Forty-Four
Hale
Instead of leaving the house, I told Ransom to handle everything for me.
He was there anyway. Might as well let him do it.
I wasn’t needed. He and Than handled most everything these days anyway.
I’d thought about taking Bay with me, but then I wasn’t ready to share her with anyone.
Here, she was…mine. In a warped sense. My warped sense.
I liked the bubble we were in. I knew it would end soon and she’d go back to her life, but before I let her go, I had plans.
I took a puff from my cigar and stared out over my property from the back patio.
It wasn’t my business what she did with her life or where she chose to work, but the idea of sending her back to that boring existence didn’t sit well with me.
She’d gone to college to do something she enjoyed.
She should get to work in the field she wanted.
Not just get by with a job that her eyes said she loathed, no matter what came out of her mouth.
There was more to her story she wasn’t sharing, and although that was one more thing I shouldn’t give a fuck about, I did. The woman who had raised her—I wanted more details about that relationship. Why she had no contact with her, for starters.
Than was going to bring Slash by for a visit, and after they were gone, Snow White was coming back out to play. I’d leave her alone for now. She needed some time to get adjusted to this morning’s events. They had just been a tiny taste of what I had in mind.
I heard the faint sound of a car door and stepped back inside the house. Than was already here, but the kid was anything if not punctual. Before I made it through the great room, the front door had opened, and Slash was headed in my direction. The cigar making it easier to find me.
“Slow down,” Than called out. “You’ll knock him on his ass at that speed.”
I’m not that fucking old, son.
Jesus, why did he and Ransom act like I had one foot in the damn grave?
Slash slid as he made the turn from the hallway.
“Missed you too,” I told him, bending the best I could to pat his head.
“That fucker is fast,” Than said, walking in behind him. “You look better today. Moving around easier.”
“Yeah, still hurts like a bitch, but it’s better.”
“When’s Ellen coming back?”
I shrugged. I wasn’t in a rush. The longer she stayed gone, the more reason I had to keep Bay here.
“How’s he been doing? Eating okay?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah, Six is spoiling his ass. She’s been making him some homemade healthy dog treats. She got some recipe off Instagram or something. I don’t know.”
Six was what he called Montana, his fiancée.
I liked the girl; she was good for him. I still thought he was too young to settle down yet, but it was his life, not mine.
Just because I had made a mistake, getting married, didn’t mean he would be the same.
The kid sure seemed happy as fuck. Worshipped the ground she walked on.
I’d never acted that way about his momma.
“You been taking him out for a run?”
Than nodded. “He’s getting me in shape. I might need to borrow him a few times a week. I hadn’t realized my cardio was suffering until I went running with him.” He glanced back at the doorway. “So”—he lowered his voice—“how long are you keeping the woman?”
“Her name is Bay.” Hearing him call her “the woman” annoyed me. “And she’s here until Ellen gets back.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I thought she was cleared to go home.”
Not his business.
“She will go when I’m ready for her to.”
“Oh,” he replied.
I could tell from his expression that he was assuming something that wouldn’t be far off real soon. As in tonight.
“Just take care of Slash. Who I have here isn’t your concern.”
He nodded. “Right. Sorry.”
Ransom had asked me basically the same shit yesterday. It was why I had told him that I didn’t need his help today and not to stop by. He was more intrusive than his younger brother. I didn’t want to deal with that, and I wasn’t going to.
Slash left the room, and I already knew where he was headed. Bay would be happy to see him. Might bring her out of hiding away in the library.
“Ellen leave any caramel pie?” Than asked with a hopeful expression.
“Yeah, there’s one in the fridge.”
“Hot damn!” he said, spinning around and following Slash’s exit.
“Get me a piece too,” I called after him.
“You want coffee with it?”
I headed toward the bar. “No, I got my drink.”