“You got any other words?”
Pip was quiet, then mumbled, “Um…better?”
He fished his keys from the jacket pocket.“Better is good.”That was a good answer.He sauntered to his car and pressed the key to unlock it.“You wantin’ Lucky as your omega, ain’t you?”
“Yes.”
For a kid of five, he was surprisingly gentle and quiet, but Ford understood, because he’d been the same—afraid of strangers, barely speaking because nobody wanted to hear what he had to say.“Use your words.I ain’t gonna be mad, no matter what you say.”
“I like Lucky a lot.He’s nice to me.”
Ford slipped into the driver’s seat and brushed rain from his hair.Taking a breath, he stuck the key into the ignition.“Then you’ll get what ya want.”He removed the papers from his back pocket to lay on the passenger seat.
“I will?”
“Lucky and Chase, they’re my boys.I love them so much it hurts.D’ya know how that feels?”
“That’s how much I love Tiloo and Uncle Chaun,” Pip replied, in a hushed voice.
That was a good example, and exactly what he needed to hear.“Legally Lucky ain’t allowed to adopt you until he’s had his first heat, you understand?”
Pip didn’t sound happy.“That’s why Tiloo said I have to wait,” he said, so disappointed it made him smile.He really had made his mind up—he’d accepted his parents were no good, that Lucky was the kind of parent who would make him happy, and he’d get the best of both lives with him.He could keep Wynna and Chase in his life, one as grandparent, the other as his parent, and gain Lucky.
Ford started the engine to adjust the heating.“Lucky’s gotta wait, but there ain’t nothing stopping me, and you’re my boy now, monster.Ain’t no one taking you away from us.”Once he made his mind up he never backed down, and this was one thing he was sure about.
A hiccup preceded a light bang and made him check his phone.He put the call on speaker and set it on the dock on the console.
“What did you say?”Wynna demanded, startled and confused.
“Don’t matter.What’s up?”
“He’s crying.”
With a nod of understanding, he refused to apologise.“Ain’t easy knowing the folks who’re meant to love you don’t.He shouldn’t hafta learn that so young.”Stabbing the button to hang up, Ford left the parking lot to head home, with a few pit stops along the way.
He parked two streets from the police station and walked a circuitous route to get into the back door.Some rookie was out the back smoking, with the fire exit standing open so that no one could shut him out.
Ford shook his head, tossed a can across the alley and watched the cop snap to attention to go investigate, gun out of the holster and everything.Fucking rookie.He slipped in through the fire exit, working from memory to get into the third office from the exit.He slipped into the room and shut the door behind him before the man sitting at the desk stood up.
“Ford.What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to give you a briefing about Lucky’s case.”He shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t be saying those words, but there was no rule or law he wouldn’t break to keep his mates safe.Right now, Wynna was only willing to grease the wheels of justice.Ford wanted to light a fucking fire under them.
Detective Darro looked surprised, but sat down, hands carefully on the edge of his desk.“Then I suppose you should sit down.”
Ford liked the gruff, almost reluctant invitation.He took the seat across the desk and got comfortable, starting with a recap of everything he knew of the case, both from his own investigation and what he’d read of the work done in his absence.
When he was done, Jonah stood from his chair, crossed the room and opened a low cupboard.He came back with a bottle of brandy, two glasses, and a packet of cookies.Ford grinned and happily took the glasses to place on the desk while Jonah poured.“So, you’re here to find out who has me on their shit list, in case Lincoln used his familiarity with our family to find an enemy of mine?”he guessed, sitting to lift his glass.He made a toast then downed half the brandy in one go.
“Pretty much.I know I’m clutching at straws, but ain’t no one else busting their ass to figure this shit out.”
Jonah nodded, looking older than his forty-seven years.By all accounts, he and Xander had had trouble conceiving for years before Lucky came along.Ford had heard the story from Lucky, when he’d told Chase about the reason behind his name, with Xavier being judged and shamed for not having a child until he was twenty-five, an age considered old for an omega, back then.Ford could see the strain those years had had on Jonah now they were face to face.His hair had been black in his most recent photo in his file, back when he’d been promoted to detective eight years ago, but it was a pepper grey now.He had Lucky’s eyes and a sharp jawline, not much weight on him despite being mostly off the street nowadays, but he looked tired.
Jonah heaved a sigh and sat up, leaning his forearms on the desk to meet Ford’s gaze.“How would you like me to supply the information, Agent King?”he asked, surprising him with the unusual question and the use of his professional title.“Should I sign a waiver for the ORT to access my case notes?Should I compile a list of names for you to track down?If I do that, you’ll end up at the city prison to check if the people are still behind bars or not.”
Ford liked his directness and the fact he didn’t fall apart.“Access will be fine.”
Chapter Nineteen
