Page 29 of Fallout
And he always thought in the singular when it came to taking care of his son.
Iwant to be sure…
Ineed to…
It’smyresponsibility.
It was all on him.
Even though he knew he could call Ry or Maz and they’d be there for him and Mad in a heartbeat, the raising, the health and safety of his son, would only ever really be on him.
Sitting here with a virtual stranger, Jake had never felt that more heavily. Even in those first overwhelming nights when he’d been given a six-month-old Maddox, the enormity of the situation hadn’t felt this arduous.
It might feel as though he knew Mallory but in reality he didn’t. She was his tenant. Everything she’d told him about herself could be a lie. Lord knew he’d been on the receiving end of a woman’s lies before.
His gut told him he could trust her except Jake wasn’t sure he trusted himself anymore. Not after what he’d allowed Renee to do to them, and he’d known her for over a decade.
He hadn’t even known Mallory a day.
And yet he’d all but thrown his son at her. All but begged her to take care of Mad when he worked.
She sat with Maddox sprawled over her thighs; he might be little but he was hefty and Jake knew from experience that when he was asleep he was a dead weight. Her legs had to be going numb. But she hadn’t complained once. Hadn’t tried to move him at all.
The smile of affection on her face as she looked down and smoothed her hand over his son’s head appeared genuine, and nothing she’d done or said in the last hour had set off any warning bells.
He knew she didn’t have a criminal record because Mrs. Russell had done a background check when Mallory had leased the apartment from the previous house owners. His agent had told him his tenant had a good credit rating and no arrests. Not even a speeding ticket apparently. And she’d paid the full six months of rent upfront. In cash.
When he thought about leaving Mad with Mallory overnight he didn’t break out in a sweat but the idea of some other woman—a nanny whom he hired and paid to take care of his son—sent cold shivers down his spine, had sweat breaking out on his skin and made him want to snatch Maddox up and run.
Hell, he’d even had sweats and shivers every time he’d left Mad with Ry and Maz. And he trusted them with his life. With his son’s life.
What was it about this woman that put him at ease? Made him more comfortable with the idea of leaving Maddox than he felt when he left him with the man he thought of as a brother, a man he’d known all his life?
He’d only just met her and in spite of their easy conversation and comfort, shewasa stranger. One who had no investment in him or his son beyond being their neighbor.
So why was she helping them?
Was it just because she liked children? It was what she’d told him when he’d asked why she’d chosen to study early childhood development and education. That she loved watching them learn and explore and develop their individual personalities.
Mad had personality in spades, and he was easy to love. All his son had to do was smile that cheeky grin of his and he had every adult wrapped around his finger.
Well, every adult except his own mother.
Frowning, Jake wondered what was wrong with Renee that she couldn’t love her own son. Because she definitely didn’t love him. No mother could love their child and do what she’d done.
“I should take him inside.” He spoke the thought before it crossed his mind but the sudden need to hold his son, the need to get Mad away from Mallory had him shifting to his knees.
“Oh, if you’ve got things to do I can stay here until he wakes up,” she offered.
In spite of the gut clenching need to wrap Mad in his arms, Jake wanted to take her up on her offer. Which was why he didn’t. He wasn’t happy with how comfortable he was with this woman being around his son—how much his instincts screamed he could trust her.
He didn’t even feel this relaxed when Maz was with Maddox. Or even Ry.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you’ve got work to do and I’d rather he be in his bed at nap time.” It was a lie. He didn’t care—and neither did Mad—where he fell asleep.
“Oh, okay. Do you want me to carry him inside?”
“No. It’s all right, I’ll take him.” Shuffling on his knees, he moved closer to her, and scooped Mad up, tucking him in tight against his chest. With the weight of his son in his arms, Jake breathed easier, the band constricting his chest loosening, the stiffness in his spine softening.
