Chase POV:
I took the little champ—Ash—to the bathroom, and from the mont we stepped inside, it was like a floodgate of words opened.
Boy, could he talk.
He was brimming with energy, bouncing between topics like a hyper little storyteller. Most kids his age could barely string a sentence together, but Ash? He was practically a chatterbox, and I found myself genuinely amused. It wasn’t often that I found joy in small, mundane monts like this, but this kid was sothing else.
As he prattled on, I decided to steer the conversation toward sothing more... informative. "So," I asked casually, "does your mom have a boyfriend?"
Ash giggled, his laugh echoing off the bathroom tiles. "You’re silly, Handso man! Mommy doesn’t like boys."
Ash continued, completely oblivious to the shift in my mood. "Mommy says boys are a pain. When they like her, she gives them the look. You know, the scary one. Then they stop talking to her!"
I couldn’t help but laugh at that, picturing Leila scaring off anyone who dared to get too close. It didn’t surprise —she’d always had a fiery streak. But knowing she hadn’t let anyone in since she left stirred sothing in my chest. Relief? Hope?
Then, as if he’d sensed my train of thought, Ash added, "But my school teacher likes Mommy. He looks at her funny. Like, really funny. He stares too long."
That comnt hit like a punch to the gut, jealousy flaring up despite my best efforts to squash it. I didn’t let it show, though. I kept my face neutral, nodding as if it didn’t bother at all.
"What’s your teacher’s na?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.
Ash tilted his head, considering. "Mr. Jacob... sothing. He’s kinda boring, but he always gives extra stickers for my howork. Maybe he thinks I’ll tell Mommy he’s nice." He giggled again, clearly finding the whole situation funny.
I didn’t.
Before I could dwell too much on this Mr. Jacob, Ash turned the tables. "What’s your na, Handso man?"
I smiled, crouching down to his level. "My na’s Chase."
"Uncle Chase," he repeated, testing it out like it was the most important na he’d ever heard. "That’s cool. Uncle Chase, are you Mommy’s friend?"
The nickna "Uncle Chase" sent a flicker of warmth through . I wasn’t one to get sentintal, but hearing it from him made feel... included, in a way I hadn’t expected.
I hesitated for a mont, then decided honesty—well, partial honesty—was the best route. "Sothing like that. I’m soone who cares about her a lot."
Ash gave a thoughtful look, then nodded, as if he understood more than he let on. "You’re nice. I like you, Uncle Chase. You should co visit us."
Hearing that from him made my undead heart swell a little. This kid had no idea the power he held over now—not just because of the imprinting, but because he was hers.
"Maybe I will," I said softly, standing back up as he finished washing his hands.
"It’s my birthday today! What are you gonna buy ?" Ash asked, his voice brimming with excitent and his dark eyes wide with expectation.
I crouched slightly, so we were eye to eye. "What about so ice cream? And after that, I take you roller skating."
The ntion of ice cream lit up his face like a Christmas tree, and he practically jumped with joy. "Yes! Ice cream!" he exclaid, fist-pumping the air.
But as soon as I ntioned roller skating, his enthusiasm faltered, and his lower lip jutted out in a pout that could lt even the coldest vampire’s heart. "But I don’t know how to skate," he admitted, his voice small, as if I’d just suggested sothing impossible.
I chuckled softly, ruffling his already ssy dark hair. "Don’t worry, little champ. I’ll teach you."
His pout transford into a tentative smile. "Really? You’re gonna teach ?"
"Of course," I said with a grin, straightening up. "By the end of today, you’ll be gliding around like a pro. Trust ."
Ash’s smile grew into a full-blown grin, his earlier hesitation forgotten. "Okay! But I still want ice cream first!"
I laughed, taking his small hand in mine. "Ice cream it is. Let’s go."
I couldn’t help but notice how natural it felt, holding his hand, as if it was sothing I’d been ant to do all along. Leila’s little boy wasn’t just a part of her—he was quickly becoming a part of , too.
For the first ti in a long ti, I felt a glimr of hope. Maybe this was the start of sothing new—sothing that could finally bring us all together.
"Good!" he declared, grabbing my hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Then you can teach Mommy how to skate, too. She’s bad at it."
I laughed, letting him lead the way back to Leila. Ash was my ally now, even if he didn’t know it yet. If I was going to win her back—and I would win her back—I needed every advantage I could get. And with Ash on my side, I had a feeling my odds were getting better by the second.
As we stepped back into the hallway, I spotted Leila waiting for us, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed. She looked like she was bracing for the worst, but Ash’s laughter rang out, lightening the tension in the air.
"Mommy!" he called out, running toward her. "Uncle Chase is the best! He’s gonna teach you how to skate!"
Leila’s glare shifted to , and I t her gaze with a small, smug smile. Ga on, my love.
Leila’s eyes blazed with the kind of fire that could scorch a man to ashes, and believe , I’ve faced actual fire before—this was worse. Her expression went from polite, wary mother to full-blown mama bear as soon as Ash spilled the beans about our "ice cream and roller skating plans." That was a look. The kind that made most n reconsider all their life choices and head in the opposite direction.
"Ashton, co to right now," she said, her voice sharp and commanding. "And he isn’t your uncle."
Ouch. That one stung, but hey, I wasn’t about to give up so easily.
My little accomplice, though, was way ahead of . He darted behind my legs, peeking out at her with those big, mischievous eyes. "Ooh boy, Mom’s mad," he whispered dramatically, as if he were narrating a dangerous wildlife encounter.
I crouched down to his level, fighting back a laugh. His little face was full of mischief, and the way he motioned for to lean in closer was downright adorable. "C’mon, Uncle Chase, be a man and defend . We’re both n... charm her a little," he whispered. It wasn’t exactly a whisper, because I knew Leila heard every word. Her already stormy expression darkened further. Yep, she was really contemplating murder now. Probably my murder.
Her death glare made it very clear that she heard every word, and she looked like she was debating how long it would take to actually kill .
"The kid is right, you know," I said, straightening up and putting on my most diplomatic tone. "It’s his birthday, and it’s the one day a child gets what he wants."
Leila turned her fiery gaze fully on , crossing her arms in a way that scread, You’ve got so explaining to do, mister. "I can’t believe you. I give you a few minutes with him, and you turn him against ?"
Maybe she had a point, but I wasn’t about to back down. This was my shot, after all. Okay, fair point. I might’ve encouraged him, but only because it worked in my favor. I let the smirk fade, softening my tone. "I don’t want a repeat of what happened," I said softly, dropping the smugness for a mont. "I’m not ready to lose you for another three years. Just... calm down. Let fulfill the promise I made to the kid, and then we can talk. About us."
Ash chid in imdiately, his big brown eyes wide and pleading. "Please, Mummy? You don’t even know how to skate. Maybe he can teach you, too? And you did promise ice cream... only this ti, he’ll buy it, and you can use the money for sothing else for ."
Smart kid. Definitely deserved the five scoops I was planning to buy him.
"Looks like the kid’s got a point," I said, keeping my voice light but watching her carefully.
Leila exhaled sharply, shooting one last glare before turning to Ash. "Fine," she said, her tone reluctant, but I could see the corner of her mouth twitch as though suppressing a smile.
And just like that, my little wingman and I scored.
Leila and Ash had already finished their al by the ti our little deal was struck. Not that I cared—I wasn’t about to go back to my table and pretend to enjoy food when my beloved was so close after all these years. I wasn’t going to waste even a second.
When Leila asked if I needed to finish my own al, I waved it off casually, lying through my teeth. "I’m done," I said, giving her a smile. "No point in sitting around when there’s ice cream to buy and skating to master."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly not buying my casual deanor but choosing not to comnt. Instead, she sighed and turned to Ash. "Alright, let’s get your things, and then we’ll go."
We walked back to her table, where she quickly gathered their belongings. I couldn’t help but glance at her every chance I got. She hadn’t changed much—still as beautiful and captivating as the day I first saw her. Her hair glead in the light, and even in her cautious movents, there was an undeniable grace.
Ash, on the other hand, was bubbling with energy. "Uncle Chase, do you like chocolate or strawberry ice cream? I want to pick the sa flavor as you!"
"Chocolate," I said, grinning down at him. "Classic choice for champions."
Ash nodded firmly, as though my preference had sealed his own. "Okay! Chocolate it is!"
Leila didn’t look at as we walked, her hand on Ash’s shoulder, guiding him out of the restaurant. She was guarded, her steps careful, as if trying to keep a boundary between us. I could feel her unease, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.
But I wasn’t deterred. She was here, and that was all that mattered.
As we made our way to the ice cream shop, Ash chattered excitedly about all the flavors he wanted to try, blissfully unaware of the undercurrent between his mother and . And for now, that was enough. I had her near, and no matter how guarded she was, I would find a way to break through.
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