“Uh, Aunt Jazz,” Albie said at the same time. “There’s somebody I don’t know standing in the door.”
I looked up, and my belly tightened….
I would have classified my ex showing up out of the blue and hugging me like I was his long-lost teddy bear as a nightmare. But apparently, this particular nightmare had decided to double down.
Han was the somebody Albie didn’t know.
He stood, mesmerizing with his Fae King beauty and his tailored summer suit, but I could practically see the cold rage rolling off him at the sight of Brad and me.
I pulled away from my ex on instinct, and Han took a step forward, fisting his hands at his sides…
Only to stop short when Albie walked directly in front of him to demand, “Hello? Who are you?”
Han blinked down at my nephew, and I braced, ready to spring in front of Albie to protect him.
But then, Han visibly calmed, the rage clearing from his expression.
“Hello, you must be Albie,” he said. He held out a solemn hand. “I’m Han, a friend of your aunt’s.”
Albie looked my lethal-looking supposed “friend” up and down, then…gave him a bright smile. “Yeah, Albie. That’s me. Are you the reason Faizan had to back off from Aunt Jazz? He liked her, you know. But if she likes you more, I guess it’s okay.”
“Ah…” Han said, clearly having no idea how to answer that.
But, no worries, Albie, who was used to adults not answering him, pushed right on. “Do you surf? Because Brad’s a pro-surfer, and I’m pretty sure he’s trying to get Aunt Jazz back. So if you like her, you better learn how to surf, or he’ll take her away. My friend Wes—that’s one of the kids my mom babysits when we’re not here. She’s a live-in nanny. And his dad was his stepmom’s ex-boyfriend. She had a replacement boyfriend when they met again, but Mr. Calson—that’s the ex-boyfriend—made the replacement boyfriend go away. And now they’re married, and they just had another kid. She poops a lot. I mean a lot. I mean, she’ll walk into a room, take off her diaper, and lay a deuce on the floor. It’s so gross—”
“Albie!” I yell to finally get him to stop. “Get back to the bonfire. Now!”
“Okay, see you tomorrow,” Albie answered with a cheerful wave. But as he left, he advised Han behind his hand, “I’m just saying don’t be the replacement boyfriend. Watch out for Brad.”
“I swear to God, Albie….” I said, setting my tone to threatening.
“I’m telling Grandma on you, Aunt Jazz!” Albie threatened right back.
Then he waved to everyone else, “Bye, bye!” before departing the office like a special sitcom guest who didn’t know how to close the door behind him.
I’d finally got rid of the unnecessary information fount disguised as a little boy. However, any relief I might have felt over his departure was quickly replaced by the fact that he’d left me in the office with Han and Brad. Alone.
Cue the extremely awkward silence, as all the bemusement faded off his face, and he switched his cold gaze back to Brad and me.
I owed him nothing. He was the one who was basically making me live at his place as part of my debt. I didn’t really belong to him—not like that. But for some reason, I stepped forward to tell him that it wasn’t what he thought. That Brad hugged me. Not the other way around.
However, he pushed past me before I could say anything and stepped to Brad.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked the slightly shorter man.
Brad’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he visibly gulped. “No.”
“But you know what I am, right?” Han asked. His tone was calm but somehow still laced with danger.
This time Brad didn’t answer. Instead, he just stared at the tattoos visible through the open collar of Han’s shirt. And started trembling.
Which put me in the weird position of having to step in front of Brad the way I was prepared to step in front of Albie earlier.
“Stop. You’re scaring him,” I said, glaring up at Han.
The Fae King flicked his cold gaze down to me, then right back up to Brad. “I would never allow myself to hide behind a woman.”
“I’m not hiding,” Brad insisted from behind me. “I just don’t understand what’s going on—Jazzy, are you really with this guy?”
“Don’t talk to her,” Han said, his voice low and lethal. “You gave up the right to do that when instead of admiring her dedication to her family, you chose to dump her.”
I jolted. How did he know about the reason for our break-up? And was he actually angry at Brad on my behalf?
“That’s not how I remember it….” Brad answered Han, his voice taking on the defensive tone of a kid who stole the cookie but didn’t want to be called out for it.
