Eleven

"What do you mean I can't return this if I don't have a receipt!" The man yelled and I flinch.

Sitting in the counter in front of me was truffle, the price tag had clearly been peeled off and replaced with another and I had tried to tell the man but he just started yelling.

"What is going on here?" Stanley asked as he walked out of the manager's office, Charles behind him and so was Jimmy. Jimmy had been called in by the Darltons a few minutes before this bullshitting customer arrived.

"He brought back a truffle that expired two days ago." I explained to them and then pointed at the truffle. "The price tag was obviously tipped off and replaced."

And it's true.

The price tag at the convenience store was normally placed closed to the top of the bowl, white with a tiny blue star but this mans truffle's tag was at the center and there's a ripped sign at the tip of the bowl. Just a plain white tag.

Really. Who did this man think he was fooling?

Thankfully the store was empty save for the five of us. The man wasn't backing down and neither was I? Was he trying to say we don't do our jobs well? Does he think it's easy checking checking the expiration dates of products every morning? Does he think it's easy adding tags to food items?

I heard the familiar tingle of the bell above the door but I still don't backdown. However it gets worse. The man grabbed me by my collar before I could see it coming. Stanley, Charles and Jimmy were still a couple paces away and couldn't reach me in time.

My heart picked up and I start breathing a bit heavily, fear sinking into my bones but I still stand my ground.

"I will beat your fucking mouth in."

Out the side of my eyes, I could see my bosses and co worker run towards me. I maintain eye contact with the man.

"You need to calm down before you do something yo-"

"Let him go."

I looked away from he man holding my shirt tightly to the person who had just spoken. There was a tall, caramel skinned guy standing there, his face set in a scowl, his brown eyes glaring right at the man who had been minutes away from punching me.

"I'm going to count to five." The caramel stranger said.

"I'm going to bash your face in." Stanley and Charles chorus. It felt so good to know there were a number of people who had my back.

The man holding my shirt let go. He took one look around before walking towards the door, cussing on his way out. He was gone but I couldn't push back the thought and the reality that I could have been beaten up badly.

They all rush towards me at once, the caramel stranger placing a hand on my arm as he looks at me.

"Hey. Are you alright?" He asked and I don't know what to say. He just nods and pulls out his phone, his fingers tapping the screen.

"Oh my, are you alright, dear?" Charles asked and again, I don't know the answer to that. Jimmy pushed a bottle of fizzy water in my hand and I take a gulp, trying to calm myself down.

They were talking to me, asking me questions but I could feel myself receeding, I was screaming inside my head.

—

Hal

—

I sat there, watching a group of my employees pitch a business plan that made me want to give them F and scream in their faces when my phone vibrated.

It was Jeff. The message contained three words: Jesse, store, now.

I get off my chair, ignored the looks and questions as I stormed out of the meeting room. Thankfully the meeting had been on the fifth floor. I took my private elevator down, to avoid stopping on floors, my feet tapping against the floor as I waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor.

I took off into a sprint, running down the road. I didn't get anything from Jeff's text, his caveman speech gave roomfor different meanings and my mind was going to the worst ones.

I don't stop running until I get to the store, I walk through the doors, heading right for the counter where Jesse always is and I find Jimmy standing there.

"Yo. You're here."

"What happened? Where's Jesse?"

"He's in there with his bosses." Jeff said and I don't wait anymore. I head in the direction he pointed and knocked twice before going in. I found my beautiful sitting on a small couch, holding a bottle of fizzy water.

"Jesse." I called out and he raised his head. I rush towards my baby, kneeling in front of my boy, cupping his cheeks as I stared at him, ignoring the two men in the room for now.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

"I-"

"Use your words, darling." I said as I softly stoke his cheeks.

I watched him, my gaze going over his face and down his body to make sure he wasn't okay. I start to calm down when I realize he was alright. After I've sorted this out, I'm going to sit Jeff down and teach him how to text like a normal person.

"I almost got punched." Jesse finally said and I stare at him with wide eyes.

"You what? Who wanted to? Where is the s-"

"He's gone." Jesse whispered quietly and I try to push down my anger. It's then I look away from my beautiful boy to the two men standing and they both nod their heads.

"I'm taking him home." I said to them and then turn back to Jesse, "Come on, Jesse. Let's go home." I said to him, lifting him up a bit. He waved at the two older men while I lead him towards the doors, whispering quietly to him.

I gave Jeff a nod and tell him to text Prez to get the car ready before stepping out of the store.

"I'm taking you home." I repeated and this time Jesse replied.

"I want to go to your house." He said, looking up at me with his big blue eyes. "Please..."

I don't say no, of course not. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder a little tighter as we walk down the road, heading right to my building so I could get the car. I had half the mind to go back to the store and look through the cctv recording, find the son of a bitch that threatened my darling and punch the daylights out of him.

Jesse was shaking a bit in my arms and I just want to pull him closer. I just hold him and whisper little things as we walked over to the building. My black range was parked outside and Prez was leaning against it, dressed in his usual black suit.

Once he saw me, he gets the door open. When Jesse was strapped in, I go over to the other side and get into the car, taking his hand in mine.

"You are a bit shaken up, Jesse."

"I don't even know why. I was talking back at him and when he grabbed my shirt, I didn't back down." Jesse said and I smile proudly at him. "I don't know why I'm like this."

"That's alright. I'm here." I told him, raising our locked hands to lips and pressing kisses onto him. I hold his hand through the drive home, my thumbs softly stroking his hand as I watch him.

All I wanted was to make Jesse feel better and I already had a million and one ways going through my mind on how to do this but I take one good look at him and I knew just what he needed. Immediately we got home, I got out of the car, walking over to the other side and giving Jesse a hand as he got out of the car.

"Jesse, before I continue, I need to know if you trust me?"

"What?" He asked, looking up at me with big blue eyes.

"I want to take care of you, baby. Give you a bath, feed you, do exercises with you. Is that alright? Is that something you want?" I asked him and he takes a couple seconds before nodding.

"Use your words, sweetheart."

"Yes, daddy."

And really that's all I needed to know.

I led him up the stairs, towards my en-suite. Once we were in he sits on the small sofa I had set up, while I get his bath read. I turned on the tap, waited a bit and dumped two lush bombs into the water, watching the purple and pink mix and swell.

When the water was the right amount and warm enough, I turn back to Jesse who was smiling softly at me. I gently pull off his shirt and jeans, taking off his boxers as well. I don't let my eyes linger, I had other things to take care of.

But I will say this. Jesse was perfect.

He sunk into the water and my heart beats so hard. He looked wonderful and calm. And it feels me with pride to know I did that.

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you, daddy." He said and fuck, I almost do a cartwheel. He run my fingers through his hair, leaning in to place a kiss on his forehead. I let him soak for a while before taking my bottle of shower gel, squirting some in his hair and rubbing softly like before rinsing off, telling him to close my eyes before I do.

"You are such a good boy. Daddy's perfect prince." I told him as I keep rinsing him off with water. It's when I go to grab a bathrobe for Jesse that I remember I was still in my suit. I had run over to Jesse in a suit and sat on the edge of the wet bath tub in my suit. I'd change out of it when Jesse's settled.

I grabbed the fluffy bathrobe and wraps it around Jesse when he gets out of the water.

"You look adorable, baby." I said to Jesse, taking in his flushed cheeks and wet hair pressed against his forehead.

"Thank you, daddy. I feel 'dorable too." He said, his voice coming out lighter than usual, his eyes a bit more wider. He looked precious.

I walked him into the room, sitting him on the bed before quickly heading towards my walk in closet, heading right for the box in the middle of the room, resting in top of the large glass table showcasing my watches.

I took out the box into the room and placed the box on the bed.

"You have to choose the one you like, alright?"

"Okie, daddy." He said and with a nod. I pop open the box and chuckle when his eyes go even wider. Arranged in the box were four onesies, four packs of pacifiers, two bibs and three pairs of fuzzy socks.

Jesse looked through the box and finally picks out a light blue onesie with stars in it, a black pacifier, yellow fuzzy socks and yellow bib.

"Alright, baby boy. Let's get you ready." I said and then tell him to get on his feet. At the bottom of the box was a pair of black lace boxers I had bought. Jesse has said he wasn't a big fan of diapers and Hal was fine with that.

I slipped on the black lace boxers for Jesse, smiling up at my baby boy. After that, comes the onesie, he puts his legs through and I slid it up his body, buttoning it up afterwards. Jesse giggles as he pulls on the hood, the little cat ears on it popping out.

The onesie stopped mid thigh and looked adorable on him.

"Daddy look, stars."

"Yes, baby and they're small."

"Smol." Jesse repeated with a giggle, his fingers playing with the buttons on his onesie. Adorable. It doesn't take long to pull on his socks and once I was done, I hand him his pacifier.

"Are you hungry, baby?"

"No, daddy. 'M sleepy."

"Want to cuddle and have a nap with daddy? We can do a little coloring when you wake up." I told him and he cheers, clapping a bit.

And for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think, adorable. My baby boy was fucking adorable.