The Boy Next Door

Chapter Fourteen

Fighting back an irritated grimaced, he picked the kid up and stood, wincing when the babe wailed again only louder this time-if that was possible. But did his idiot parents notice? No, they were too busy arguing about…. Whatever they were arguing about.

“If she’s such a lovely person why don’t you just go live with her?” 

“You know, I almost feel sorry for you kid.” He murmured, blinking in surprise when the child in his arms only growled at him and, twisting and turning, reached for Colton’s face with claw-like little fingers. “Why you little-Hey!” One chubby little fist latched onto his nose and Colton yelped… and the little monster’s parents just kept right on arguing.

“I can’t, she’s in the hospital!” Jimmy-well, Colton assumed it was Jimmy-hollered. It was a bit hard to tell who screamed what with the pair’s little terror trying to rip his nose off and all.

“Well, keep pissing me off and you’ll be sharing a room with her!” 

Questing little fingers snuck up his nostril and Colton tensed, bellowing a harsh, “Enough!” at the little demon.

The child froze, staring up at him with wide brown eyes and his hand dropped its grasp on his poor nose… a second before he snarled and those eyes narrowed in anger, hands reaching for Colton’s face once more.

Laughter-oddly enough-bursting from his chest, he held the boy as far from his boy as he could and, using a tactic his mother had been using on Colton and his brothers since they were children, barged through the open doorway, stopping only when the shouts of the devil child’s parents abruptly cut off.

Jimmy growled something low and unintelligible at the woman who had-for reasons Colton still had not figured out-bore the other man’s child. Jimmy’s nostrils flared in annoyance when all said woman did was roll her eyes and stick her tongue out at him… and yes, Colton did know he was enjoying this a little too much.

“I should have let you drown in the pool.” Leanne spat, throwing her hands up in the air, nearly knocking a lamp off the stand beside her.

“You’re the one who pushed me in, in the first place!”

Colton sighed, debating whether he should leave the poor kid with his parents. Hell, he did not have to like the little snot to know these two… lovely people were to easily distracted to effectively watch him. Hence the child being all alone in the hallway!

In the end, though, the little monster made the decision for him. Swinging chubby little fists, an oddly cute snarl distorting the terror’s features and if the sudden, overwhelming scent of-

Oh, dear god no! This is why I don’t like children! Although, he was fairly certain Samara could change his mind if-Oh, that’s just not right.

Nose scrunching as he held his breath, Colton stomped farther into the apartment, pushing his way between the still bickering couple and shoving the demon spawn under his mother’s nose. 

“I believe this belongs to you.”  Colton sucked in a breath through his mouth, turning his head away from the little stink machine as he shoved the child at his mother.

Leanne stared, from Colton to the now wide-open doorway and back again, mutely, confusion clouding her hazel eyes. But it was Jimmy who spoke-er, snarled.

“Leanne, darling. Why is that thing holding my child?”

Colton turned on the smaller man; shoving the squirming, stink infested child into his arms since the child’s mother had not moved since she had noticed Colton’s presence.  “Because, this thing found that demon child in the hallway alone! If the two of you could manage to pull your heads out of your asses for a moment you might have noticed.” Although, he rather doubted it.