of Antero’s feet approaching and she opened her eyes to watch as he stared curiously at his father’s face. He reached out a finger and touched a tear on Torq’s face.

“Dad crying?”

Torq opened his eyes and let out a shaky breath and nodded at his son, adjusting Alcee on his lap and making room for Antero. “Dad’s can cry, Antero. Your papa is feeling incredibly sad for making you sad yesterday. I was not a good papa to you.” He reached up his large hand and cupped the entire side of the boy’s face and gave him a tremulous smile. “I will be a better one though.”

Antero climbed onto his lap and snuggled against him and Alcee.

“I love you, Antero,” Torq whispered as he rubbed his stubbly chin across the top of the boy’s head. “I love you very much and I am sorry I made you feel scared and sad.”

Whatever was in his words this time around which resonated with Antero, Alcee didn’t know but suddenly her little boy was sobbing, Heart- breaking, gut–wrenching sobs deep from his belly as he bawled his heart out against his father’s chest while his fingers dug into Alcee’s shoulder to keep her close to him.

“Oh, my poor little boy,” she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him and Torq wrapped his arms around them both.

It wasn’t long before she realized the three of them were crying. Antero’s crying loud, wailing, and pitiful. Torq’s tears silently streaming down his cheeks. Her own sobs barely muffled against his chest.

“Shh,” Torq whispered as he rubbed both of their shoulders, “I’ve got you. I’ve got you both. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again, not even me. I’m so sorry my babies.” He kissed both of their heads softly. “I’m so very fucking sorry,”

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Chapter 143

Antero’s body was still shaking and shuddering as his sobs dwindled down.

“I hope someday you can both forgive me for being such an ass.”

“Papa is swearing an awful lot,” the quiet whisper from behind them made Alcee look up to see Brunella standing there with her own tears in her eyes, holding the tray she’d served Antero’s dinner on the night before. “I made you some tea and biscotti. Nothing feels better after a good cry than a warm cup of tea and a treat.” She set the tray down on the coffee table near them and paused to kiss the top of Torq’s head. “Though big boys who use so many curse words in front of my grandson probably shouldn’t be rewarded with sweet treats.”

Alcee smiled through her tears at Brunella who pushed some tissues into her hands.

“Now the three of you need to get up and get cleaned up. You have the bitch coming here soon and I can’t wait to see her be told she needs to get on a damn plane and off the same continent I’m on.”

Brunella’s words made Alcee giggle as Torq threw his head back and laughed.

“Oh Mama.”

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