Broken Bond: Between Vices and Virtues (BL)
Chapter 165: Family

Chapter 165: Family

Sandro jolted at the loud noise.

His eyes then shifted from the door to Azrael and to the woman next to him. Slowly, his shocked face turned grim. With just a few strides, he approached the distraught and disheveled woman and grabbed her by the arm.

He didn’t bother asking permission to drag Elise out from Azrael, as his wide eyes told him, ’What are you still standing there, man? Follow your husband!’

However, Azrael just stood frozen outside the door like a stone statue deteriorated by the rain. The echo of Knox’s door slam, which was enough to tell him of the omega’s feelings, reverberated through his mind.

Azrael was struck by a force that was both shocking, painful, and worrying, upon the sudden realization that he had completely forgotten their child in the playground alone, hit him.

Unwarranted scenarios came crashing into his head, turning his already heavy breathing into ragged gasps, while his heart pounded as though it was some excited ball bouncing, striking his walls as a form of reproach and trying to escape his chest.

His attention was caught again by the sound of the scraping floor.

Azrael snapped in his drowning emotions and lifted his head, witnessing a seemingly fun play of tug of war, performed by none other than his friend – Sando, and his stalker – Elise.

The lady’s deranged pleas and groundless threats echoed in Azrael’s ears once more. His eyes flared with anger again, his nails clawing on his palm as he met Sandro’s warning gaze.

He wanted to come and torture the lady with the methods he often used on people who burnt his cord of patience to ashes, but that urge was defeated by the single, overriding concern he had right now – Knox and his son.

The adult seemed angry, while the kid was visibly scared. Azrael anxiously wondered, ’Did I scare him too? What should I do? F*ck! What did that madwoman tell Knox?!’

At the same time, inside the unit, Knox’s best friend – Franz, who dropped by his unit after finishing a delivery in that apartment complex; quickly knelt on the floor trying to calm down the distraught and crying Knoa seated on his father’s lap.

The kid was startled by the loud bang of the door, so his scare broke into tears in an instant. Knox felt guilty, but he couldn’t tend to the kid properly because his chest was still racing from the thought that Knoa was left alone outside.

What if Sandro wasn’t there? What if something happened to Knoa?! He’ll never be able to forgive himself.

With shaking hands, he could only hug his son tighter. Franz held out a towel and a glass of water.

"Little guy, hush now. You’re Papa is scared, look," Franz wiped Knoa’s tear-stained face and urged him to drink, "Drink water, baby. This will calm you; I promise."

Knox sniffled and slowly took the glass with both of his hands. He sipped water and looked up at his father next, giving the glass to him.

Knox stared at his generous and thoughtful son with sadness.

The little kid’s face was red from crying, and his small body was curled and shrunk. Knox already suspected that his son might be too sensitive to pheromones, so his instincts were probably frightened by Azrael’s uncontrollable scent earlier.

He took the cup and gave it back to Franz, mumbling quietly, "I’m not thirsty, thank you."

Knox cupped his child’s face and wiped his already wiped cheeks with his thumbs. His heart ached at the sight of his puffy eyes. It was truly heart-wrenching for a mother to see her child cry with sad tears.

Knox never knew how he could experience his heart split in two, just as he remembered his omega father described the feeling. He was a parent now, so he needed to be strong for his family.

He sighed, erasing the images of the eccentric woman outside his door, and rocked Knoa gently. He watched the foyer, hoping that Azrael would come in already, but several minutes passed and the sound inside the room was only the sound noises of Knoa’s little snoring.

Franz put the glass on the center table and asked carefully, "Shall I take him to bed?"

Knox was about to answer when they were both startled by Knoa’s sudden jolt and yelp. He quickly patted the kid’s back, and murmured, "It’s okay, Knoa, baby, Papa’s here. You’re safe. Papa will be with you..."

He lovingly pressed his lips on the kid’s forehead and lulled him back to sleep.

Franz, who had seen and heard everything from the screen earlier, stood up after taking the glass again, his face a mask of concern for both father and son. He went to the kitchen to return the glass and then tidied the wet towel.

He still couldn’t believe what he heard from the famous actress’ mouth. He watched her dramas and even favored her a bit more than other celebrities because of her sweet and caring personality, but to think she was actually an obsessed, eccentric, stalker and a sly bitch!

Franz seethed in contempt.

He took out his phone and spent minutes typing something on it while glaring at the screen as if Elise Chen’s face was displayed on it while muttering curses toward the same person.

Meanwhile, after a few minutes of talking to Sandro about how to deal with the two insolent individuals – Elise Chen and Owen Mills, Azrael finally managed to pull himself together and enter the unit.

The distressful sight that greeted him stirred his own feelings of guilt and panic surged into him when his child flinched and almost cried again.

Burying his shame for losing control and showing Knox an unsightly part of him, Azrael quickly moved to Knox’s side, his face washed with relief after the omega acknowledged his presence, as his initial thought was Knox ignoring him out of anger.

His face softened when instead of anger and accusation, Knox gave him a sad and sorry smile. It was relieving, but it pained his heart to see him hurt as well. Azrael took Knox into his embrace and nestled his head on his back, hiding his terror-stricken face from his future husband.

Azrael then hoarsely whispered, as his hands wrapped around Knox’s back. "I’m so sorry. I saw someone watching Knoa outside, so I confronted him, and when he pointed at the building, I lost my mind. I was hit by this terrifying feeling that something might have happened again...to you...because of me."

Knox’s breath hitched when he felt the alpha’s shoulders tremble ever slightly, and even if he couldn’t see his face, he could tell he was in tears just from his shaking voice. Knox’s heart ached, and the heaviness that settled on his chest made him question heaven.

Why does their happiness always get ruined by someone or something? Can’t they leave his family alone?