[ E D I T E D ]

[3]: I'm Sorry, Did You Just Say Marriage?

"Where is he?" I yelled the moment Axel and I stepped foot inside the Kincaid mansion. Instantly, Fletcher—their ancient butler, appeared from the kitchen, rushing to my side in confusion, "What's it, Mr. Remington? Are you looking for the younger Mr. Kincaid?"

By now, I had completely given up on trying to get the man to address me by my name. He was too stubborn when it came to things like that.

"No," I had to stop myself from making a face at his name, "I'm here for my nephew. Where's he?"

"Oh, yes, indeed. You're here to visit him. Come on up, he's in his room. Last I checked, Valentina was changing his diaper,"

Valentina was Fletcher's wife and she also worked as a staff member at the Kincaid mansion along with him for as long as I could remember, so it brought me some relief to know that the sweet woman was the one taking care of my neglected nephew. The man turned around calmly in the direction of the stairs, as if everything had been solved. Apparently, now that it was clear that I was here to see the kid, there was nothing to worry about.

Oh, no. Not that fast, old man.

"We're not here to see him. We're here to take him with me. Back home."

"Sorry, sir?" Fletcher frowned, looking between the two of us in confusion. Axel shrugged awkwardly at the man, and Fletcher diverted his thrown off look back to me. The emotion looked so out of place in his usually stoic face that I had to stop myself from commenting on it and focus on the topic at hand.

"Yes, I'm taking him back. I—"

"What's going here?" The deep voice of the senior Kincaid resonated through the huge living room as he slowly descended the stairs, silencing me immediately. He looked at the three of us in confusion, "Harvey and Harvey's friend, I'm glad you visited but can I know what all the noise is about?"

"Hello, Mr. Kincaid. I didn't know you were home," I said by way of greeting, shocked that the always absent man was actually standing there in front of me. "This is my friend, Axel Cordovan."

I was not prepared to deal with him. I'd been so sure that he'd be in China or Taiwan or wherever he usually went with his wife.

"Yes, I am," He gave me a polite smile and nodded at Axel in acknowledgment, "I flew in this morning after completing a deal. I'll be staying home for a couple of weeks," He turned his head in the direction of the first floor, "You want to take whatever this is, to my office?"

I inhaled nervously at the prospect of having to face the intimidating Mr. Kincaid. I have known him all my life, since he was friends with my Dad, but for some weird reason, he had always made me nervous due to his quiet exterior. My dad had kept insisting that he was very funny when he loosened up, but I'd never seen that side of him and I didn't think I would either.

"Okay,"

~

"I want custody of Rory," I blurted out, cutting the chase and getting straight to the point as Axel and I sat down on one of the huge leather armchairs facing the inordinate mahogany desk. Yes, despite his protests, I'd dragged Axel in here with me.

I needed some support if I was going to get beaten up for something I said.

Mr. Kincaid seemed startled by my demand and turned to share a look with Mrs. Kincaid, who was standing beside her husband with a hand on his shoulder.

She had randomly come out of her room and had spotted us while we had been on the way to their home office. After getting over her initial surprise and giving me a long hug, she had decided to join us, as well. That was the first time I'd ever hugged her and I had not seen her hug anyone else before either, so it did surprise me to a great extent.

Mr. Kincaid frowned slightly, "That's . . . quite unexpected, Harvey. I'd think that you'd be relieved to be free of such a big burden at a young age. Raising a child alone is no easy task."

"Yes," I looked down at my hands and hesitantly turned to Axel, debating with myself over whether or not I should say it—because there was a huge chance that an all-business man like him would call me an emotional fool over my decision. But then, Axel nodded for me to go on, and I decided to hell with it, because if he wanted to call me that, then that was his problem. "He's my last living family, Mr. Kincaid. I want him in my life."

"I get what you mean," He replied quietly, surprising me. Maybe I was too quick to judge him, "But you're in no position to earn an income that can take care of yourself and the child. You're just a kid and what happened to you was a cruel twist of fate. I don't think you can survive if you add a baby to the mix, son."

I couldn't say anything in response to that without coming off like a stupid brat, "Yes, Mr. Kincaid. I'm aware of how much having Rory in my life will complicate things. But—I, uh, I can't imagine not having him. I'd rather have him and face the trouble of raising a kid alone, instead of . . ." I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence as my throat closed up at the memory of it all.

I held back the emotion from flooding forward by taking a deep breath. I closed my eyes to stop the rush of inexplicable loss that crushed me in its fist, and swallowed the imminent urge to break down and sob.

Don't cry. Not here.

Axel put a hand on my knee and gave it a hard squeeze before pulling away, and I was flabbergasted for a moment that he had sensed my wilting control, but grateful nonetheless, for his support.

I didn't know what I would do without him.

"But, why would you assume that you're alone?" Mrs. Kincaid questioned gently—speaking up for the first time. She walked around the table to my side and placed a hand on my forearm for a quick second, making me look up, "Don't you have us? We may not be related by blood, but haven't you known us long enough to be classified as family? Why won't you let us help you? We'll take care of Rory and you can visit him as much as you want. Actually, you're welcome to move in with us."

To say that I was shocked by her sudden offer would be an understatement. While most of her words were true, that I had definitely known them long enough to know that they meant no harm, I also did know that there was no love in the Kincaid family. I didn't know for sure about the love between the Mr. and the Mrs., but from the outside, it all looked like an amicable existence.

The fact that they were never too physically or verbally affectionate with their own son Gideon hadn't gone unobserved by me either. I had watched all along from the sidelines as they ran after the company they had built from the ground up and slowly neglected their only son in favor of work.

I had watched how that had turned him into a bitter asshole who didn't give two shits about anyone's feelings except his own.

In no way, did I want Rory to turn out like that. I'd rather beg on the streets before letting that happen.

"Okay, I'm really sorry, Mrs. Kincaid," I exhaled, swallowing nervously because I had to say this, however non-subtle it was, "They say to never look a gift horse in the mouth. And I'm not. I'm not doing that. I greatly appreciate your offer of financial help and I will accept a part of it because I have no choice if I want to make a decent future for myself. But,"

I held up a finger that stopped the smile that spread across her face, feeling like an asshole for what I was about to say, "That's all you will be providing if I let Rory stay here. Financial help." Axel kicked my feet to shut me up, but I had to get this out. I ignored him and moved my feet out of his reach, shooting him a quick look, "You two are hardly present to show him love, and no matter what you say, paid nannies can never replace parental care."

I wet my lips, pausing to consider my next words as carefully as possible, "And I'm really, truly sorry to say this about your own son, but look how angry at the world, Gideon is. I really hope Rory doesn't feel that way. I want him to grow up knowing that even if his biological parents are no more, all the people around him love him more than anything in this world."

The couple looked stricken by my words. Mrs. Kincaid took a step back, the arm she had placed on me, hovering in the air. Horror filled me as tears pooled at the corners of her dark blue eyes. Mr. Kincaid slammed a fist on the heavy table with a rattle loud enough to send me standing up, his face twisted into a hard glare, "I will not have you come into my own house and question my parenting, boy."

"I'm sorry, sir." I slowly pushed the chair back to make room for me to leave, and Axel mirrored my actions with a muted sigh of relief, "I overstepped way beyond any acceptable limits and I'm extremely sorry if I hurt your feelings. I just told you what I felt was the truth. I'm sorry, again. I'll take my leave now."

"Wait," The sound of Mrs. Kincaid voice, thick with tears, stopped me and Axel in our tracks.

"What now?" He grumbled under his breath.

I paid no mind to him and turned around silently in question.

"Don't leave. Wait outside in the hall. I have something I want to discuss with you, but I would like some privacy with my husband first."

"Oh," I was extremely confused as to why the hell she would even want to see my face again, but complied nonetheless, "Okay."

~

We waited for about half an hour on the couches outside in the common area of the first floor. If I had known that they were going to take this long, I'd have gone and visited Rory. Now I was fidgeting as I glanced between the closed door and the stairs, stuck between whether I should go and come back real quick, or not. Axel was getting seriously ticked off.

"What?" I finally snapped, glowering.

"Seriously, man? You're asking me that? After what you just did in there?" He crossed his big arms across his chest, his glare intensifying.

"What? I only told them the truth!" I threw my hands up in the air in defense.

"I know. But sometimes you don't go around telling people the 'truth'," He made air quotes for emphasis. rolling his dark-green eyes that were a stark contrast against his shock of orange-red hair, "When your girlfriend asks if she looks fat in that top, you say no. You don't go around telling people that they're bad parents, especially when it looked like they were ready to loan you money for college."

"I'm sorry for thinking that wanting Rory to be a better human being is more important than me going to college. Who says people can't earn money if they didn't go to college, anyway? There are tons of successful people." I insisted, not sure whether I was trying to convince him or myself.

"Whatever, man." Axel shook his head, "I seriously think you just made a big mistake. There's no harm in playing nice with them and accepting the money they would've offered as help. Trust me when I say this, you need all the help you can get."

"I get what you mean, Axe," I furrowed my brows as I looked down at my shoes in contemplation, "But I still think raising him as a sweeter human being is more important than giving him monetary comfort."

Before Axel could reply, there was a sound of locks turning and then the heavy soundproof door of Mr. Kincaid's office swung open. Mrs. Kincaid's blonde hair peeked out first, followed by her slightly red face. She then nodded at the two of us, gesturing for us to come in.

I wondered why they made me stay as I followed Axel back into the room. Were they going to point out all the flaws in my family and make fun of our lack of financial prowess as opposed to them? Were they going to rebuke that my Dad hadn't been a good father?

I wouldn't stand to listen to that.

Then how can they stand the fact that you called them out on their flaws? My inner-voice, that evil bastard, whispered in a tone that slithered around my neck uncomfortably and tightened the vice of guilt like a rope.

It was not a pleasant feeling.

"So let's say that hypothetically, I'm open to the idea of letting you take over the guardianship of Rory," Mr. Kincaid began, surprising the hell out of me, "How do you think you'll be able to accomplish that?"

"Um, I don't know, but I'll find a way—"

"No, I don't mean making ends meet, Harvey. Your dad has left some savings and I'm here to pay the rest of the way for you," Mr. Kincaid made an expression like he was controlling the urge to roll his eyes, "How do you think the state will award you guardianship?"

"Um," I hadn't thought that far.

Dammit.

"Thought so." He shrugged, this time looking slightly smug. The expression on his face combined with the exact same raven black hair and dark grey eyes as his son made me feel like I was looking into the future at the image of an aged Gideon, "You do know that even if I willingly gave up custodianship, they'd not grant it to you just because you're related, considering your lack of income, right? A part-time job wouldn't be enough to help things look good on your application to the court. The savings you father left would barely help you with your own life, so that wouldn't be enough to convince them, either. So tell me, Harvey. Do you want Rory to end up in the system?"

WHAT!?

"NO!" I yelled in disbelief, shocked that he would even suggest that. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down and speak rationally, "Why don't you retain legal guardianship of him, then? I'll take him home with me and take care of him myself, though."

"Sorry, kid, but I can't risk my name like that." Mr. Kincaid didn't look remorseful in the least, "People from the CPS might show up any time on a surprise visit to check up on him. If they discover that the kid's in your care, I might as well throw my own reputation down the drain. It'll become a huge media spectacle."

"I'm not willing to let you have his legal guardianship, either." I admitted grudgingly, "I just had to know. So, in the end, why did you ask me to stay and talk to you, then?" I queried in the calmest voice I could manage, trying not to let out the scream of frustration building inside of me, "To rub it in my face that I could never get custody? That I'm just a good-for-nothing piece of white trash?"

"No," Mrs. Kincaid peered at me hesitantly, "We have a solution. A compromise of sorts that would make both parties happy."

I had a bad feeling immediately. I didn't know what they could've possibly come up with that could benefit them as well in this deal. One thing I knew for sure, was that there was nothing I had that I could give them.

"What is it?" I asked tentatively anyway, curiosity getting the best of me.

"A marriage."

For a second, I was thrown off-guard so much, that I was clueless as to what she was talking about, "I'm sorry, did you say marriage?"

"Yes. A marriage between you and Gideon."

My jaw fell slack.

QUESTION: YEE-HAW! LMAO. A MARRIAGE! CLICHE REASON? CLICHE BOOK? YES? NO?

DEDICATED to ZitaJo :)

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