Page 121 of The Beast's Heart

I rub his back. “I know. It’s okay. I know.”

I let him cry and he clings to me while he does. We stand there for long minutes and I breathe him in. Jonathan in my arms. Is this the last time?

Eventually, he pulls away. He sniffs and swipes an arm across his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“If you want me to go I can. I just wanted to check you were all right.”

“Well, as you see, I’m not.”

“No. I… sorry.”

He draws a shaky breath. “The children? What did you tell them?”

I think back to this morning. I decide not to tell him how Ben was crying and how Mal hid away and refused to speak to me when he heard Jonathan had gone. “I told them that you had a family emergency and that I was going to help. They’ll be fine. They have Meredith and Ray. I’d trust those two with my life.”

“I trust them too. It’s just… a lot of change. I wish I had said goodbye before I left.” Big tears slip from his eyes—silver in the moonlight as they roll down his cheeks. I reach out for him and he comes into my arms again and lets me hold him. “It’s okay.They understand. You can call them tomorrow if you like? I’ll page Meredith to set it up.”

He pulls away enough to look up into my face. “Could I? That would be— thank you.”

I cradle his cheek, brushing the tears away with my thumb. “Of course you can. Any time you want to call them you can.”

His lower lip wobbles and he turns his face into my palm. Eventually he pulls back again. “Do you want to come inside? Elam made meatloaf.”

“Only if you want me to.”

He takes my hand from his cheek and squeezes it. “I want you to.”

Inside, I get introduced to everyone. I finally meet Zane, and his twin, Charles. Elam is the blond and the owner of the house.

“Last time I was here I was breaking and entering with Charles,” Brian tells me around a mouthful of meatloaf.

“It’s a long story,” Charles says.

“So, how did you end up living here?” Brian dishes up a second helping of the meatloaf.

Elam looks pleased. “When Antony got out earlier this year, they decided to relocate—got a construction job in Texas. They left in February. And the house was just standing open while we decided what to do with it, so when the pandemic hit we discussed it and decided to move in.”

Charles nods. “Work from home is easier from a house than from a condo.”

“Bad luck starting a construction job in February,” Zane says.

“Right?” Elam grins. “Karma.”

I keep an eye on Jonathan. He doesn’t eat much, mostly pushes his food around his plate, and he doesn’t contribute to the conversation.

“What do you do?” I ask Charles, trying to be polite.

He scratches the back of his neck. “Technically I’m in fintech. Like everyone else these days.”

Elam puts a hand on his shoulder. “He’s being modest. He’s the founder of HedgeMoney.”

“No one has ever heard of HedgeMoney.”

Brian waves his fork. “They’re an investment firm that focuses on social justice. Adam might’ve heard of it. He’s very involved with charity work.”

“Is that the app that only lets you invest in good causes?” I ask.

Elam whoops. “See, Itoldyou.”

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