Down the hall, Julian's muted wail made me hiss a curse. "Now that was loud enough to wake the baby," I told the officers before I started down the hall to fetch him.
The short cop followed me. "Anyone else home?" he asked, glancing into Tristy's room when he passed it.
My gut clenched as I hoped to God Tris hadn't been lying about there being no drugs here, because if they found anything in my apartment, Julian would end up in foster care. That was the very last thing I wanted to happen to him.
"No," I answered as I opened the door to my room. "It's just the three of us." I kept the light off so the sudden blare wouldn't hurt Julian's eyes, but the cop flipped it on as he stepped into the room behind me. And of course, the baby's wail grew louder.
"Hey, little man," I murmured. "Did Mommy wake you up? I know she did, you poor thing. And you just got to sleep too. I'm sorry, bud." Kissing his hair as I cuddled him against my chest, I swayed on my feet, hoping to rock him back to sleep. With my nose buried in his dark curls, I slid my gaze to the cop who wouldn't stop gawking.
"That kid's black," he blurted out, shocking the shit out of me.
I blinked, wondering what Julian's ethnicity had to do with anything. "Gee, really? I hadn't noticed."
At my sarcastic answer, he shook his head. "But . . . you're . . . why are you the one coming back here and taking care of him when he's obviously not yours?"
For a split second, I saw red. Just because my blood didn't flow through this child's veins didn't make him any less mine. I loved this kid more than just about anyone.
"Because no one else is going to take care of him. And he is mine. He's my stepson."
Eyeing me strangely, the cop nodded slowly. Something akin to respect glinted in his eyes before he said, "Next time you get mad at your old lady, keep your tone down, will you? If we take too many calls at the same address, someone eventually goes to jail. And that someone would be you."
I nodded, realizing he was trying to give me a break and a friendly heads-up. Some people would've taken it as a threat, but I knew how these guys worked.
"I hear you," I answered.
He lingered another moment, his gaze returning to Julian who'd closed his eyes and was snuggled peacefully against me. "Cute kid," he finally said.
I grinned and shook my head. "I'd say thank you, but he didn't get his looks from me. Obviously."
Sniffing out a short laugh, the cop tipped his hat. "Keep the volume of those arguments down." And then he was gone.
Listening to them bid Tristy a farewell as they left the apartment, I continued to pace the floor with Julian. I knew all too well that if he were even the slightest bit awake when I laid him down, he'd holler his head off. He had to be completely out of it.
When Tris appeared in the doorway, her arms folded over her chest as she stared into my room at us, I sighed.
"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have yelled and pounded on your door," I confessed before she could start in on me. "And yes, I could've waited until morning. But, shit, Tris. Are you really that miserable here? Is it so bad that you'd rather go out and get high, not knowing where you're going to wake up, what's going to be done to you, or who you'll end up with than having a roof over your head, a clean bed to sleep in each night, and a constant supply of food?"
Tears filled her eyes. She wiped the back of her hand across her cheek, smearing them. "No, but . . . Damn it, Pick. I get so . . . so sick and tired of being cooped up in this place all day. And I thought it'd be okay if it was just marijuana. Nothing heavy. It's just . . . the kid's always here. There's just no break. You get to go off to work; you don't have to constantly listen to him cry and demand shit all day."
I blew out a breath and closed my eyes, resting my cheek on Julian's head. "I wish you had come to me and told me this instead of looking up Quick Shot. Damn, Tris. If you need a break, I can get you a break. I can watch him every evening I have a night off, and you can go out and do whatever. Plus, I'm sure Mrs. Rojas next door can babysit one or two times a week."
When Tristy's eyes lit with excitement, I knew I'd said the right thing. "Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Tris." I rolled my eyes. "When have I not done everything within my power to get you whatever you needed?"
"That's true," she admitted with a sheepish shrug.
"If you promise not to contact Quick Shot again, I'll make sure you have more . . . freedom. Okay?"
"Okay." Then she stepped in the room, looking relieved. "I can walk with him for a little bit if you want?"
Her offer shocked the shit out of me. "Uh . . . yeah. Sure." We fumbled awkwardly as I tried to pass the sleeping kid off to her. Julian stirred but didn't wake. When his head was securely propped on her shoulder and she patted his back in a motherly manner, I stared openly, unable to look away.
"What?" she asked, giving me an irritated frown. "Am I doing something wrong?"