Vulnerable [Suncoast Society] (Suncoast Society #29)(70)

Right now, it was just the three of them in Leo’s room. Their friends had been busy rotating in and out, but now that Leo had a private room, everyone assured Jesse that someone would always be there with Leo, even at night, in case he needed any assistance.

Leo was eager to get the hell out of the hospital.

“How long was I asleep?” Jesse asked.

“Nearly an hour,” Laurel scolded. “I had to talk to Daddy all by myself.”

“Sorry, sweetheart.”

Leo chuckled. “Be nice to Uncle Jesse, Laurel. He’s had a rough week.”

“Now that you and Mommy are divorced, when are you marrying Uncle Jesse, and when can I be your flower girl? And can I call him Dad or something instead of uncle now?”

Well, wasn’t that a f*cking bucket of icy water dumped right on Jesse. They’d been careful talking around Laurel.

So damned careful.

Apparently, not careful enough.

Leo’s gaze narrowed as he stared at Jesse. “Sweetheart, Mommy and I are still going through—”

“No you’re not. I saw the papers this morning. I think they did it that night Grandma and Grandpa tried to take me from Uncle Jesse and he wouldn’t let them. When everyone went into the room and was yelling at each other.”

Now Leo lifted his head. “They did what?”

June walked in at that moment. “Hey, good, you’re awake—”

“Can you please take Laurel down to the bathroom for a few minutes?” Leo asked, not pulling his focus from Jesse.

Jesse felt his face redden.

“Daddy,” Laurel said, crossing her arms over her body. “The nurse said I can use your bathroom. And I don’t have to go.”

“Then go show Aunt June where it is,” he said, more than a hint of Dom-tone flowing through his words. “And then see if you can go find the cafeteria and bring Uncle Jesse back some coffee.”

She climbed off Jesse’s lap in a huff. “Okay, fine. If you wanted to talk to him alone just say so, Daddy.”

June stood there frozen, staring at the men before finally taking off down the hall after the little girl.

Jesse swallowed, hard.

Oh, f*ck.

When Leo was up to giving a spanking, Jesse suspected there was going to be more of a punishment than being forced to wear clothes.

Which, technically, he was being punished with now, because of living at Eva’s with her and Laurel.

“Tell me what the hell she’s talking about,” Leo demanded.

Jesse rubbed at the back of his neck. “Um, yeah. Oh, by the way, heh heh, funny story. Guess what? You’re officially divorced now. And, um…heh, this is where it gets really funny, I’m Laurel’s legal guardian.”

By the time Jesse finished telling the full story, Leo lay against the pillow, eyes closed, slowly shaking his head back and forth.

Jesse went full monty and told him about Eva’s one episode in the bathroom as well, and his threats to her in the shower that morning. And her apparent turnaround in the aftermath of those threats.

Tears squeezed from under Leo’s eyelids and spilled down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry you had to deal with all of that.”

Jesse grabbed his hand and squeezed. “It’s okay. Eva’s doing better, I think. I just hope you’re not mad for me letting her call me ‘sir.’”

Leo sniffled and finally opened his eyes again. “I never wanted to tell her secrets,” he said. “I was trying to respect her privacy.”

“It’s okay.”

“Ed really forced her to agree to all of that?”

“Weirdly enough, I got the impression he didn’t have to force her. And it was sort of a desperate last resort,” Jesse said. “Hey, blame Tilly and Ed and Ross for that. I wasn’t even in the room. I was out in the waiting room with Laurel when the judge showed up.”

“So the divorce is really final?”

“Yeah,” Jesse said. “You’re on the market again.”

“And…you’re Laurel’s legal guardian?”

“Until you’re back on your feet, yes. The paperwork was finalized.”

“Eva’s parents didn’t take Laurel from you?”

“Nope. Nearly got myself kicked in the nuts by Laurel kicking at the guy, and I think I’m still partially deaf in one ear from her screaming at them, but no, I didn’t hand her over.”

Leo squeezed his hand, his eyes boring into Jesse’s. “Thank you,” Leo said. “Thank you so much.”

Jesse forced a smile. “Sorry she spilled the beans. I wasn’t even thinking about Laurel looking at the papers. They came in the mail yesterday and I left them on the table for Eva for when she got home this morning. I texted Eva and told her about them, but she was already at work when I got home last night with Laurel. I didn’t think Laurel would go through them. Hell, I didn’t think she’d be able to read and understand them. She must have done it while I was in the shower this morning.”

“Laurel is six,” Leo said. “She’s going to be seven in a few months. And how many times have we been to Mote and she’s read the exhibit signs to us? Why do you think we have the rule at our apartment about her not going into our closet, and why I stash our toys on the top shelf in there? So she can’t freaking find and reach them.”