Page 211 of Chaos

I straighten. “I got that.”

She waves me off, telling me to sit down as she rummages around in search of an oven mitt, a command that Finn repeats as he pulls me down beside him. Sighing, I relent, sitting sideways so I can peer over the back of the sofa, watching Namara move around the kitchen while her son tries his best to yank me onto his lap.

When I resist, batting him away, he pouts and picks at the blanket covering his bottom half. “This is new.”

I hum, gnawing on my nails.

“Did you make it?”

Another hum.

“For me?” he croons, a teasing tilt to his tone.

Sliding him a scowl, I mumble a correction around my thumbnail.

Finn tilts his head to one side, tapping the ear nearest to me. “What was that?”

Asshole. “It’s for your mom,” I murmur only marginally louder, flushing before the admission even leaves my tongue.

The mirth brightening Finn’s features fades. His smile softens, warm against my forehead as he kisses it. “Sweetheart.”

My cheeks heat even more. I barely have a second to ponder how much I like that particular brand of praise before Finnis twisting towards the kitchen. “Momma,” he calls over his shoulder, and I would slap a hand over his loose fucking lips if I wasn’t just a little bit terrified to even touch him. “Lottie made something for you.”

Brows high with intrigue, Namara carries two steaming bowls over to the coffee table. Fight or flight response heavily leaning towards the latter end of the scale, I jump up to get the other two waiting on the right, but Mukasa chooses the exact wrong time to thunder down the stairs.

“I’ve got it,” he hollers, and I sink back down, no choice but to watch as Finn hands over the stupid blanket.

To Namara’s credit, sheooh’sandaah’sappropriately, lithe fingers plucking at the soft wool. She lifts her gaze, flashing the soft smile she passed down to her son. “You really made this?”

Flushed and awkward, I shrug.

“It’s beautiful.”

I clear my throat. I think I saycool. I know I stand, I know my hands are sweating as I drag them down my thighs, I know I sound like a bumbling, rude idiot as I abruptly dismiss myself. “I just remembered, I gotta go check on Ru—”

I cut myself off.

Yeah, Lottie. They definitely want to hear about the horse that was part of the reason the gun-slinging inbreds who shot their son were hanging around in the first place. Nice one.

“On the horses,” I amend, slipping out of Finn’s reach before he can make a grab for me. “I’ll be quick.”

My boyfriend, thebastard, smirks knowingly. “Take your time.”

I squint at him, swallowing a curse that I’m sure he hears anyway, and head for the door. I’m just reaching for the handle when someone says my name.

I wonder just how deer-in-the-headlights I look as I half-turn to face Finn’s mom. “Yeah?”

“Thank you. I love it. You’re very talented.”

My spine straightens. Something lovely twirls in my gut, thumping behind my ribs. I puff my goddamn chest.

Parental praise.

What a fucking trip.

I lied; I’m not quick.

It’s dark by the time I get home. Because I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Ruin, of course. And because I want to give Finn time alone to spend with his parents too.

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