Bossy Baby by Athena Steller

Three

Hayley

Hayley woke up in pain. God! So much pain. He blinked his eyes open and the first thing he saw was Mac’s hovering face.

“Mac.” He wanted to call him Daddy so badly. Hurt and in pain, he needed his Daddy. And Mac had acted like a Daddy before. Carrying to the car. Racing to the hospital. Ordering everyone around until Hayley was taken care of. “Hurts.”

“I know, sweetie. They reset the bone and you have a pretty new accessory.”

“A new accessory?” Hayley turned his head. Holy Cow! “What…”

“Do you like it?” Mac moved into view from the other side of the bed.

Now Hayley could see both his cast and Mac. “I—”

“They needed to know what color you wanted your cast.”

Hayley nodded. But how?

“I asked you one time what your favorite color was,” Mac explained. “You had some shirts that had arrived and were so excited about them. You were talking about how many colors they came in. I asked which color was your favorite, thinking I’d get you flowers or something sometime.”

“You remember that?” Hayley asked.

“I remember everything you ever told me,” Mac replied with a hint of a blush on his cheeks. His gentle giant was blushing! “You told me then that you could never pick just one color to be your favorite. All colors in the rainbow deserved to be your favorite. So when they asked me what color…” He rubbed the back of his head. Hayley was starting to love that gesture. “I told them to make it a rainbow.”

“I love it,” Hayley told him. “I love it so much.”

“Oh good,” Mac responded. He finally smiled. “I feel so guilty letting you get hurt.”

“You didn’t let me do anything,” Hayley said. “It was an accident.”

“No more accidents.” Mac pointed his finger at Hayley. “Ever again.”

That was such a Daddy thing to say. “Okay.”

“Promise me,” Mac ordered.

“I want to promise but I also don’t lie,” Hayley said. “I will do everything I can not to get hurt.”

“Then I guess you will have to stay by my side to ensure it. You shouldn’t have run off.”

“I’m sorry.” Hayley dropped his head. “I was just so excited.”

Mac sat on the side of his bed. “I understand. But still you have to be much more careful.” He brushed the hair off Hayley’s forehead.

“Awake?” Sammy, the nurse, came bustling in. “I bet you need a bit more of pain meds before we release you?”

“I get to go home?” Hayley perked up.

“Of course. I suggest you rest. We’ll send you home with a couple of scripts. It was your right arm that was broken, so you might need some help.”

“Not a problem,” Mac said.

Hayley nodded. He’d figure it out. There would be a lot he couldn’t do with a broken arm. And he couldn’t just close up shop. Not only did his customers depend on him, but Hayley needed the money as well.

He lifted his arm to look at his rainbow cast. Mac was so wonderful. He’d remembered that Hayley loved all the colors. He’d never have thought to ask for a rainbow cast. But Mac had. Heck, Mac probably demanded it just to make Hayley happy.

“Okay, here’s some pain medicine.” Sammy added liquid to his IV and warmth filled him.

Hayley grinned. “The good stuff.”

“Nothing but the best for you,” Sammy replied. “Your boyfriend wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Not my boyfriend,” Hayley slurred. Wow, that stuff worked fast. Everything was so fuzzy already. “Not yet. We were on our first date.”

Sammy lifted a brow. “Only your first date?”

“Yeah, I kept waiting for the big guy to ask me, but he never did.”

“Sometimes the bigger they are, the shyer they are.”

“Totally true,” Hayley managed. His eyes fluttered closed.

“I’m sitting right here,” Mac mumbled. “I can hear you talking about me.”

“Isn’t he awesome,” Hayley said, grinning. He couldn’t open his eyes. His tongue felt thick in his mouth. “Totally gonna be my Daddy.”

Mac

Sammy looked up at him and smiled. “I don’t think he meant to say that.”

“Doesn’t matter if he meant to or not. He did.” And Mac wanted to jump for joy. This was joy he was feeling, right? He thought so. Or maybe he had indigestion.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

Mac scowled. “Not your business.”

Sammy lifted his gloved hands into the air. But he was grinning. Mac wanted to threaten him until the grin fell off his face. But he kind of liked the guy. “Just being nosy. The connection between the two of you is obvious. And he seems like a really nice guy.”

“He is,” Mac said. “A really nice guy.” And for some reason Hayley liked him. “All you need to know is that I plan to take very good care of him. He’s special to me.”

Sammy sighed. There was a wistfulness to it.

Okay, Maybe Mac didn’t like him anymore. He narrowed his eyes.

Sammy dropped his hands. “Don’t worry, I don’t have any designs on your boy.” Sammy looked back toward the bed. “Treat him well.”

There was a story there.

Mac started after Sammy, but his cell phone rang from his pocket. He stopped at the door and yanked it out. Mitch. Finally.

“Mitch.” Mac kept his voice low.

“Mac? What happened? Who’s in the hospital? Your message didn’t make sense.”

Mac blew out a long breath. He’d called Mitch in a panic when they’d taken Hayley away from him, first for the X-ray then when they set and casted his arm. They’d been there for hours. All day and halfway into the night.

It had taken entirely too long. Mac had been out of his mind with worry.

Now that Hayley had woken up, Mac was much calmer.

“Never mind,” Mac told Mitch. His messages probably had sounded crazy. He’d all but demanded Mitch get his ass to the hospital.

“Don’t give me that shit. There was real panic in your voice. Byron took me for a ride on the bike. We were out of cell phone range. But we’re in the car headed that way now.”

“No!” Mac barked. He winced, looking back at the bed. Good, he hadn’t woken Hayley.

“Mac.”

“Look,” Mac hissed. He stepped into the hall. “My boy fell and broke his arm. It was bad. But his arm has been set and put in a cast. He’s resting now.”

“I have so many questions,” Mitch said. “Are you sure you don’t need us there?”

“I’m sure. I appreciate you being willing to come, but they should be releasing him soon.”

“Hold on, Mac.” Mitch moved the phone away from his mouth, but Mac could still hear him tell Byron to go back home, that everything was fine now.

Mac waited impatiently. Not like he had anything better to do, other than watch his boy sleep.

“Okay, I’m back,” Mitch said.

“Goody,” Mac deadpanned.

“Hey, you called me, buddy. Twice. I’m just being a good friend here.”

Mac growled. He couldn’t even argue with Mitch.

“So…your boy,” Mitch drawled. “How did that happen? When you left us this morning, you didn’t say anything about seeing your boy. Oh my God! Did you break into his house? Is that how he broke his arm? Did you scare him into falling down the stairs or something?”

Mac pulled his phone away and looked at it before he put it back to his ear. “Of course not! What kind of man do you think I am?”

Mitch laughed. “The kind that kills people?”

Fair point.Maybe Mac shouldn’t have told Mitch what he did for a living. Or what he used to do. “Not to people I care about. I haven’t killed you yet, have I?”

“Did you really need to say yet?”

Feeling much better, Mac had to grin. “Yes.”

Mitch huffed. Even over the phone, it was loud. “Your boy? Oh, and Byron told me it’s Hayley. Caleb and Avery are going to lose their minds.”

“It’s none of their business,” Mac replied.

“Yeah, like that matters. Tell me what happened.”

Mac peeked in Hayley’s room to make sure that his boy was still asleep. “After I left your house, I went to the grocery store. I had nothing for Hayley to eat when I brought him home. I was shopping when I ran into him. Literally.” Mac chuckled. “He ran his cart into mine.”

“Aww,” Mitch cooed. “It’s like a Hallmark movie.”

Mac snorted. He actually loved Hallmark movies. Especially Christmas ones. Not that he’d admit that to Mitch. Or anyone. Ever.

“But get on with your story,” Mitch demanded. “I only have until we get home to talk.”

“Well if you would stop interrupting—”

“Just tell me!” Mitch wailed.

“So we were at the grocery store and I was trying to figure out how to get Hayley—”

“Hayley! It is Hayley!” Mitch yelled.

“You said you already knew that.”

“But you didn’t confirm it until now.”

“Anyway, I was trying to figure out how to get Hayley back to my house—”

“You mean asking him to your house. Not like kidnapping and just taking him to your house.”

Mac didn’t answer.

“Mac,” Mitch said sternly. “You cannot just nab Hayley and take him home.”

Whatever. Mitch didn’t know everything. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”

“Oh my God! This story has gone on forever,” Mitch complained.

“Because you won’t shut up!” Mac said in frustration.

Mitch giggled and Mac knew that he was now dealing with Mitch in his boy persona. “I’m sorry. Please tell me. And I really do want to know if Hayley is okay.”

“He’s okay. Really. His arm was a clean break. It will hurt, but he’s going to be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

“So grocery store. You were planning Hayley’s kidnapping.”

He wasn’t really. Not seriously. Grocery stores had cameras. “Out of nowhere, Hayley said I needed to take him on a date. Right then.”

“Wait! Hayley told you that you were going to take him on a date?”

“He’s kind of bossy.” And Mac loved it.

“Sounds like it,” Mitch agreed.

“We left the grocery store and I took him to the deli down the street. Then we walked to the park.”

“That’s a wonderful date.”

“It would have been,” Mac agreed. “But Hayley got excited and started to run. He tripped over a rock. Or more like one of those decorative boulders.” He should call the town council and demand they move those. He didn’t want his boy getting injured again.

Mitch groaned. “Oh no.”

“It was bad,” Mac said. “Lots of blood and his bone was sticking out.”

Mitch gagged.

“I carried him to my car that was in the grocery store parking lot and then drove him to the hospital.” There. That was the story.

“That’s so romantic.”

“It was not romantic,” Mac argued. “My boy bled all over me.”

“But you swept him up and carried him.”

Yeah, he had. Hopefully Hayley remembered that.

“What’s the plan now?” Mitch questioned.

“Waiting for the hospital to release him. Then I’ll take him home and take care of him.”

“His home?”

Absolutely not. Hayley would be going home with Mac. Even Sammy had said he’d need help.

“Mac?”

“His right arm is broken. He needs help.”

“At least ask him first,” Mitch said.

“Maybe.” Mac wasn’t committing to anything.

“Do you need anything? You said you didn’t have food at home.”

“About that.” Mac rubbed the back of his head. “He didn’t like anything I had in my cart.”

“What did you have?”

“Cookies, chips, candy—”

“Mac, he’s not going to eat all that processed sugar.”

“But you said that Avery—”

“Avery would totally eat that shit. Well, he would if Jace let him. Hayley owns an organic shop. He eats organic.”

“But you said—”

“I didn’t know you were talking about Hayley, though.”

Mitch really needed to stop interrupting him. He needed to go over Byron’s knee. “So I should get healthy stuff?”

“Yes, good organic products. You have the money, so you can afford it. Make sure he’s not a vegetarian or vegan.”

Oh, that was smart.

“The organic grocery store by your house delivers. Caleb uses them.”

That would be good. He didn’t want to leave his boy alone. “Okay, thanks.”

“And call me if you need anything.”

“I will,” Mac promised.

“Okay, we’re home now,” Mitch said. “I have to get off the phone. Byron says he hopes Hayley feels better.”

“Tell him thank you,” Mac said. “And Mitch?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for, Mac.” Mitch hung up.

Mac leaned against the hallway wall. He was tired. Caring about someone was exhausting.

***

Mac

“Where are we going?” Hayley asked from the passenger seat.

Mac chanced a look at his boy. He’d gotten Hayley as comfortable as possible for the drive to his house. Hayley was still pretty loopy from the pain meds. “Home.”

“I’m pretty sure my home is in the opposite direction.”

“To my home.” Mac hoped it was their home someday soon. “You’ll be comfortable there. I’ll be able to properly take care of you.” He hadn’t been inside Hayley’s apartment. He knew his boy lived above the shop, but that was it. He hadn’t had time to properly secure Hayley’s building.

There was no way Mac would be able to relax and properly care for Hayley if he wasn’t comfortable in his surroundings.

“Okay.” Hayley laid his head against the glass.

Mac suspected that Hayley would be a lot more argumentative if he hadn’t been loaded up on pain meds. Mac was willing to take complete advantage of the situation. He drove into his neighborhood with pride.

The house he’d chosen was one of the nicest in the area, which said a lot, because this area had the best residences in the city. Money was no issue for Mac. Being a contract killer paid well.

Not that Mac had planned on spending his life the way it had turned out.

It had started when he was just eighteen years old.

Mac had been at a sniper level before he joined the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps took his natural talent and had expanded on it. He’d been plucked out of boot camp and his life had taken a drastic turn. He wasn’t just dropped into black ops—Mac had been shoved into a world he hadn’t understood at eighteen.

The military had gotten their claws into him. Trained him. Owned him.

Mac’s life was never his own.

Even when he’d tried to leave the military, Mac had still been indebted to them. He was often still called to do jobs even when he no longer wore the uniform. Mac had gone the private route after his honorable discharge, but his handler just worked for another branch of the government.

Until he’d walked away from it three years ago.

Faking his own death had been easy enough.

Along the way, Mac had made friends in low places, had picked up even more skills. Skills that even his handler didn’t know about.

The small group of assassins that had managed to both live and get away from the life looked out for one another. There were only five of them, Mac included, but survival was the goal.

It was Lance who had found Mac this city to settle in.

It was safe, low crime, had the university, and a small number of tourists. The most important factor was that the government had no contacts near.

The five of them were spread out around the world.

All of them kept a low profile.

If the government found them, they’d be dragged back in to do their handler’s bidding. Only Creed pushed the envelope; he’d gone into law enforcement under his alias.

Mac didn’t believe in law and order any longer.

Where was the justice in what had been done to him? He’d been an innocent eighteen-year-old boy who’d wanted to serve his country. Instead, they’d made him into a monster.

Finding he was squeezing the wheel so hard his knuckles were turning white, Mac relaxed one finger at a time. He took a deep breath and blew it out.

Mac repeated the process until he was back in control.

Remembering where he was and what he was doing, Mac glanced over at Hayley.

His sweet boy had fallen asleep as Mac wrestled with the demons of his past.

He relaxed his shoulders. Mac didn’t ever want to taint the kind-hearted young man with the darkness that was inside him. He didn’t expect Hayley to be able to save him. Mac knew he was destined for Hell. But for the time he had left in the world, he would make up for his past.

Caring for and loving Hayley was his sole mission now.

His house came into view and Mac slowed before driving up to the gate.

Pulling out his cell phone, Mac entered his code. All systems were online and his property hadn’t been breached.

Mac punched in the code to open the gate.

He maneuvered the SUV in slowly. He waited until the gate closed behind him before driving up the long road to the residence.

The beautiful stone and brick house looked as welcoming as Mac had hoped.

Reaching out, he gently laid his hand on Hayley’s knee. “Hey, boy,” Mac said quietly. “We’re here.”

Hayley lifted his head, blinking sleepily. “Where are we?”

“We’re home, boy.” Mac patted his knee before he turned off the engine. He climbed out of the SUV and stretched. He’d tensed up, thinking about his past. He rolled his neck and shoulders as he walked around the SUV to the passenger side.

Hayley was staring out of the window toward the house.

Mac knocked on the window. Hayley turned to face him and Mac opened the door carefully.

“Ready, baby?” Mac asked.

“You live here?”

“I do.” Mac held out his hand. “Come on. Let’s get you inside. There’ll be plenty of time for you to explore later.”

“Okay.” Hayley dropped to the ground and stumbled.

Mac steadied him.

“Sorry,” Hayley said. “My legs are wobbly.”

“That’s something I can help with,” Mac said. He lifted Hayley off his feet.

Hayley’s arm went around his neck. “I like you carrying me.”

Mac chuckled. He enjoyed it too. He started toward the steps of his house.

Hayley yawned before resting his head on Mac’s shoulder.

Warmth filled him. Hayley trusted him. “It’s okay, you can close your eyes. I’ll take care of you.”

“But who takes care of you?” Hayley mumbled.

“You will,” Mac said softly. “We’ll take care of each other.”

“Deal,” Hayley whispered. He yawned again.

At the front door, Mac let them in the house. He closed the door before resetting the alarm. Then he bolted the door with the three locks. He wasn’t doing it to keep Hayley inside, but to keep the outside from getting in. He already had the program set to add Hayley’s fingerprint. Hayley would have full run of the house, including the safe room. All except the basement and Mac’s private office. Those were spaces he’d never allow his boy in.

He carried Hayley from the entrance and down the hall. His boy needed more sleep. He took the stairs carefully and kept going. As much as he’d like to see Hayley in his bed, Mac chose the guest room across from his instead.

In the end, Hayley would have the absolute choice in where he slept. Mac might be a bastard, but he would respect Hayley’s boundaries. He’d seen too many young men and women, children, victims, who hadn’t had choices in their life. He would never do that to anyone.

When Hayley was ready, Mac would welcome him into his bed. Until then, the guest room would have to do. Hopefully, Hayley would soon also get to explore the special room Mac had made just for him. But it was too early in their relationship for that.

Hayley might have accidently called him Daddy, but that had lit the fire inside Mac. His boy needed. Mac needed. They were going to be good together. Maybe not perfect, but Mac would put in the work.

He pushed open the door to the guest room across from the master room. The bright yellow décor actually matched Hayley’s sparking personality. Hayley should be happy in there. At least for now.

Mac gently laid Hayley on the soft mattress.

Hayley peered up at him.

“I want you to sleep for just a little longer. Once you wake up, I’ll get you some food.”

Hayley nodded.

Mac went to the end of the bed and removed Hayley’s shoes and socks. “Do you want me to help you take off your jeans? I think you’ll be more comfortable without them.” The hospital had given Hayley a scrubs shirt to wear home. The jeans had blood on them though.

“Yes, please.”

Mac gently helped undo and pull off Hayley’s jeans. He had the cutest pair of bright green briefs on underneath.

Hayley watched him with wide eyes as Mac dropped the jeans to the floor. He had to behave himself, even as his cock hardened. Mac couldn’t maul his hurt boy.

“Under the covers,” Mac ordered. “I don’t want you getting cold.”

“K.” Hayley rolled over, onto his knees, as Mac turned down the bed.

Hayley had the cutest bottom Mac had ever seen.

Mac bit down on his tongue. Hard. To keep from groaning out loud.

Hayley lay on his side, facing the door, and Mac pulled the comforter up to his chin.

“Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

“Of course.” Mac sat on the side of the bed. He needed a shower and change of clothes, but it wouldn’t take Hayley long to fall asleep.

Hayley snuggled into his pillow, his cast up against his chest.

“Let’s try this,” Mac suggested. He grabbed a pillow from the other side of the bed and pushed it against Hayley’s side before carefully laying his casted arm on it.

“That’s better.” Hayley smiled.

Mac ran his fingers through Hayley’s hair. Petting him. Comforting him. “Sleep. I won’t be far.”

“Promise?”

That was a promise that Mac would never break. “Promise.”

“K.” Hayley closed his eyes.

It didn’t take long for Hayley’s breathing to even out and his boy to fall asleep. Still Mac remained sitting next to him. Just watching.

Hayley getting hurt was awful.

Mac would do anything to keep Hayley from feeling pain.

But by some twist of fate, Hayley was there with him. In his home. Under his protection. Mac wouldn’t let his boy down ever again.

There was so much he needed to do, but he couldn’t force himself to move away from Hayley yet.

The peacefulness that Hayley seemed to always feel called to the darkness inside Mac.