Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Another con,” Noa agreed with a nod. “They leak too. They’re little snot fountains—to borrow Uncle Lucian’s term.”
Safe to say, nobody would ever ask the Leroux-Hayles clan to babysit.
KC was half an exception. He was actually very funny around children. He had patience, he liked to make the little ones laugh, and he had that paternal instinct. That said, he was also clear on the fact that he’d never been interested in having kids of his own. Noa had been an exception. A complicated exception, considering how their relationship had evolved. So, while he didn’t plaster himself to a wall like Lucian if a kiddo waddled by, KC was definitely only the kinky variety of Daddy.
“Do you remember when Colt and I were watching our nieces last year and Lucian stopped by?” I asked Noa.
I’d include Kit in the Babysitter Unit, but let’s face it, he was on the girls’ side in giving us grays. He riled them up and taught them about pranks whenever we were on uncle duty.
“He said, ‘I didn’t even like myself as a toddler. Why would I like children that age today?’” I finished.
Both Noa and Kit snickered, and it felt amazing to hear.
I might use Lucian’s distaste for children more if it brought the boys some relief from the misery.
Greer Finlay
“Hold on, baby—hold on.” I looked closer and scrolled on the laptop. We had six of them lined up on the bar in the club area, where we could dump articles and browse for news. Which wasn’t easy when you had a wild toddler bouncing in your arms. My boy was supposed to go down for a nap, not host a rave.
I scanned the news article and narrowed my eyes. The police had picked up on the different ways cartel affiliates were ending up dead in Los Angeles. Simple gunshots to the head and chest were one thing, but it took a professional to break someone’s neck.
I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone other than Colt, but I was 100% sure Reese was racking up victims on the West Coast. In his and River’s hunt to find Shay, they’d stop at nothing.
“Dada!” Dylan picked that moment to smash his pacifier against my mouth and laugh hard.
To be young and free of all worries…
I mustered a smile for him. “You think Daddy should have the pacifier?”
He giggled and nodded.
“All right. You’re not gettin’ it back. It’s mine now.”
“Noooo! Mine, Dada!”
I snorted and let him steal it back.
“Food coming!” I heard Macklin holler from the kitchen.
Christ, he needed to take a breather. And possibly stop making weird food.
He soon appeared in the wide doorway with a tray of…something.
Archie had made it his project to try to get through to Macklin, who had spent the past few days essentially just cooking. He wouldn’t rest. He wouldn’t listen to Walker—who had resigned himself to letting Macklin work until he passed out. In short, Walker stayed close. He’d taken time off work and didn’t leave Macklin’s side much. Today, he’d picked up Ty’s granddaughter in hopes of thawing Macklin out.
Cam, Gael, Santiago, and Penelope looked up from their phones, all seated on some of the couches and cushy chairs we’d dragged closer to the TVs.
“Honey, you’ve been feeding us nonstop,” Pen said patiently. “Nobody’s hungry.”
Macklin gave her a brief stare. “Do you speak for everyone now?”
“Oi.” I jerked my chin at him. “Fuckin’ manners, boy.” I had limits.
“Oi!” Dylan echoed.
Maybe he’d heard something, because Walker came in from the patio, with little Savi in his arms. And he nodded for Macklin to follow him.
“Come out here,” he ordered.
Macklin clenched his jaw but did as told.
I suppressed a sigh and glanced down at my son.
He grinned. “Oi, oi.”
“Oi, oi.” I kissed his forehead. “Let’s go find Daddy A. I think we all need a nap.”
“Nooooo!”
Yeeeees.
CHAPTER 4
Tate Madden
Iloved having our girls close, but I was relieved when Mom picked them up that evening. For the next three or four days, Kingsley and I could focus on each other and what was happening. He was off work till Monday too, so we decided to return to Mclean and stay there.
A lot of our friends seemed to have had the opposite idea. Maybe they needed a break from being out here. The sun had set, and the only people around had gathered for a barbecue on the patio. Except, no music was playing, and the atmosphere was anything but cheerful.
Greer, Archie, Colt, and Mr. West were here. Colt was standing by the grill.
“You came back.” Mr. West smiled a little, surprised. “Are you hungry?”
I shrugged. “Not really.” Although, the sides on the table looked good. Potato salad, regular salad, fresh bread, and condiments.
Lee cleared his throat. “I could eat. I haven’t been around Macklin today.”
Speaking of… “How did it go with him today? Did Walker crack him?”