Page 72 of Fighting Shadows
“Uh-huh,” I say, trying not to cry at how hopeful he seems about the prospect.
“Will you buy me a car like Autumn has?” Chase asks after shaking his hand. He clings to my side, his little hand gripping mine as we walk around the garden.
“I’ll buy you anything you want, buddy,” Dad says.
I thought he would have run off to play, but he seems content by my side, so I enjoy this moment, Dad and Kathleen walking on either side of us.
I never expected my Dad to come with me today, but the guys have tests today that none of them could miss. I promised Chase that I would visit to spend some time with him, and I didn’t want to let him down.
Dad offered to come with me after our coffee date, wanting to spend time with me. He’s been great the last few weeks since I got home after we spoke; his words that I never even hoped of thinking he meant have proven me wrong as he comes over every day.
I still haven’t fully forgiven him, and I don’t know if I ever will, but it’s been nice spending time with him.
“He’s a great kid. So why does he think you’re going to be his Ma?” Dad asks me as Chase shows us him playing on the plastic swing set.
“He said a little girl in his dream told him,” I say, not taking my eyes from Chase as he smiles over at us, his messy brown hair now a little tidier still flys around as he swings back andforth, “he’s been adamant about it ever since. He told me that he knows he has to wait, that I’m not completely ready for him yet, and I didn’t have it in my heart to tell him no.”
“Is it wise, though? Will you be ready to do it all again?” Dad asks. My hackles rise, ready for the familiar fight we would have before, but Dad raises his hands in surrender. “I don’t mean it like that. I know that Kathleen isn’t able to keep up with him all the time, and if you aren’t ready for a few more years, then I want to help you figure something out so he doesn’t end up back in the system.”
“I want to put a stop to Charlie first. I won't have Chase in any danger because of that psycho. Once that’s all done, then we’ll talk about it in more detail,” I say.
“How do you want to deal with it?”
“What, Charlie?”
“I say you kill him after letting Dominic do what Dominic does best,” Kathleen says, joining us and startling me.
“That’s the plan. We will all want our pound of flesh from him,” Dad says.
“Can I?” Kathleen asks, making me gape at her, “What? I’ve been taking in kids for years now with piece of shit parents who leave those kids traumatized and they get no justice. He hurt you, and you are family now; where do you think Dominic got his love of knives from?” she winks at me, but I have no words.
“Bye, buddy!” Dad calls out to Chase as we climb into the car a few hours later.
Chase waves his hand wildly back and forth, “Bye, Grandad!”
“Bye, Chase!” I call out with a chuckle when he doesn’t acknowledge me.
He smiles sheepishly at me, “Bye, Ma!”
Dad drops me back at Zander's house, where the guys are back from college and sitting around the dining table.
“You’re home!” Dominic springs up from his seat when he sees me enter. “I missed you, Cupcake.”
Dominic swoops me into his arms, spinning me around and kissing me soundly.
“I missed you too, Pet.”
“Stop hogging our girlfriend,” Atlas grumbles, stealing me from Dominic's arms and holds me against his chest. His head dips down, his lips fusing to mine in a slow, sensual kiss that floods my panties.
“Fuck,” I mutter when we pull away, both breathless, our foreheads pressed against one another.
“Fuck indeed,” Zander groans, adjusting himself as he watches us, “have you eaten?”
“Not since the coffee shop.”
“Sit down, Princess. I’ll get you some food,” Zander orders, already turning away to plate me up some food.
Doing as I’m told, I plop down into the seat between Sebastian and Tobias, kissing them both hello before digging into my food once Zander brings it to me.
