In Her Dreams by Bolryder, Terry (short novels in english TXT) 📗

a family, cooked by Reve (who, yes, poofs things) or me, and we eat around the table and smile and talk to one another in a way I thought only happened on TV.

My parents tried, but they were poor and life was hard and they died young.

And Mark’s family wasn’t what I’d call welcoming.

I was eighteen and thought that cold house with Mark was the closest thing I would ever have to a family.

But now, with Joey happily telling Reve about his day and the two of them spending time outside playing catch while I watch or discussing dream fae things (even though it makes me slightly more nervous), I’m so happy I can barely think straight.

Ironically, Joey seems to have accepted Reve completely since he whipped Mark. Maybe also because Jerrek likes him. But the two are becoming inseparable, and it warms my heart because Reve is just so… mine.

I can’t imagine life without him now. And he seems to be adjusting to life outside the dream realm.

Now if only I can convince him to stay here.

I’m daydreaming on my day off, Friday, when the phone rings with an unidentified number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Jen Hastings?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“This is Joey’s teacher, Mrs. Ralston. Do you have a moment?”

“Oh, Mrs. Ralston. Of course, yes. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing great. Thanks so much for asking. And Joey is such an… interesting child. I like him a lot. All the children do, but the reason I’m calling…”

She trails off for a moment, and my heart feels like it’s hanging off the edge of a precipice.

Joey has been in trouble for fights so many times before… This is his fresh start. Please don’t let him be in trouble already.

“Well, one of the students claims Joey whipped him.” Mrs. Ralston finally finishes. “Though we haven’t been able to locate the whip, there are multiple eyewitnesses.”

I suck in a breath. How on earth am I going to explain this? “How much trouble is he in?”

“If he apologizes and turns in the whip, not that much. The kid in question has also had behavioral issues. However, we can’t have violence, and we definitely can’t have weapons. So we need Joey to explain and apologize, and we need to find the whip to prove it’s been taken away. Also, how is Joey getting whip lessons?”

I flinch, being put on the spot. “His uncle.” I lie because there’s no way to talk about fairies. “I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to him and make sure it never happens again.”

“Oh, thank you,” Mrs. Ralston says, sounding so relieved. I guess she wasn’t sure what to expect from the mom of a whip-wielding hellion. “And can you make sure he never leaves home with a whip in his bag or on his person?”

“Of course,” I say, my heart still pounding because this could have gone so much worse. “I’ll talk to him, and it will never happen again. I’ll make sure of it.”

“Great,” she says. “Thanks so much. I really hope Joey can fit in here, but it very much depends—”

“I get it,” I say, wanting to cut off any further discussion on it. Joey already has it worse than a lot of kids at this fancy school because he has only one parent.

But I’m determined he’s not going to lose his spot at this school.

We’ll show the world who he is. A really good little boy with a lot of love to share if someone can understand him.

Reve is in the living room, talking to Jerrek who came to visit. I was in the kitchen giving them some time alone when the phone rang.

But now I need to address this with my mate.

Dream mate? Oh God, he has me talking just like him now.

“Reve?” I say, sliding the phone back in my pocket. “Can we talk for a moment?”

“Sure,” he says, nodding to Jerrek, who gives me a smile and a wave before disappearing in a poof of red smoke. “What is it, soul bond?”

I love when he calls me that. Ever since he explained what it means, that I’m connected straight to his soul, that he wants to bond with me above all others, I’ve been so fond of the term.

Even if the thought of forever with him terrifies me.

Even if the thought of anything outside my little world seems frightening.

And even though his interference got my son caught whipping another kid.

“I heard you talking to someone in the kitchen,” he says, moving back on the couch and patting it for me to join him. He looks gorgeous today, his ash-blond hair falling carelessly over one side of his forehead, his teal eyes bright.

That big, relaxed body, so delicious.

Focus, Jen.

“That was Joey’s school,” I say, folding my arms and staying standing rather than sitting down with Reve.

“And?” Reve sits up slightly. “Why’d they call? What happened?”

“It seems Joey has been caught with a whip,” I say, biting my lower lip. “No one can figure out where the whip went or why he had one, but there are witnesses that saw him whipping another boy.”

Reve is silent for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Then the other boy needed to get whipped.”

My eyes fly wide in shock. “What? Reve, that is never appropriate.”

“I know Joey,” Reve says. “I taught him well, and he knows when using a whip is appropriate.”

I put my hands on my hips, practically huffing. “It’s never appropriate in the human world!”

“Agree to disagree,” Reve says. “I can think of situations—”

“No,” I say firmly. “It’s not a matter of agreement or not. Joey can not use a whip, Reve. I just…”

I didn’t think he’d disagree with me on this. I feel outnumbered. If Reve really can’t even see that Joey can’t be doing dream fae stuff in this world, the one he’s growing up in, then how will he be convinced to stop?

And if he doesn’t and he keeps teaching Joey things about being a dream fae, then Joey might get in more and more trouble.

How do I explain