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Even if that won’t last.

After we eat, Easton suggests that the three of us “camp out” in the game room on the floor beside the bed Elio is going to use while we’re here, and it sends a punch of relief through me.

“I don’t think there’s one room in the house safer than the others,” he says to me while I’m preparing Elio’s nightly meds. He’s got both arms around my waist and his face in the back of my neck, and it’s taking all of my willpower not to lean into him and lose myself for a bit. “But it’s upstairs, and it’s at the back of the house, and…I don’t know. It feels like I could defend it easier.”

I laugh, but I know what he means. And although Elio hasn’t said anything, I can tell he’s not interested in sleeping alone.

And even if he were, I’d need him to make an exception for tonight.

“Why don’t you get something set up for the two of us?” I murmur. “I’m sure your brother has a ton of extra sheets and blankets.”

Easton grins and shifts to the side so he can take me by the chin and kiss me. Elio’s in the other room, playing on his Switch, so we’re spared all of his gagging. “Meet you up there?”

“We won’t be long.”

I gather everything up and head into the living room, where Elio’s on the couch, and he looks up at me with a grimace. “Can I claim trauma and skip my shower tonight?”

“You can skip your shower, but we’re not going to pretend like it’s about trauma,” I tell him, sitting beside him.

His eyes brighten a bit. “If you’re making jokes, does that mean you’re feeling better?”

I shake my head, then hand over his first plunger, and he takes it without complaint. “Not even a little bit.”

“Are we all sleeping upstairs?” he asks in a small voice as I hand him the second.

“Yes. Easton and I are going to camp out with you in the game room.”

He looks visibly relieved, which makes me feel better. The last thing I want is to turn into a nutty helicopter parent, but these are not normal circumstances.

“Dad?”

I look up at him. “Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

For a moment, I think about just nodding and faking a smile, but he’s old enough to know that sometimes I fall apart too. “Not yet. But I will be.”

“Yeah.” He breathes out a long sigh. “Was he always like that?”

“Neal?”

Elio nods as he takes his plunger with the muscle relaxers, but he doesn’t swallow them down yet. “I mean, he was always a dick to me, but was he always horrible to you?”

“God, Elio, I’m so sorry⁠—”

“No,” he interrupts with a hard shake of his head. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I’m trying to say that, like, even I didn’t see that coming. People are dicks to me all the time, but I doubt most of them would try and kidnap me just to upset you.”

Elio and I haven’t talked about what happened when Neal had him. He only told me that he was safe and wasn’t hurt and that the bruise on his face wasn’t a big deal. I’m not sure I believe him, but it seems like maybe he’s ready to talk now.

“What did he say when you were with him?”

Elio rolls his eyes. “That if you’re not going to listen to him and if you’re going to flaunt your…” He stops. “Can I swear?”

I wave my hand. “Just for tonight.”

His lips stretch into a grin. “If you’re going to flaunt your fuck toy around, he’s going to remind you who has the power and where you belong. But he sounded like a freaking video game boss—like one of those really cheesy ones that monologues for half an hour, then takes three hits to die.”

I smile, but inside, I’m hot with rage. “He’s a moron.”