Rage With Benefits

Chapter 32: Stolen Glances, Pretty Lies

"I think I must let you know," Ian heard his mother say with her back turned against him, body slumped over a pile of office papers she's been scanning over since this morning. "that normal sons let their moms know when their exes are back in town."

"No, they don't."

Ian offered her a snide "tch" after sliding a cup of tea on the edge of her desk. Olivia peered up at her son under her lashes, mouth twitching slightly before she straightened up to brush the wrinkles off Ian's shirt.

"Well, I'm just glad you're having fun," she joshed before bringing the cup to her curled mouth. Ian crossed his arms, his winter coat tucked between them.

"We're not getting back together, Mom," he said tightly, brows drawing together in adamance.

"I know, Emery told me," she smirked, the creases on the corner of her mouth turning wildly prominent before she shrugged, looking away. "But I wouldn't mind if you do."

"Mom."

"I love you, honey," Olivia spoke as-a-matter-of-factly then waved him away, sensing an argument coming. Ian didn't buy it as his face turned beet red with annoyance. "Please check on your sister on your way down, I need to finish these before I get to work."

"You're never busy in the morning," the brunet noted suspiciously as he leaned forward, the neckline of his top gaping open. It was true, Olivia Norris hated procrastinating over anything else, so the fact that she's cramming over a pile of unopen paperwork baffled Ian. "What were you doing last night?"

Olivia's hands continued working as if she didn't hear a word he said. Her half ponytail was messily done above her head, which clashed with her skin that was glowing unusually bright. Ian's tongue poked out as his mind began to figure it out, his mouth forming into a teasing smile.

When Olivia sensed her son was still standing by the doorway, she turned slightly, shooting Ian a warning glare. "Go."

"Fine," Ian huffed, the chuckle managing to escape his lips as he jogged his way downstairs. "but normal moms let their sons know when they're going on dates!"

He heard a loud shuffle, probably the sound of papers falling, followed by his mother's distant voice. "Young man, I am not-"

With a loud laugh, the brunet managed to reach Evie's room without making any sound despite him almost trampling down her Scoop and Learn Ice Cream Cart. He tiptoed towards the white convertible crib, expecting his sister to be inside bundled with her favorite teddy bear, Lotso, the purple manipulative evil teddy bear from Toy Story 3 — which Ian thought was pretty disturbing, and still does — but instead, he was met with nothing but a bunch of crumpled white sheets, both Evie and Lotso nowhere to be found.

"Shit," he whispered, a panicked curse bubbling up his throat until he heard a faint mumble under the crib.

Raising his brow, Ian knelt down and peered through the wide gap, seeing the purplish-pink teddy bear and the pale chubby hand wrapped around it just as he spotted Evie's sleeping face, the little girl sprawled on her stomach on the carpeted floor.

"Again?" Ian cooed, smiling as he slowly pulled Lotso and Evie out of the uncomfortable spot before scooping his sister carefully in his arms. "You little..."

"She's missing," Ian let out a heavy breath as he rushed to the living room where Bryce had his feet propped up the coffee table, the TV remote in one hand, and an old bagel he probably found in the fridge in the other.

"Huh?" the blond questioned with a mouth full of dough and irresponsibility. Smoke visibly came out of Ian's ears.

"Evie's not in her crib," Ian huffed, his fists glued on his hips as he angrily marched towards the boy who by the way, showed up unannounced right when he was home alone with Evie, again. After the first three times this happened, Ian ought to not buy "I just happened to be in the neighborhood" anymore. "It's like the guy has heightened senses when he feels like he's going to score," he'd told himself one time.