Page 72 of Molly Boys

“That is, if you want to stay.”

“I don’t ’ave to go back to The Nichol?”

“No, boy,” Ev said, his eyes filled with sympathy. “You don’t ever have to go back there.”

“And I’ll ‘ave a bed and food?” he said in a small voice.

“Yes.” Ev swallowed tightly around the hard knot burning in his throat. The boy sounded so hopeful, so incredulous that someone would offer what should be a basic human right, that he wanted to cry. Instead he cleared his throat. “You’ll have to earn it though… and that also means no stealing the silverware,” he added lightly with a small smile.

“I won’t steal from yer,” Jack promised quickly, as if he were afraid Ev would change his mind.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Ev chuckled. “Not that I’m attached to the silverware, mind, but we should probably start breaking some of your bad habits.”

“Lord Stanley?”

“Yes, Jack.”

“Where is he?”

“Who?”

“Inspector Franklin,” Jack said in a hopeful voice.

Ev drew in a sharp breath. He’d tried very hard not to let his thoughts dwell on the man who’d taken him apart so thoroughly the night before with nothing but the heat of his kiss and the press of his hard body. Ev had felt lust before, but he’d never known passion, never felt the way he’d felt in that moment, in Archie’s arms, the fever of his mouth devouring Ev right down to his soul.

He pushed the thought from his mind. Now was not the time to dwell on such things; instead he focused on the child’s question.

“He’s not here but I’m certain he will come to visit you soon.”

“Did he catch the monster?” Jack sounded so incredibly young.

“Not yet,” Ev said quietly. “But he’s trying to.”

“He will.” Jack’s voice filled with certainty.

“Inspector Franklin was the one who brought you here,” Ev told the boy at the risk of fanning the flames of what he was pretty sure were the beginnings of hero worship.

“He found me?” Jack sounded like he was frowning but given the swelling around his eyes, Ev couldn’t tell.

“Actually, from what I understand, someone named Polly smuggled you out of The Nichol and brought you to the inspector. He knew you’d be safe here with me.”

“Oh.”

“You took quite a beating, it’s a miracle you’re alive,” Ev told him. “What happened? You ran before we could stop you. We looked everywhere we could but you were gone.”

“Simon Blackwell found me, handed me over to Rackstraw.”

“The man in charge of The Nichol?” Ev asked and Jack nodded, wincing at the pain the movement caused him.

“He was mad cos I told yer about the boys the monster took. I ain’t never seen no one so angry before, he wouldn’t stop hitting me. I thought he was gonna kill me.” Jack’s voice shook.

“Don’t worry on it, Jack.” Ev squeezed his hand gently. “You are safe here, I promise. He won’t hurt you again.”

The door to the small room opened and Jack tensed up.

“Is he awake, my lord?” Henry asked as he entered the room holding a tray. “Or should I bring this back a little later?”

“Sssh, calm yourself,” Ev soothed the trembling boy. “It’s only my valet bringing you something to eat.”