Indestructible: Reinforced

Chapter 67

Chapter Sixty-Seven

     September 2012

     Present Day

     Christian had woken up and was now in my arms looking up at me through dark grey eyes that would soon turn baby-blue like his dad’s or mine, hopefully. I was rocking him back-and-forth and when I started humming a song – Adele, no less – he smiled at me and I felt my heart expand within my chest. I couldn’t believe how much I loved him. It was uncanny, and I’d never really been a maternal person. But I loved him so much.

     I’d already breast-fed him, and it had been weird, and I’d burped him and everything. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as difficult as I’d thought.

     The door swung open without knocking and I frowned when Pete entered the room, looking like he goddamn owned the place. I wasn’t sure I liked him anymore, but damn he was a good-looking son of a bitch. And he knew it.

     “Oh, let me see, let me see.” He was at my side in less than a second and had his arm around me as he bent and looked at Christian. I stopped myself from shaking his arm off. “I don’t normally say this, or even think it, but that baby is cute.”

     I couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across my face. “He’s got me and Drake for parents, he had no choice.”

     “Oh, so you are speaking to me.” He looked at me and flashed me a straight-toothed grin. “Thank God. They kept telling me you were going to have a problem with me visiting. But I kept telling them no, I was like a brother to you and you could never hate me.”

     “If my son wasn’t with me right now I’d be kicking your ass, Pete.” I smiled sweetly at him. “It will happen, it’s just a matter of when.”

     “God, I love that mouth of yours.” He gave me a big kiss on the cheek and rubbed my arm. “Yeah, I know things have been shite for a long while, but let’s forget all about it and start over, aye?”

     Well, I couldn’t exactly say no when he turned all Scottish on me. “Whatever, Pete.”

     “Oh, come on, Lassie!” He snuggled in closer and I felt heat creep up my neck to my cheeks. Damn it, when was Drake when I needed him? Oh, wait, we weren’t together. “This is a magical moment for me. First time I meet my Godson-“

     “He’s not your godson.”

     “Well whose is he, then?”

     “We still haven’t decided that.” I shook my head. “We’ll put you on the waiting-list, though.” I wasn’t going to be rude today.

     “Ah, we’re fine.” He ruffled my hair. “So, we’re good? I’m forgiven for accidentally getting your man’s ass kicked?”

     I took a deep breath and tried not to lash out at him. I was done hating people and fighting with them, and Pete was just like that. I’d accepted him the way he was all those years ago. What he’d done was wrong, but it was completely normal for him to pull a move like that. And at the time he’d been helping out his bestfriend, who was to say I wouldn’t have done the same thing? “As long as you don’t pull a stunt like that again. And you’re to apologize to Drake when you see him.”

     “Okay.” He nodded and I frowned at him. Pete never apologized. “I know it was a dick move, I’ll work it out with him. Plus, he’s part of the family now.”

     “Fine.” I sighed. “Then we’re good.”

     “Finally.” He pressed his lips to my temple and gave me a one-arm hug. “Great, now let’s get on with the rest of the peeps.” He looked at the open door and said in a louder voice. “Get your ass in here, Anderson.”