He shakes his head before he even speaks. “Trick question. She didn’t have one.”
“Not as kids, but she did. What was it? If you are who you claim you are, then you know this.”
I watch as his eyes draw together before he looks down and then back at his friends, who just shrug. I’m not trying to trick him, but I need to know if he’s legit. Jennie may have been a lot of things, but getting tied to trouble was her well-known trait. And from what Izzy showed me of how she died, and what we knew of her activities prior to death, the kids weren’t safe. That’s why they’re with me. The people she associated with were known for many things, but none for being a loving parent. More like stealing kidsfromloving parents.
“Vanilla.” He pauses, and I almost pull the trigger on him before turning it on his friends. “Two scoops of vanilla that she topped with a can of Diet Coke and five cherries on the stem and called a cherry float. Tasted like shit.”
“Don’t knock it. We trademarked it when we invented it.”
His eyes widen when he realizes who I am. I never met him, but Jennie and I were pretty close for a while. There was no doubt he would have heard about me and I him. I doubt he got my name, but that ice cream shit was something we created during a semester of community college finals when we were tired but needed the sugar to keep us up.
“Great. Now that we didthatsong and dance, let me see my family.”
“Not so fast, dumbass. I might agree you are who you say you are, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you see my kids.”
“They aren’t yours, bi—” My head twitch has him changing his word. “—woman. They’re mine. Jennie always wanted her kids to be with family. With Gran dead, that leaves me. So get out of the way.”
“Again, not going to happen. And before you piss and moan any more, I’ll tell you why. First off, Jennie didn’t leave a will.”
“What?”
“Exactly, which means they belong to the state. Also, no way in hell will the state give custody of her kids, family or not, to a felon who just got out of jail. How long have you been out, anyway? Like a week or something?”
“Try three hours.”
My brows fly up my forehead. “You got out today? Are you fucking insane?”
“No, just want my family. You get it?Mine.Not yours. Don’t think I didn’t hear you claim them. They ain’tyours, so get that out of your head. They belong with me and are coming with me.”
Oh my God, I can’t even believe this guy. He’s a one-track-mind asshole. Did he even think this through? He’s right that they aren’t mine, but I’m not about to let someone, even if they are family, just take them from me without knowing they’re safe. I wasn’t instantly a queen at this whole parenting thing, but even I know the basics that are needed with kids. Does he? Ten to one, he has no fucking clue.
My anger at the audacity of this guy has me venting more than I probably should about the personality traits I’ve learned from the last few weeks of being Teddy and Grace’s sole provider.
“Sure, and where will they stay, huh? You got a place? Or do you live with these guys? You got somewhere for them to sleep? ’Cause Grace and Teddy can’t sleep in the same room. And Grace needs to have lullaby music to fall asleep to that you have to reset twice for her to stay asleep. Teddy, he might not need music, but he does need a night-light. And when he comes in your room at night, ’cause it will happen with the nightmares, you better not have anyone with you. The last thing that six-year-old boy needs is to see you finally getting your dick sucked by, I’m sure, the willing groupies you have around your place.”
With the way his cheeks hollow, he must be biting them to keep from screaming at me, or just at his lack of planning. I know I won the bet. Wish I’d put money on it; could have used the extra cash. Seriously, did the guy really think he was just going to roll out of here with them?
“Besides, how the fuck are they supposed to come with you? Do you have car seats that strap to the backs of those bikes of yours?”
Breathing deep, I lower the gun, not putting it down completely. I’m not that stupid. But I have to see it from his side. They’re his family, but he needs to know it all. Well, not all, but a little more, at least till I trust him completely.
“Besides, motorcycles terrify the kids.”
“What the fuck?” This comes from the biker who spoke earlier.
I nod to the group, taking my time to look them over. They’re in various leather, clean enough but definitely falling under the scruffy definition compared to clean-cut. “I don’t know why. We’ve seen some in town. The noise bugs the shit out of them, but I usually can get them settled after a bit. But seeing one, that really sets them off. Grace ends up clinging to me like a monkey for hours, if not days. And Teddy shuts down completely, and his nightmares are the worst.” I shake my head and feel the pangs of sadness just thinking about the night I’m sure Teddy will have after this. “If you care for them, which I’m sure you do if you came here before thinking twice about getting laid first, like most people do after they get out of prison, then think this through. They don’t know you—I mean, not really. You’re a name, nothing more right now. Teddy recalls you from what Jennie has told him. Grace, well, she has a picture of you as a kid, but that’s about it. Their lives have been shitty lately. I’m not saying I’m making it all sunshine and rainbows, but at least with me, they can count on someone who will have their back.”
“I’ll have their back.” His growl is back again, but his glare isn’t half as intense as the first time.
“I’m sure you will, just not right now. I’m not trying to replace you. I’m just saying think it through.”
“She’s right, man,” the other one mutters.
Chains runs his hand through his hair. Why is that such a turn-on? “Shit. They’re the only family I got left.” I can hear the exhaustion in his voice. I’ve known that type of exhaustion. The kind that eats at your soul, making you feel helpless but knowing you have to keep fighting even if it’s taking more strength than you ever knew you had.
“Andyouare the only one they have left.” Fuck, I need to compromise on this. Not for me but for them. “Look, how about we plan for a dinner in a week? You come back in a truck or something, spend some time getting to know them. We do that for a few months and see where it leads.”
He takes a moment to look at the ground before he raises his head and puts his sunglasses back on. Nodding once to me, he walks back to his bike, sliding his leg over it smoothly.
Wow, okay, didn’t expect him to agree so easily. Guess this guy can see sense after all. Just have to break it down for the big ox.
“I’ll be back tonight.”
He starts his engine just as I take a step off the porch. “Wait, what? Tonight? No, a week or something. Give them time.” Panic is setting in. I need time to prepare for this guy at my house. I know my body is sending me all the signals that it wouldn’t take much for me to hump his leg. He’s pretty with a capitalP. I want him, and my body is saying it’scravinghim in such a short time of knowing him. But my head—thank God—knows it’s beyond bad. I need more time in my headto get my body under control before I spend any length of time with this guy.
Even with his sunglasses on, I can feel his eyes lock with mine. “Tonight.”
As the group peels out of the drive, I really hope someone heard me scream that we eat at six. Otherwise, the guy’s going to be extremely disappointed if he shows up after eight and we’re all in bed.
