Chapter 5 – Killian Adler
Killian Adler
"C are to tell us what the fuck is going on?" I hiss at Cannon the second he enters the kitchen.
I'm still busy washing up the dishes from breakfast. The power could go out at any time and running the dishwasher on the generator isn’t a good idea.
"Keep your damn voice down," Cannon growls back. He steps over to grab a coffee cup.
Might have been nice if he gave a little warning that we had house guests. I stumbled out in boxers to start a pot of coffee. Was not expecting a toddler to pop up at my side and ask, "Whatcha doing?"
Christ .
I shake my head. Thankfully, no one saw my reaction. I jumped about a foot in the damn air.
"Settle you two barbarians," Sunde says, rolling his green eyes.
"It's about to be a damn snow storm," Cannon says, leaning back into the kitchen counter. "She's young as hell, has two small kids, and had to leave Gladys's."
"How do you know her?" I ask.
Gladys runs the only decent hotel in town. She's also older than dirt. Anytime a storm comes through she shuts down. Pretty soon she'll be closed for the entire season.
"I don't," Cannon grumbles. "She came into the restaurant a few days ago with the kids. Sat around for hours waiting on someone. Finally he showed up…" Cannon's fists clench at his sides. Damn. The veins on his neck are actually poking out.
"Their dad?" Sunde asks, scratching at his reddish-blond beard.
Cannon nods. "He left them sitting there waiting for hours. He had a suit with him." Cannon sighs. "He was older than me, the dad I mean. He has no business having two kids with a girl her age."
"Woman," Sunde says, frowning. "Don't look at me like that." He flips us off with a dramatic wave of his tattooed hand. "She's an adult. It's insulting calling her a girl."
"She's barely more than a child," I growl.
"Feeling the need to remind yourself?" Sunde asks, grinning like a lunatic.
A feral growl rumbles out of my chest.
"Cut it out you two," Cannon says, taking a step between the two of us.
"She has two children," Sunde says. "I'd say she's more of an adult than you're giving her credit for."
"What happened with the dad?" I ask Cannon.
"I think he's a professional athlete," Cannon says, swiping a hand over his face. "He tried to get her to sign all these papers. He stayed five minutes and bolted like he was afraid to be seen with her. That asshat lawyer left her a huge check that said 'No further contact' on the memo line."
A slew of filthy things fly out of my mouth. "He paid her off?"
"Cove is likely proof of his inappropriate actions," Sunde says, frowning at the hallway. "She's what three?"
"Around there.” Cannon nods.
"Riley is twenty-one. Add in pregnancy time and he was having sex with a minor. You said he's older than us?" Sunde asks, studying Cannon's face.
"Yeah.” Cannon sighs.
"Excuse me," Sunde says in a disgusted tone. "He was sexually abusing a minor. Fucking rat bastard."
Christ. I'm the oldest at thirty-two. Cannon is two years younger. Sunde is the baby at twenty-six. Cannot even fucking fathom a guy my age going after an eighteen-year-old. Let alone a minor. The thought causes a pit to form in my gut.
"Don't ask her about him. She shut down on me when I did." Cannon adds in a defeated tone.
"That's because you're a brute," Sunde says, frowning. "I have finesse."
"She legally can't discuss the father of her kids," Cannon says, running a hand through his hair. "That's what she said when I asked."
"Fucking hell," I whisper.
"Bloody fucking hell," Sunde says, at the same time. His disgust is plain to see. "You know I adore a good mystery. I'll see what I can dig up."
"It's not our business," I grumble.
It doesn't stop him from swaggering away. I didn't figure it would.
"He's a son of a bitch," Cannon grumbles. "Big motherfucker too. I'm talking your size."
"Christ.”
Riley is small. Granted she's probably average height or a little taller than the average woman, but that's still tiny compared to a giant like me.
"You're sure he was their father?" I ask.
"Closer to one-hundred percent than zero."
"Fucking asshole."
"Yeah, I couldn't send her out with no help and no way to cash that check until after the storm."
"I get it." I sigh, swiping a hand over my face. "Think he'll show up looking for his woman and kids?"
Cannon scoffs. "Highly unlikely. He was paranoid as hell about being seen with them."
"That's fucking crazy," I mumble.
"Yeah, so try to be welcoming. She's obviously going through it," Cannon says, refilling his coffee cup before leaving the room.
* * *
The baby is crying. Loudly and a lot. It started out soft fussing and it's currently all out, the end of the world is upon us level of crying.
I knocked on the door gently at first, but I got no answer and my knocking has gotten more insistent.
I psych myself up to try the handle and it turns. Pushing open the door, I peek around. The bathroom door is nearly shut, but the light is on. I take the few steps over to the bassinet picking up the baby.
Lily is red faced and pissed at the world. She's gnawing on her little fist like it might give her milk if she only sucks hard enough.
I should probably leave a note. There's a desk in the corner. Grabbing a post it note and pen, I scratch something out one handed.
Hey, stole your kid. Gonna feed her a bottle.
I'm headed back over to the bassinet when the door pops open.
The toddler comes out wrapped in a fluffy towel.
Riley is hot on her heels. She freezes dead in her tracks when she sees me.
She's also wrapped only in a towel, and she smells delicious, like vanilla cake batter and whipped cream.
I've never smelled a scent like hers. My nostrils flare reflexively, trying to take more in.
Fuck me. This is not the type of situation an unbonded alpha should put himself in. I clear my throat.
"Uh," I say, pointing to the green post it stuck to the bassinet. "Left a note."
Riley shivers. She slides by Cove and glances at the note. A silly smile breaks out over her face. That smile takes my breath away.
"Cannon made a steal the baby joke too," she says, wrapping an arm around the top of her towel.
It wasn't actually a joke. I did plan to abscond with the kid. Only to the kitchen, but still.
"Lily was crying?" Cove asks, tipping her head to the side.
"Yeah," I say. I nod, staring at a random place on the wall.
"We had to shower," Cove says.
Yeah, like I could miss that fact. Not fucking likely.
"Want me to leave her in the bassinet or I can go start a bottle and you can come out when you're done getting dressed?" I offer, taking a few steps away from Riley's overpowering scent.
"You can leave her. I'm so sorry she bothered you. I thought we'd be quick enough." Riley shakes her head.
"It's not a bother," I say, frowning at the ceiling. Christ, this woman really is used to doing everything on her own. "Either way, I'll start some hot water to warm a bottle."
I keep my eyes on the wall above Riley's head so she doesn't feel violated by wandering eyes.
"I'll just take her," my voice comes out low and rumbly. "You can take your time. Seems like this one is spoiled. She prefers to be held?"
"Yeah, but I can't be in two places at once." Riley sighs.
"I've got her. No rush," I say, aiming for the door.
"Hey, Killian," Riley says. "Thank you."
She's so sincere it absolutely makes me want to track down her piece of shit ex and beat him into the concrete.
"No problem," I say, shutting the door behind me.
* * *
"I can build a snowman?" Cove asks, tipping her head up to look at me. She blinks at me from behind large blue eyes.
Shit, this girl. She must know I'm the weak link. She's vicious. Who could say no to that face? Apparently today it has to be me.
"Not while the snow is still coming down," I say, frowning.
"Why?" she asks. Her small face is so damn expressive as she frowns at me.
"Because it's too cold. Wait for it to stop," I tell her. "You should color."
I nod to the giant box of coloring books and crayons I dragged out of the closet. Cannon's niece and nephews are around enough that we've got plenty of stuff to keep a little one busy.
"You will color with me?" she asks, squinting at me.
Christ. She definitely gets that heart-stopping sincerity from Riley. That look, it's one hundred percent her mother.
"Well, I suppose," I say, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "Alright, pick me a winner."
"Huh?" she asks, yanking all the coloring books out of the box.
"Pick me the best picture you can find."
"I can do that!" she shrieks, her head bobbles up and down.
Damn that's a level of happiness I don't think I've ever felt. The way she's still figuring out how to pronounce the word that properly is cute as hell.
We settle on the floor near the fire and start coloring our pictures.
"Ohh, that's nice," Cove says, peering over at my picture. "You stay in the lines. Good job."
Chuckling, I glance over at her picture. It's a bunch of thickly colored patches of the same colors. The lines are more of a subjective guideline than anything her tiny hand actually followed.
"It's beautiful," I say, giving her a grin. "Refrigerator material for sure."
"What's that?" Cove asks, scrunching her nose.
I laugh behind my fist. "When we're done we'll have to put it up on the fridge so everyone can see what an artist you are."
"Oh, alright," she agrees.
It isn't long before she's coloring, kneeling down and leaning on her elbows. The next time I glance over, she's completely out using the coloring book as a pillow. Pulling out my phone, I snap a quick picture.
Christ, poor Riley. No wonder she's exhausted. I bet the baby will be up any time for a bottle and Cove just fell asleep. It's completely mind-boggling how any man could willfully walk away from his children.
I get it, not every relationship lasts long term. People break up and move on every damn day. What you don't fucking walk away from? Your goddamn kids.
That's common decency at its core.
Kids are innocent. They love unconditionally. At least until they get older and can recognize what a shit parent they got stuck with. At this age? They just don't have the capacity to know any better.
Really hope I never run into their father. I've been out of fighting for a few years now with good reason, but the level of rage I feel when I think about that dickwad? He better pray we never come face to face. If we do, he better hope there's someone even bigger than me around to pull me off him.