Page 37 of A Game of Survival

“Not yet” I sigh, pursing my lips to the side. “We’ll tell her tomorrow.” I stand from the chair, making my way back to the door. “Get some rest” I add before turning to leave, not looking forward to that conversation one bit.

“You fucked her on my desk didn’t you?” Silas calls before I close the door chuckling to myself as I make my way to my room.

Vividly realistic visions plague my mind through the night, rendering me sleepless and sweaty. Black, white, red. Intricate sparks of color and blood oozes behind my flickering eyelids. The lifeless body of my son’s mother lay crumpled across the floor. The tearstained face of my son as his mother didn’t respond when he cried for her. The beaten body of Lucille screaming for help beneath Vinny’s blade. Cole’s limp and bleeding body after he was shot.

“NO!” I shout. Forcing my body upright, throwing off the sheets as I repeatedly fail to save them all. I glance at the clock. My mind has been torturing me for the last several hours but for a few minutes I will allow myself to give in to it.

I get out of bed and stand under a painfully ice cold shower. Willing the nightmares from my mind before dressing and making my way to the kitchen where I know Lucille is already making Teddy breakfast.

As I round the corner, an invasion of fried bacon fills my nostrils, making my mouth water and my stomach growl at its emptiness. I take in the sight of Lucille dancing in front of the stovetop, humming a playful tune as she twirls a set of tongs in one hand, with a mug of coffee in the other. Teddy sits opposite her at the bar, smiling and clapping his hands at her attempt at singing, giggling each time that she spins around and pulls a funny face at him. If this is what my life would be every day with her, I’ll take it. Happily and without regret. Suddenly a small hand tugs at my sleeve. “Dad?”

I smile instantly, glancing down at Alesso who still dons his pajamas. “What's going on?” he asks, yawning. I thought it was best to keep Alessandro out of the way for Teddy’s first day back yesterday, so in an attempt to let Teddy settle in and for Lucille to be able to spend time with him uninterrupted, I let Cassandra take him for hotdogs and to see a movie after school.

I step sideways, clearing his view to the kitchen. “Look who's home.” I smile, placing my hand on his back and gently leading him forwards.

“TEDDY!” Alesso exclaims.

Teddy’s head snaps round to us as does Lucille's, coffee and tongs too.

Teddy squeals excitedly “LESSO!” He jumps down from the stool and they both break into a run, embracing each other in a tight brotherly hug as they meet. They haven’t spent much time together but when they do their bond is incredible. Lucille’s eyes have already started glassing over as she stares at their embrace before glancing over to me. I wink playfully before walking over to both boys.

“How do you two fancy playing a game on the big screen in the games room?” I ask, kneeling down to their height. Their smiling faces light up at my suggestion.

“Yes please!” they call in unison, making me grin like an imbecile.

“OK, breakfast first though,” I smile, tipping my chin in Lucille’s direction who still hasn't taken her eyes off of us. “That is at least if your mother hasn’t burnt the bacon,” I tease, ruffling my fingers through Teddy’s hair before making my way over to help Lucille finish off breakfast, slyly squeezing her ass as I walk past causing her to yelp.

“You cheeky bastard,” Lucille giggles, cursing me quietly enough that only I could hear it and my heart kicks rapidly in my chest at how carefree this moment is. Behind us, the boys talk animatedly about superheroes and crash cars, like no time has passed at all between them and Teddy wasn't being held against his will by his completely deranged uncle.

“We need to talk, Love.” I whisper as I plate up rashers of bacon and Lucille finishes frying off some eggs.

Her hands falter slightly and I practically hear the nervous swallow while she tries to pass it off as a small cough, but this needs to be done. Lucille nods her head, I expect she already has some inkling on what the conversation will be about, but I doubt she's going to be ready for the entirety of it.

Alesso and Teddy all but inhale their breakfast, swallowing their food before they’d even chewed, too excited about being reunited and playing their games.

“Slow down you two, you’re going to give yourselves a stomach ache,” Lucille chides, chuckling softly.

“Don’t worry, Mom,” Teddy scoffs, speaking with a mouth full of toast. Alesso glances at me and I raise an eyebrow. There isn’t much of an age difference between them but Alesso has been brought up in an entirely different world, just as I was when I was younger. Even at a young age, he is expected to show respect.

“Sorry Lucille,” Alesso voices, lowering his head slightly.

Lucille frowns at first, not understanding what just happened, but she reaches forward, squeezing Alesso’s hand as she shakes her head.

“No, honey. There’s nothing to be sorry for,” she coos before cutting me a harsh stare. “Now, are you both finished?”

“Yes,” Teddy and Alesso both smile wildly at her as I stand to clear the plates.

“You’ll be OK with Alesso, baby boy?” Lucille asks Teddy as she walks around the breakfast bar to kiss his hair.

“Yes Mommy,” he says, shrugging her off playful and rolling his eyes.

After setting the boys up in the games room playing a racing game on the console Lucille pins me with her eyes as soon as we leave the room.

“Whatever happened back there, don’t do it again.”

I pull up short, grabbing Lucille by the arm and pushing her against the wall, pinning her there with my hips, growling low into her ear. “Are you telling me what to do, Love?”

Lucille resists me, trying to push me off.

---