Page 27 of Their Little Helper (The Lactin Brotherhood #22)

SANTOS

“No. You’re going to have to slow down.” Because none of what Dally had said made any sense whatsoever.

I knew I shouldn’t have left them on their own for the night.

“Alright, sweet boy, you translate.” We were far enough back in the restaurant that Harley didn’t mind the nickname but he blushed anyway. “As long as you know who Lurch is and why Dally is feeling like a hobbit?”

There’d been something about trains too but that hadn’t made any sense at all so I ignored it.

Harley didn’t seem to know if he should giggle or take the whole drama seriously, but he settled on serious and did his best not to smile. “Um, well, Lurch is Mr. Hanson because he’s tall and he was frowning in his suit. Daddy felt short wearing your clothes because ours were in the laundry.”

He didn’t seem to know what the trains meant either because he ignored his Daddy’s muttering too.

“Lurch? Okay, the suit thing I can explain. He had to go to traffic court because he turns right on red so often the police know him the same way they do Dally.” There was nothing I could do about other people’s bad decisions except make sure he didn’t run errands on my insurance.

“Oh.” Dally leaned back in the booth, nodding and looking slightly less insane. “What does he usually wear?”

I wasn’t sure if that was a weird question or not, but I could answer it. “Anything from Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian T-shirt when he’s fucking with someone in the building to khakis and a polo. I don’t make him wear a uniform because he’s usually a functional grown-up.”

Judging by their expressions, he hadn’t been.

“What did he do when you guys finally got up?” Not what he was supposed to, that was for sure. “Should I start with what I thought would happen?”

That got nods because it seemed like neither one of them wanted to tattle first.

“Well, I got several texts around five in the morning and it was bedlam in the London office.” Because some people had more money than common sense.

I was very grateful my relatives were not in that category, but too many others were.

“I did as much as I could from home, but eventually, I needed to go into the main office.”

That had not been my first choice but it couldn’t be helped.

“I got ready as quietly as I could, but by the time I was heading out I was worried you weren’t sleeping soundly enough any longer.

” Harley had started to squirm and Dally had been humping the bed, neither of which said they were in a deep sleep.

“So I left a note on the coffee table and updated Hanson when he came in.”

For some reason it didn’t seem like he believed me.

“What did you tell him?” Dally’s question was too specific for there not to have been some kind of issue.

“Basically what I said in my note.” That was not enough information judging by their expressions, so I elaborated.

“I explained that I met the men who were going to be my partners over the weekend. I was keeping you but I had to go into work early because of an emergency. I explained I’d put your clothes in the wash but they weren’t done yet.

I asked that he move them around and to make sure you got breakfast when you woke up. ”

Had he thought I’d meant business partners?

“I think he thought we were paid help, Pokey.” Dally’s expression didn’t give much away but he wasn’t pleased. “At the very least, does he usually call you Master Santos?”

“No.” Most of the time I got hey you . “He does not.”

There’d clearly been some kind of communication issue.

“Did he think you bought us because you said you were keeping us?” Harley’s question held more of a smile so I had a feeling he wasn’t as upset as his Daddy was. “I think I’d be expensive. Daddy said we’d be very expensive.”

Lord.

“You are both priceless.” And hopefully not pissed at me. “Whatever issues we ran into have been solved already, though. I’ve added special groceries to the list and have Hanson going through and making a list of any pieces that I really don’t like so we can work on making room for your items.”

Dally rolled his eyes. “You are allowed to have an opinion on your own shit.”

I wasn’t sure that was how it worked but I didn’t think arguing with him would be good for my health.

“I don’t have particularly strong feelings on most of my furniture.

Except my office. I like my office and I didn’t let anyone else pick those pieces.

” It’d pissed off everyone from my mother to Hanson to the decorator, but it was mine.

“So that seemed to be the easiest way to handle the situation.”

I hadn’t seen their apartments yet, but Dally seemed like the type to have layers of nicknacks on every surface of his home. Harley on the other hand probably lived like he was getting ready to join a monastery and had donated his possessions already.

Either way, we needed to make room for their things and the things that they ended up purchasing over time.

“What did he think of my nuggets?” Harley instinctively understood he was getting those on a regular basis, but he still had a very legitimate question.

“Hanson didn’t question any of the new items on the list.” Or that I would be handling our personal laundry going forward. He would still handle my suits and work clothes but the new division of labor hadn’t surprised him.

“If he didn’t question any of the items, what did he say?” Dally was going to be the death of me and his glare said he knew it.

“I didn’t get any pushback from Hanson on the chicken nuggets or snack foods that I added. Well, he did say not to help myself too much or I’d end up needing to let out my suits.” The fact that he was probably right hadn’t helped my mood.

“Harley?” Dally leaned closer to our boy, looking sexy and dangerous. “Did your Papa actually answer my question?”

Fuck it all.

Harley looked like a deer caught in the headlights for a split second before he swallowed hard. “No, but if he’s trying to save my feelings I don’t want to know.”

Dally and I both shook our heads at the same time.

“No.” The brat was lucky Harley couldn’t live without him or his lifespan might’ve been a lot shorter than anticipated. “He had nothing negative to say about you, sweet boy.”

He’d just wondered quietly who’d named Harley and if the name was the reason our boy was so oversized and rough looking when he frowned…I don’t think he’d expected me to hear that part, however.

“What did he say about me?” Dally just wasn’t going to let it go.

“Hanson asked if the nuggets were for the little one.” I managed not to wince but Harley’s face scrunched up. “You mentioned wearing my clothes, which was the right option, but I think that made you look younger than you actually are.”

It might’ve explained Hanson’s initial odd coldness too.

I mentally counted the seconds of silence that dragged out as Dally sat and processed, but I couldn’t decide if he was being logical or if a volcano was getting ready to blow.

“Thank you for distracting him, Daddy.” Harley’s response was so unexpected, it snapped Dally back to reality. When his Daddy was frowning at him curiously, Harley continued. “I’d have been embarrassed if he knew I was little right off the bat. Thank you for protecting me.”

He was fucking brilliant.

The fact that it was true just made it even more incredible and we could both see Dally’s frustration deflating like a popped balloon. “You’re the cutest little manipulator ever and learning entirely too fast.”

Pouting, Dally tried to look grumbly still but it just made Harley fight off the giggles. “Fine. I will protect my boy and take one for the team, but I’m sure it won’t be necessary going forward.”

It would not.

“Of course not.” Because Hanson and I were going to have another long conversation before my boys ran into him again. “We don’t have to talk about that with anyone we don’t want to and we’ll keep things put away so there won’t be any questions until we’re ready for them.”

Dally didn’t believe that at all but Harley did and gave me a big smile. “I can keep my toys picked up.”

Nodding, Dally played along although I knew I’d hear about it later. “And I don’t mind eating a few nuggets to take one for the team.”

The way he’d been eyeing them before, I didn’t think they’d be a hardship.

“I’m sure we’ll all suffer through that, but it’s what Doms do.

” My dry delivery had Harley laughing quietly, but I made sure not to take the teasing any further just in case our waiter showed up unexpectedly.

“We also make sure to order our partners exactly what they want for dinner, so what kind of noodles would you like, Harley?”

Yes, talking about dinner and eventually dessert was a much easier topic for a variety of reasons.

“Don’t think you’re getting out of a longer discussion later.” Dally’s threat had Harley’s eyes going wide. “You didn’t ask me what I wanted on the grocery list and I’ve had five calls from relatives today wanting to know if you’re coming to dinner on Sunday.”

Oh.

Harley’s eyes were never going to go back to their normal size if we weren’t careful.

“If you didn’t want me to look around, you shouldn’t have told me to make myself at home.” Dally either had to change his mind about the invitation or stop following me. “ At home means I know where everything is so that’s what I’m doing.”

It was what he’d told me the other night, and if it let me see the inside of his junk drawer and what was on his bookshelf, more the better.

“This is weird. I was being polite, and I had to invite you over just in case my mother asks about it. She asks weird questions.” Still following a half step behind me, he huffed when I went from the drawers to the freezer. “Why is my junk drawer more fascinating than my sex toys?”

Harley’s giggles from the couch where he was watching our new form of communication gave me an excuse not to answer it and make Dally even more insane.

“Sweet boy, your Daddy has ice cream bars. I think he’ll let us raid the box as long as I promise to replace them.

He’s probably got a sweet tooth he’s been hiding from us and I don’t want to leave him without a treat. ”

And I wanted to make sure I didn’t leave him without enough groceries until I could start paying for them.

Dally was stubborn about odd things and I had a feeling he was going to move in before I could start contributing much to the practical things in his life.

Buy him an oversized bed with a down comforter because I was a rich asshole…sure he’d put up with a lot from weird people.

Buy him groceries and pay his electricity bill…fuck no and I’d hear about it for a month.

Damn it.

I was going to have to move both of them in just to make sure I could take care of them well enough.

“Yes, please.” Harley’s smile got wider as his grown-up side retreated. “I got lots done today and I didn’t let myself get called into work.”

Judging by the week he had so far, that seemed to happen on a regular basis considering he was supposed to be only a part-time employee.

“Did you want to go into work?” I couldn’t predict the answer to that question, so I made sure my face was curious but neutral as I stole the ice cream from a still grumbling Dally.

“No.” Rocking back and forth, Harley’s eyes were glued to the ice cream. “I needed to get homework done and…”

Still sliding toward little as I opened the chocolate-covered ice cream bar for him, Harley peeked around me to give his Daddy a questioning look before he finished his answer. I pretended it was perfectly normal and waited because I had a feeling he thought he was being subtle.

When Dally shrugged and gave him a keep going wave, I knew they’d discussed something privately…something about work? His homework?

“And I have enough hours to pay my bills this month, so I don’t need to work extra.

” Harley looked relieved to have gotten that out as he took his dessert.

“I’m supposed to make sure you don’t worry.

I don’t have to work too much. Honest. I just do it because I didn’t have anything else to do before. Now I have you to do.”

He was little enough by that point he had no idea why Dally was trying so hard not to snicker as he sat down beside Harley and took his treat. “Thank you, Pokey.”

Brat.

The couch wouldn’t hold three, so I sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and opened mine. “Thank you for making sure I didn’t worry about that, but you need to promise me that you’ll tell me if that changes.”

“Told you.” Dally snorted and kissed Harley’s cheek as our boy giggled. “I should’ve made it a better bet.”

Yep.

My request shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone.

“I’m not sure if this counts as being naughty or not.” My teasing frown had Dally rolling his eyes but little Harley giggled. “Making bets behind my back? I’m going to end up sad and then you’re going to have to make me feel better.”

Dally’s ideas for that were wonderfully wicked based on the devilish gleam in his eyes, but Harley’s went wide and he looked like we were going to have chicken nuggets for dinner. “I can make you happy, Papa. I know. I know. We’ll go sleep at your house. You like that.”

And evidently so did he.

Even Dally nodded, conceding to that idea too easily considering we were at his house. “He does…and it’s only polite to go because he’s right, we might’ve made him sad.”

“We don’t want to make Papa sad.” Harley seemed pleased with the plan and not worried about actually making me sad in the slightest. “And…and if we get clothes from my house, I won’t be confused in the morning.”

“I should probably bring some clothes too.” Dally looked around at his apartment and frowned. “Just to make sure heading to work tomorrow isn’t a pain in the ass…maybe that book I was going to read too…”

The invasion had begun.

And judging by the ammunition Dally currently possessed, I was going to need a few more bookcases.