The Love I Need

Chapter 6

Theo steps out the door after Emily. His dark eyes narrow in my direction, then move to Cal as he too climbs out of the truck. I can't tell whether he wants to hug him or hit him, and though I don't know the man at all, I have a feeling that he isn't even sure himself.

He gives Emily's shoulder a squeeze and says, "Hey Emy, I bet those pancakes need to be flipped. Think you can manage?"

"I got it, Uncle Theo, I got it!" she says eagerly, grinning proudly in Cal's direction, before turning around to run back into the house.

"Watch the stove! It's hot!" Cal yells after her as the door slams shut.

"She's six, Cal. She knows that the stove is hot," Theo says with a small smirk.

Six? I had definitely thought she was younger. I feel even more ridiculous for losing it on Cal in the park now. Not only was the girl not his, but she couldn't have been. Six years ago, Cal was still with me.

Theo's smirk quickly disappears when he takes in the state of Cal's pants. There wasn't that much cocaine to start with, but black pants have a way of clearly showing anything light in colour that sticks to them.

He stares at Cal while he walks down the porch steps to get closer. "You..." he says in a dark voice.

"I didn't! And I'll get your truck's interior detailed, as soon as possible, I swear!"

Theo's dark gaze turns to me, and now I'm the one he's staring at. The scar over his eye makes him look downright menacing, and if I hadn't been through so much bullshit in my life, I would probably be afraid of him.

Eventually, he looks back at Cal and says, "Clean yourself up. I'll show Emilia to the bathroom so she can do the same."

He looks back at me and gives his head a small shake, like he can't believe that he's allowing me into his perfect home. "Let's go. I don't want to eat cold pancakes."

I glance at Cal, and he gives me a small smile. "I'll get your bag," he offers.

I don't know why, but I nod, then follow Theo up the stairs and into his house.

What I should be doing is calling a cab and getting the hell out of here. But no matter how much I know that's what I should do, I can't make myself do it.

Theo wordlessly leads me to a bathroom and gestures for me to go inside.

I don't expect him to be waiting for me to finish, so when I open the door and step into the hallway, I nearly jump out of my skin at the sight of him.

"Fuck, you miserable giant, what are you standing here for?" I ask, then try to step around him.

Theo holds out his arm and braces it against the wall to block my path. "Now you listen here, Emilia," he growls in a low voice. "I'm trying here. For Cal, I'm trying. I think he needs this... closure. And he needs to know that you're okay, or something, but that is all he needs from you. Do you understand me?"

I glare at him and ask a question of my own. "Are you done? You know Cal hates people trying to fight his battles for him."

Theo shakes his head at me. His dark eyes continue to hold me in place, like he could somehow crush me, just by looking at me long enough. "The Cal you knew is gone. He's better now. Or, at least, better as he'll ever be in this fallen world. He has people who love and care for him, and he knows we're going to fight for him. He's also starting to love and care for himself. I'm counting on you to not mess that up. Is it safe for me to do that, or should I be showing you to the door?"

I glare at this man, who thinks he has a right to suggest that I might try to ruin things for Cal. I mean, I did try to get him to do drugs with me twenty minutes ago... but I hadn't realized at the time that he was on a sobriety streak.