Page 85 of Taking What Was His

Chapter Twenty-Nine

A few weeks passed, letting the three of them get back to normal.

Evan was planning on pleading out to get out of a death sentence. Because of that, Beth wouldn’t have to go to trial.

Jayden came tearing into the kitchen from outside. “Hey, Mom!” he bellowed.

Beth and Roman came from the office and rushed out to meet him. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Jayden blinked. “Nothing. I just wondered if I could go to Tristian’s house and stay overnight on Friday?”

“You scared the bejesus out of me for that?” she shrieked.

“I didn’t mean to, but I kinda need to know because he’s on the phone.”

Roman set his hands on her shoulders for support but said nothing.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine, but then you have chores on Saturday to do.”

“Ahh, Mom.”

“Keep it up, child of mine. You know what happens to naughty boys.”

Roman watched her as she turned and started to walk back toward the office door before Jayden spoke.

“Why can’t you be a normal parent and ground or beat me?” Jayden complained.

She snorted and kept walking away.

Roman’s eyes widened. “What the hell does she do that’s worse than being beat?”

“She makes me dance with her.” He said it with such disgust, Roman knew it did pain him to have to dance with her.

Roman threw his head back and laughed until tears came to his eyes. When he finally stopped laughing, he looked at Jayden to find he wasn’t amused. “Is it really that bad?”

“Oh, yeah. I can’t wait until you see it. No, wait. It’s horrible. She’s got no rhythm, and she tries to be cool and do stuff like the moonwalk.”

Roman chuckled. Could she get any cuter?

“I can hear you,” her voice yelled from the other side of the house, making both guys laugh.

“Do you think that’s the way she’d punish me if I mess up?” Roman whispered.

Jayden thought about it for a moment. “Oh, man. I don’t know what she’d do. I’d just do everything right if I were you.”

Roman nodded and looked around like she was spying on them, making Jayden smirk.

“We’ll help each other out.”

Jayden grinned and fist-bumped Roman.

“We have to. She scares us,” Jayden said dramatically.

They sat down to eat a little while later. Roman loved watching Beth and Jayden interact. He could tell they loved each other very much, but they also respected each other, which was rare. But then, Jayden was a hell of a kid.

Later, after dinner, she stood, grabbed some plates, and walked into the kitchen. “Who’s going to help me with dishes?”

“Oh, I will,” Roman said enthusiastically, winked, and grinned at Jayden, making him laugh.