Roman

47

♥ Augustus ♥

(Back to the present,
No longer three days earlier )

Alexandre runs up to me giggling, almost tripping every couple of steps on the wood chips that surround the playground.

"Augustus!!" He squeals as a large grin spreads across my lips.

I quickly lean down a little from my sitting position on a close bench and hold my arms out wide.

He runs up quickly and crashes into my chest, his little arms encircling my neck as he jumps slightly to reach. My arms surround his tiny body and pull him into a bear hug.

"Xan!!" I say copying his enthusiasm.

His grin is large as he pulls back once I put him down a little. He's almost buzzing in his stance as he looks up at me.

"Did you see the castle I made?" he said.

"Hmmm show me" I said feigning confusion.

He giggled and pointed towards right beside the slide. Squinting a little I found what he was referring to. There was large pile of wood chips beside the slide with a thin stick pointing out the top.

"Oh. My. Goodness. Now that's what I call a castle. Very nice job" I cooed as he beamed up at me at the compliment.

His fingers fiddled with something behind his back as he smiled, peaking my interest.

"Did you bring me something you made?" I joked and motioned to his hands.

He giggled and shook his head.

"Ohhh are you sure?" I teased as I brought my fingers in front of us and started wiggling them.

"Nooooo" he laughed as he tried to get away as my fingers attacked his sides, tickling.

"Come on, let me sneak a peak" I baited.

"Ok ok, only if you stop" he barely got out between giggles.

I immediately pulled my hands away and made a serious face agreeing to his terms as I nodded. He pulled his hands from behind his back and held them out in front of us as he smiled and looked up at me.

A wooden Trojan horse toy laid in his palms as my eyebrows furrowed and my expression became confused knowing I didn't get that for him.

"Did papa get that for you?" I said as I plucked it from his palm to examine it.

"No silly, Roman's friend gave it to me. He's over there!" He exclaimed as he pointed behind him.

It felt as if my heart started pounding in my chest as he spoke so unbothered. My head snapped up and looked behind him, only finding children lining the playground and parents along the benches near me. No one else surrounding the playground.

"Alexandre who? Show me who?" I said quickly as his face turned confused at my tone.

He turned slightly and looked around before turning back to me.

"He must have left, he said he was Roman's friend and gave me the toy" he said confused.

My jaw tensed.

"Ok bud, do you remember what he looked like?" I said gently even though it felt like my stomach was turning.

"Uhmmmm, he was super tall, like you! And he had blond hair and was holding a bike helmet like yours too... oh he also looked like he was limping"

What the fuck.

That's Amelio Pollos, a known worker for the Russian mafia.

I smiled as I whispered ok and nodded before quickly pulling up Alexandre and resting him on my hip and close to my body.