Page 209 of Daddy's Pride
“Come here, baby boy.” Brody pulled Josiah close and hugged him tightly. “We’ll figure it all out together, I promise. But I need you to remember that when I discipline you, it doesn’t mean I’m upset with you. It means that I’m in charge of setting boundaries for you. Boundaries you need.”
“I do need them, Daddy. Doesn’t mean I have to like them.”
The sheer amount of pouting in that statement made Brody smile. “Nope, you don’t have to like it. But I will happily ignore your protests or pouting, and if you try to manipulate me with your tears, I’ll add to your punishment.”
“Okay.”
“I love you, baby boy.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
Josiah was needy and clingy the rest of the day, constantly on Brody’s lap or snuggling with him, but Brody loved it. “How soon can you come to New York?” he asked when they were in bed that night. “Because the thought of being separated from you for three weeks is not a good one.”
“I have two more months on my lease.”
“I’ll pay off your lease if needed. That’s a small price to pay to have you with me.”
“I’ll need to figure out how to get my stuff to you. I don’t need to bring everything, but all my sewing materials obviously need to come, including the cabinets to keep everything organized.”
“Bring everything you’re emotionally attached to or think is practical. If necessary, we can put some things in storage until we decide what to do with them.”
“I can’t pay much rent.”
Brody scoffed. “You’re not paying anything. My house is paid off, baby boy, and I will pay for everything else. We’ll invest your income for your future or maybe take some nice trips with it together, hmm?”
“You spoil me.”
“That’s my privilege, baby boy. Both the spanking and the spoiling. It’s all part of taking care of you.”
Josiah melted against him. “Well then, the answer to your question of how soon I can come to New York is an easy one. As soon as we can arrange for my stuff to be packed and moved to your place. Nothing is keeping me here. And I can’t wait to start our life together.”
Brody kissed the top of his boy’s head. “I can’t wait either. Having you with me forever will make me the happiest man on the planet.”
Chapter Twelve
Sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, casting a warm glow across the hardwood floors of Brody’s Brooklyn brownstone. He stretched out in the king-sized bed, the cool sheets against his skin a stark contrast to the warmth that should have been there. He turned to the other side of the bed, patting the empty space beside him, and his heart clenched with a pang of longing.
“Josiah,” he murmured to the quiet room, the name a tender ache on his lips. The absence of Josiah’s slim figure made the spacious bedroom feel cavernous and hollow. The blond hair that had fanned out on the pillow was now a memory.
He let out a heavy sigh and pushed himself up. Brody had known leaving Josiah would be hard, but this was only the first morning after returning home, and it felt a thousand times more painful than he’d expected. Unfortunately, there had been no other option. Brody had to return to the city to meet with clients in person, and Josiah needed time to pack his things. Brody had already arranged for a moving company to transport everything from Chicago to Brooklyn, so they only had to make it through one week apart.
But that week would feel like an eternity.
Brody had things to do, however, and that included a difficult conversation he couldn’t put off any longer. He’d texted Milan to set up a meeting, and the man had immediately agreed. He’d proposed a coffee shop, but Brody wasn’t risking talking about his past in public, so he’d invited Milan over to his place. It couldn’t hurt for the man to see Brody’s home and confirm Brody could take care of Josiah properly.
He didn’t need Milan’s approval or blessing on his relationship with Josiah, but it would sure as fuck make things a lot easier. From what Brody understood, Denali was already on board, even though Josiah had told him nothing about Brody’s background. The kid couldn’t know, but Milan should.
Brody had debated long and hard, but in the end, he’d concluded that someone needed to know the truth, if only so they could help protect Josiah. And who better to trust than the president’s brother-in-law, a man who had helped bring down a terrorist group and served a long and highly respected career in the NYPD? That police force had its fair share of rotten apples, but Milan had zero complaints against him, not from civilians nor from fellow officers, and that spoke volumes.
All Brody could do was hope Milan would understand. But if he didn’t, Brody still wouldn’t walk away again. No risk, no looming threat, no warnings could ever outweigh the magnetic pull Josiah had on his heart. He would navigate this treacherous path, find a way to keep them both safe. Because the thought of a life without Josiah’s vibrant presence was a fate far worse than any potential danger. That much he knew for certain. He’d walked away from him once. He would never do that again.
The doorbell rang right on time, and Brody let Milan in, noting with some amusement that Milan’s expression wasn’t exactly friendly. Josiah might’ve convinced Denali of Brody’s good intentions, but Milan clearly wasn’t on board yet, and Brody appreciated him looking out for Josiah.
“Thanks for coming,” he said. “Can I get you anything? Coffee?”
“Do you have decent coffee?”
“I’m confident the amount of money I spent on an Italian coffee machine has paid off,” Brody said dryly.