When You Saved Me

Chapter 69

Steve P.O.V

After crying for a few minutes, I finish getting ready and walk to the kitchen. Everyone is outside by the limo. Two pieces of peanut butter toast are on a plate on the counter so I grab them and join the others.

Callie squeals and runs to me. "Goo' monin, Uncle! You a-wake." She jumps. I hold the toast above my head, using my free hand to catch her.

"Good morning to you too." I kiss her nose.

"I missted you." She pushes her face against mine, so I rub our foreheads together.

"I missed you too."  Resting her against my hip, I take a bite of my toast. She opens her mouth like a baby bird and claps her hands when I let her have a bite. "I love you. You love Uncle?" It embarrasses me to have to ask, but I need to hear it. I need to know that someone does. When Tony punishes me, I feel lonely, unlovable.

"I love Uncle," she whispers, grabbing my face and kissing my lips, peanut butter crumbs smearing between us. We finish the rest of my toast and watch the other adults pack the car.

"Callie, come play," Cooper yells from the playground.

"You want to go play?" I gesture to the boy.

Callie shakes her head and her lip pops out. "Coopa call me baby."

"That's not very nice." I kiss her head and call to Cooper. "She doesn't want to play right now, sorry."

He pouts and walks to the swings, glaring at me.

Callie's fingers are playing in my freshly done hair, but I don't stop her. Instead, I lower, resting my forehead on her shoulder to give her access to my entire scalp, which she takes full advantage of.

"Hi, Steve, how are you?" The proximity of Laura's voice surprises me, her hand rubbing my back. How did she sneak up on us without me noticing?

"Hey, I'm okay." I shrug and give her a one armed hug.

She moves to kiss my cheek and pauses, eyes widening. "What happened to you?" Gentle fingers prod where Tony's fingers had been.

I push her away. "Nothing. It's fine."

"Clint, come look at this." Laura calls, grabbing my arm.

I groan. "Laura, it's nothing."

Clint comes out of the limo. "What's up, babe?"

"Look at Steve's face."

He frowns and leans towards me. I look away but he grabs my chin. "Yeah, I see. What happened here?"

"Stop. It's fine."

"Dada thmack Uncle," Callie says, nodding sagely. "Dada say if Uncle be a angwy boy, he need thmack. Dat make Uncle sad. I don't wike dat." She snuggles into me, a loving hand stroking my hair.

She's remembering a separate incident from several days earlier. Tony had disciplined Callie and I lost it, gaining me a swift slap. He'd gripped my shirt collar and dragged me to my room where I cried myself to sleep. She shouldn't have witnessed that, I should have kept my mouth shut until we were alone, but I couldn't. The baby spent days sulking at Tony, I'm still not sure if she's forgiven him.

"Tony hit you?" Laura grasps my arm.

"This isn't a hit," Clint says. His fingers pressing over Tony's bruises.

"Oh my god. Clint, you have to do something." Laura looks like she's going to cry.

I look away and slap Clint's hand. "Just stop. I deserved it."