“Why are you carrying mom?” Matty asks, as we go through Skye’s front door.

“She’s worn out and full of turkey,” I joke, laying Skye down on the couch. I use her favorite afghan to cover her, then go back to make sure I locked the door. “Hey little dude, can you stay here with your mom while I check the house out?”

“Sure, whatever,” Matty says, I get the feeling something is bothering him. I’ll have to try and figure that out a little later.

Right now, I need to make sure the house is clear. I’ve had prospects watching the place all day, but you can’t be too careful. It’s a one story house, so it’s relatively easy. I save Skye’s room for last. It all seems fine, and the tension in my body eases slightly.

“All’s good buddy,” I tell Matty, when I come back in. He doesn’t answer me for a minute, then nods. Without saying another word, he walks towards the hall. I have zero experience with children. But I do know that something has Matty upset. We’ve had a really good relationship, and I don’t want anything to get in the way of that. “Do, you want to tell me what’s wrong?” I finally ask.

Matty freezes, and turns to look at me. He studies me for a minute, before letting me have it.

“Nick says you’re only being nice to me because you’re trying to get in my mom’s pants.”

Fuck. I wasn’t expecting that. The kid’s what, nine? Hell, I know I grew up hard, but do kids with good homes really talk about this shit? This early?

“What did you tell him?”

“I punched him.”

I laugh, walking over to Matty. I kneel down in front of him, putting my hand on his shoulder. “Your mom would want me to tell you that fighting is not the way to handle things.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“As a man, I’m going to tell you what I really feel.”

He looks worried, I don’t want that. But, I need him to hear what I have to say.

“Men respect a good woman. They respect their family and they fight for them. They don’t let anyone talk bad about them, so you were right to do what you did.” He looks shocked, but then nods his head in agreement.

“So, are you just trying to get in my mom’s pants?”

Jesus Christ.

“Matthew man to man here, I love your mom. I plan on being around a long time.”

“How long?” he asks, his face giving nothing away.

“I want to marry her. I plan on raising a family with her.”

His face looks hurt for a minute, and I know I’ve handled this wrong. Hell.

“You probably don’t want me around then. You know, because I’m not your kid and all.”

I put both hands on him and look him dead in the eye. I may not know kids, but I do know what it feels like to think you don’t belong anywhere. That was me, before my stint in the service and then becoming a Savage member.

“Matthew. I love your mom. Everything about her. You’re part of her, and that automatically includes you.”

“It does?” he asks, and I can hear the hope in his voice.

“It does, but I can tell you this Matthew. Even if I didn’t know your mom, I’d still be proud to have you as a son.”

His eyes grow large. “You mean that, Bull?”

“I absolutely mean that, Matthew. When I say I want a family with your mom that family wouldn’t be anything without you too. You and your mom are my family. You understand what I’m saying?”

“I love you, Bull.”

There are times when words grab a hold of your heart and squeeze the fuck out of it. It can be goodbyes, like it was when I lost my friend to cancer. It can be heartbreak, like I thought I had with Carrie. And then there are moments like this. When a kid that barely comes up to your hip, says four little words that completely unman you. Warmth flows through me, and for the life of me I can’t think of a damn thing to say, so I just wrap my arms around the kid, and hold him tight.

“I love you too, buddy.”

He pulls away, and that look he’s been wearing on his face is gone now, replaced by a big smile. “So, you’re going to be my dad now?”

“If I can talk your mom into it, absolutely.”

“Good enough.” he nods.

“Good enough,” I tell him, my throat constricted with emotion. He runs off to his room, just before he gets to the door, I stop him. “Hey Matthew?”

“Yeah, Bull?”

“If you ever worry about picking a fight with someone? Afraid you might not win? You wait until your family is there to back you up.”

“My family?”

“Yeah. A man knows never to do things alone. Family, true family will always have your back. You’re never alone. You hear me?”

“I hear you. I’m going to go play my game. If you want to kiss mom and stuff, so maybe she’ll want you as my dad, I guess that’s okay.”

I try my best not to laugh. “I’ll try that very thing.”

“You might try picking her some of those white daisies out in the yard, or draw her pictures of horses. She really likes those. You need to give girls gifts if you want them to like you, Bull. Adam, from school told me that.”

“He did?”

“Yeah, he gave Suzie one of his Wii games, and she let him kiss her.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yeah, but that won’t work for you. Mom don’t play video games. So, if I was you, I’d try the flowers and pictures.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

“Hey, family has to have each other’s backs.”

“That’s right,” I say, and when he disappears into his room. I just remain sitting there. That kid rocked my world off its axis, and he has no idea.

“He’s right you know.” I straighten up at the sound of Skye’s voice, and look over my shoulder at her. She still looks half asleep, but the tears on her cheeks and the smile on her face tell me that she’s been awake long enough to hear my exchange with Matthew.

“About what, Doc?” I ask, wondering how I got to be such a lucky son of a bitch.

“If you give me a present, I might let you kiss me.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“I don’t have any daisies, and God’s honest truth, I can’t draw worth a damn.”

“Well that is a problem,” she says. I stand up, turn, and wait for her.

“It is, because I sure could use a kiss.”

“Maybe you have something you could give me instead,” she whispers, walking into my arms.

“What would that be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we could talk about it and something will come to me.”

“You don’t say?”

“Yeah, I’m sure if we talk long enough, something will pop up that will interest me,” she says, her hand sliding under my shirt.”

“I think that sounds like a great plan.”

“I was hoping you’d feel that way.”

“How long is it before Matthew will go to sleep, Doc?” I whisper against her lips.

“A couple of hours,” she says, and I stop her hand from reaching my chest.

“Oh God, I’m going to be in hell.”

“I’ll make it worth it, Bull. I’ll make it worth it,” she says with a smile, before my mouth claims hers.