K I E R O N

Chapter |9| Bonding

K I E R O N ' S P. O. V

My boyfriend stands to one side of me, clutching my hand tightly as if to give me reassurance everything is going to be okay.

Shouldn't I be the one to do that?

We're standing outside my family home, and he's about to have dinner with a bunch of strangers he's never met before. Yet, I'm the one with sweaty palms, of course.

Ripley also soothes my anxiety, clinging to my shirt fiercely as I gently rock him side to side. We've become very attached over these past few months, so much so I have now successfully watched every single episode of paw patrol.

"You doing alright there bud?" He nods, clinging onto his stuffed dog a little tighter.

I look to Jacob. "He had a rough night. The thunder." f**k, I didn't even think about that. Normally thunder soothes me that I fall straight asleep, but all I feel is guilt not knowing that Rip was scared of it.

"You should have called me, I would have driven straight over and..."

"Hey, it's fine. You had that meeting today, I didn't want you yawning all the way through it." Yeah the 'meeting', which was actually a drug trade with the Japanese mafia at the docks.

I now know how Kai felt, harbouring this guilt and fear that the truth will make our relationship implode...or lying will. Either way...

"Welcome!" My mom greets us with a warm smile. My lips automatically rise. She's one of the only people who can do that to me.

"Hey mom, I missed you." We hug, careful not to squash Ripley but she turns her affections straight to him.

"Oh he's adorable. Hi sweetheart, I heard you like dogs and guess what there's a big fluffy Labrador in the living room right now."

His eyes light up like a kid on Christmas. "Really?" He's already squirming out of my grip, eager to run away. I quickly check in with Jacob first, who nods, smiling as we watch his son explode into a ball of excitement.

As soon as he's gone, she turns to Jacob. "I've heard so much about you, and I guess I feel I already know you in some ways since your face is always plastered on a magazine cover."

Jacob flushes, a little sheepish. "Yes, sorry about that."

"Nonsense you both looked good and it was a bit of surprise that you were dating but I'm happy about it. I think you're a good match."

We move further into the house, my mom stopping at every picture to explain. When we finally reach the living room, I'm surprised to find Tessa seated on the couch.

"Kieron!" She rushes over to hug me, her adorable mini sprinting after her.

"Uncle Kieron!" Aurelia mirrors her mother in every way, but those eyes, they're Kalen's. My heart swells w I see her, a living reminder of my brother which used to be painful but not is something I'm grateful for.

"Tessa, Aurelia, this is my boyfriend Jacob." Tessa nudges her daughter's hips.

"That's Ripley's dad." We look ahead and...yep, Ripley is already playing with Tessa's dog and at the reminder, Aurelia runs back to join him.

"It's nice to meet you, I've heard wonderful things from Kiara."

Jacob smiles, "I've heard good things about you too. I heard you run a youth group? How is that?"

"Oh it's good. Keeps me plenty busy and...I actually met someone there."

"Who?" My voice comes off a little gruffer than I intended then she flinches. "Sorry."

"It's okay. He's really good guy, a priest actually so kind of the best guy."

Jacob moves over to the kids, giving us a little more space. I'm cocky protective of my family and Tessa has always fit into that dynamic. Without Kalen, I feel it's my responsibility to make sure she's safe, to take care of her.

"Is it serious?" I fix myself a drink and get Jacob some soda since she's driving. Ripley is good with juice.

"Kind of. It was really hard to open up to him, to accept that Kalen really is never coming back but he makes me laugh and smile and he's a widower too so he respects the time I need."

From her smile, I can't help but be happy for her, even if grief underlies it a little. "Sounds like I would like him."

"You would, but introductions are way too earlier...soon though, maybe a double date?"

"We could go for triple with Kai and Emery. Have you met her yet?"

"Yeah, we got in last night and they were here. She's lovely and a doctor which is impressive, I got to give to Kai, I didn't think he'd ever find the one."

"Me either," I muse, letting the whiskey slip down my throat. Setting the glass aside, I wrap an arm around her, pulling her into one of my awkward hugs she's all too accustomed to now.

"I missed you." She breathes out, clinging onto me tighter.

"I missed you too, maybe you should move back to New York and then..."

Laughing she breaks away. "You know that's not happening. I'm happy."

"I know, doesn't mean I can't try."

***

It's been a long hour since my father kidn*pped my boyfriend.

I look over to them, both laughing as my dad says something again, and they're not even drunk. Every part of me wants to know what they're discussing, and no, I'm not jealous that my dad is hogging my boyfriend.

I get Jacob, mostly always, but it doesn't mean I'm not curious. This was the part I was most worried about, then meeting and being stilted by tension and awkwardness, so in hindsight I should be jumping for joy at the fact they're both laughing.

Should be.

Ripley mumbles something, seated on my lap. He's dissecting a chocolate muffin, crumbs everywhere which causes my desire for cleanliness to twitch but I push it down for him.

"What was that little guy?"

"When will doggy come again?" He pouts that heartbreaking expression.

Tessa left just after dinner wit Aurelia to visit her parents, and Ripley was struggling to recognise that the dog wasn't his to keep.

We have to get him a dog. I mean, Jacob has to get him a dog but of course I'll be there to help him choose...and offer to pay half even though he'll most definitely decline.

Unless...no it's too soon, and there's Ripley to consider. I would most definitely would move in with them, but I guess it wouldn't be too different to life now.

Just better.

"I don't think I've ever seen your father laugh at my jokes like that." My mom comments, sitting besides me. She's wearing an apron covered with old food stains. I offer to buy her a new one but she always refuses.

Memories, she says. You have to conserve them where you can.

"Maybe because your jokes aren't that funny."

"Haha," She jokingly hits the back of my head. I notice her warm gaze on Ripley and I. "You're so good with him. I always knew you'd be a great father one day."

"He's isn't mine though."

"Not yet, but...do you ever think about marriage?"

"It's been a few months Ma."

She grins, "Ah, so you have." I flush, making sure Jacob isn't listening.

"Fine, maybe a little." I relent. "He would think I'm crazy,"

"I doubt it. You've already said I love you and that was fast. You've met each others families. There isn't a time frame on love or relationships, just follow how you feel."

Weirdly, Jacob's mother expressed the same sentiment. She was a little wary of course at first but after a few cocktails, she was joking about marriage.

I didn't miss how Jacob was grinning the entire time, enjoying my embarrassment. He's so much cooler than me, always composed and charming.

"Can you steal you husband away so I get my boyfriend back?" Laughing, she pays my shoulder, before walking over them.

Don't be fooled. My father may be the retired mob leader but it's my mom with all the power. One look at him and he's putty in her hands.

I smile as Jacob approaches, "Wow, it's like I'm not even his dad anymore." He remarks, as Ripley remains oblivious to everything but his cookie.

"Don't say that. He's just in his own world." On instinct, I press a kiss to his temple and then lean over to kiss Jacob.

I rest a palm on his smooth cut jaw, freshly shaved from this morning. He tastes like rich chocolate, unwrapped for my delight.

"So what were you guys discussing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He teases. I give him a look. "Hey fine, we were talking about you."

I look incredulous. "Me? I'm definitely not that interesting."

"We'll actually you are. Your dad was telling me stories about you from childhood, I shared some of my favourite Kieron moments too and then we discussed business for a while, football or soccer as I know you like to call it. That's wrong by the way but whatever." I let the dig slide. We've had the same argument a hundred times. "And then we just talked really. I don't know why you were so scared, your dad really is great."

"I can't believe everything is this easy." I breathe out.

Jacob sighs, resting his hand on my cheek. "Why not? Why can't you just believe that this is what you deserve?"

"Because I'm...so used to things getting f****d up. For something to go wrong. I love everything about us, but I can't stop my mind from preparing for everything that could possibly get f****d up."

"Hey Rip, why don't you go hang out with Gabi and Ryder for a bit?"

Ripley's eyes grow large. "Can I have another cookie?"

"Sure." That's weird. Jacob normally likes to ration his sugar intake before bed. Before I can question it, Ripley jumps off my lap to find my mom and Jacob is pulling me up.

"Where are we going?"

"Just trust me." We venture through my childhood home, finally reaching the outdoor patio when he stops moving. "Look," He positions me until I'm facing the moon, a shape crescent that hangs brightly amiss the plethora of scattered stars.

"It's...the moon."

"It's beautiful. A beautiful constant that is always there. That's what we are. We're constant, we are forever and that's why I want to ask you to..."

Holy f**k is he about to...shit no, it's too soon. Even I think it's too soon but if I say no will he even want to be with me anymore...

"Move in with me." He holds up a silver key, identical with ever clean cut ridge to his own.

"Move in with you?"

His smile falters slightly. "Yeah, is that not what you want? I thought, I mean I assumed that we were in that position..."

"Shut up Charming," I murmur, breaking the distance between us.

The kiss is soft, gentler to anything else, yet it's the passion that burns as our tongues weld that let me know this is real. This is perfect, and this is meant to be.

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A/N: Aww they're so goddamn cute!!

Thoughts on Tessa's reoccurrence?