Beloved: A Henry Dawncraft Novel |boyxboy| Sequel to Lover for Pay

XVII - Return

After checking out at the register in front of the store, Henry sat in the driver's seat of his car for a moment, haunted by the words his grandmother had spoken to him not long ago. This – This wasn't supposed to be happening, especially not right now. Henry had a newborn son, he shouldn't have to focus on anything other than that, so why – why did this have to be happening right now? Travis was supposed to serve fifteen years in prison, and with it only being ten, that meant he'd gotten out early for some reason. Why now, why now why now?! Henry wanted to scream those very words from a mountain top, and he was feeling the exact same as he would if he really were standing at the top of a sky-high mountain: cold and short of breath.

Suddenly, he didn't even want to send Darrah any pictures of his son. If he did, she'd show Travis, and Henry didn't want that man to have any sort of privilege when it came to his child, not even the idea of Travis being able to see one of his grandchildren. Despite London having written to the man several times over the past decade of him being locked up, Henry knew his brother never sent pictures of his kids to Travis, more so for the reason he didn't want pictures of Benjamin, Layla, Naomi, and Ozzy inside a place like that. But, once London learnt of their father's release, would he immediately allow Travis to meet them instead?

Henry gave life to the engine of the vehicle and backed out of his parking spot. He just needed to get home. All he wanted to do at this moment was hold his little boy, and tell him he was the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

On his way home in the Bugatti, Henry could only think of how things would change with Travis' release from prison. He could decide to continue cutting ties with him, but he knew for a fact he'd be the only one of his siblings who would, and that would surely make family functions and events hard for him to be a part of. What if London invited Travis to Layla and Naomi's ballet recitals, or Joyce's future graduations, or even Benjamin's since the boy was going to be attending high school soon? Henry wanted to be an uncle who was a part of those things, too, but would he be able to handle going to these events with Travis in attendance as well?

He didn't want to have to think about these things, especially not right now with how his life was going.

Once he arrived home, Henry parked in the driveway beside his Lamborghini and got out with the bags he brought from the store. When he let himself in the house, despite how he was feeling, he smiled upon seeing Daniel with their son. His husband was sitting up on the sofa with Dimitri lain between the opening of his legs, and for the first time since bringing him home, he was wide awake as his tiny toes were played with.

"Tati's home," Daniel cooed, and then he looked up. "I just took the cutest picture ever." He then reached for his phone on the coffee table and brought up the photo he'd taken only minutes ago. It was Dimitri lying on his back in the same position he was currently in, and he had the biggest smile and look of happiness in his eyes.

Just looking at the picture of his son shouldn't have put a fracture in Henry's heart, but he couldn't help feeling a hint of dread shudder through him. Dropping the shopping bags, Henry knelt just before the sofa and placed a tender hand on his son's stomach and kissed the side of his temple.

"Hen," Daniel said, "Are you okay? Did something happen while you were out?"

Just kissing the side of Dimitri's cheek made him turn instinctively towards his father, and the tears that entered Henry's eyes were ones he wished he could banish. "My grandmother called me while I was at the store."

Daniel already knew he could only be talking about Darrah. After all, no one really talked to Elaine anymore or anyone on her side of the family.

"She – She told me my dad got out of prison...today."