Chapter 14 #3
“Yeah,” Ro agreed. “But he’s not the only one who’s sneaky.
Do you think Cara wasn’t clued into what he was doing?
Babe, Cara’s sister-in-law is a doctor, and every single one of us warned her that antibiotics could make her contraceptive pill ineffective.
She decided that if she was going to have another baby, it had to be soon, so she went for it.
Now he’s spoiling her rotten because he feels guilty for what he did, and she’s milking it for all it’s worth.
He just bought her a pair of Dior knee-high goatskin boots and a matching black satchel bag just because she’s pregnant, and take note: between them, they cost over five thousand dollars.
Now she’s laying down hints on a Tiffany diamond ring she likes the look of, and he’s asking Kennedy to help him pick out the right one, just so she’s not disappointed. He’s calling it a push gift.”
I threw my head back and laughed.
“It’s crazy, right?” Rosie giggled. “Like Cash thinks he could ever get one over on Cara. Can you believe him? When is that asshole going to learn she’s always a step ahead?”
Still chuckling, I watched as Kai and DJ finally got Wilder down the ladder.
“Cash and Cara are a fucking trip. They’ve always been the same; it’s no wonder their boy turned out to be a fucking lunatic.
” My gaze followed Wilder as he approached Gabby, who was sitting on the grass making daisy chains with Sunny, Willow, and Imogen.
My girl looked up at him and beamed before yelling, “Wawa.”
Wilder sat his ass down beside her and took her hands in his, grinning as she hoisted herself up onto her feet, gripping his fingers as she toddled for a few steps before plonking back down onto her ass.
My heart stopped. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”
“Yep,” Rosie confirmed. “She’s an early walker, and her speech is advanced for her age too. She’s a smart one as well as devastatingly pretty.”
My chest puffed out of its own accord with the knowledge that my baby girl was doing this shit early for her age.
She’d been pulling herself up and holding onto the couch for a while, but I’d mostly left her to it.
She’d do what she needed to do in her own time, and I wasn’t one of those dads who played kiddie Olympics like some of the moms at the parenting group I took Imogen to.
Imogen crawled over to Wilder and began to climb over him. I heard his laughter and shouts of mirth from where I stood, along with Immie’s cute little-girl giggles.
He reached for her and carefully helped her to her feet again while lifting himself and knee walking with her as she toddled around with a huge smile on her face.
“Good girl, Imogen,” I heard him say. “I can take you climbing trees soon, and we can go down the creek, and I’ll teach you how to skip stones.
I’m the world champion at it, and my dad says he’ll get me a slingshot for my birthday, and I can shoot a stone at anyone who pisses me off.
I’ll shoot anyone who makes you mad, too. ”
“Wawa!” Imogen replied excitedly before leaning forward and resting her head on Wilder’s little shoulder. “Lavva.”
My chest tightened as a weird feeling gripped me, and my neck twisted toward Rosie. “Are they fucking flirting?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she smiled. “Looks that way to me. I think Wilder likes her and she likes him back.”
“She’s too young!” I protested.
“Well, of course she is, and so’s he, but it’s all very innocent. It’s not the kind of ‘like’ we’ve got. It’s just kiddie type ‘like’. I think it’s sweet.”
“He just told her he’d shoot a stone at anyone who makes her pissed.”
“It’s cute he’s so protective,” Rosie insisted.
“He’s a fucking hellion!” I cried. My head swiveled around until I caught sight of Wilder’s dad talking to Atlas and Bowie a few feet away. “Yo, Cash,” I shouted. “Need a word.”
He cocked his head to one side, taking in my expression before stalking toward me with the other two men in tow. “What’s the problem?”
I jerked a thumb to where Wilder was now leading Imogen around by the hand. “Your boy’s flirting with my girl. Make it stop.”
Cash’s forehead creased, and his head turned toward the kids. “Are you fuckin’ crazy? He’s five.”
“I don’t give a fuck that he’s five,” I retorted. “He’s too old for my baby girl.”
Cara appeared from out of nowhere. “What’s Wilder done now?”
I sucked in air through my nose. “Your boy’s flirting with my girl.”
Her eyebrows hit her hairline, and her eyes slashed to Rosie, who covered her grin with her hand.
“It's not funny,” I snapped.
“You’re right,” she threw back. “It’s adorable.” She craned her neck to look at Wilder, who was holding Imogen’s hands and swinging his ass with her as she danced excitedly to one of the pop songs blaring from Gabby’s cell. “Look how gentle he is with her.”
Cash barked a laugh.
“It’s not funny!” I repeated.
“He loves blondes,” Cara admitted by way of explanation. “He’s fascinated with Ned and Elise’s hair. It’s probably because Immie’s blonde too.”
“Plus, she’s a pretty little thing,” Cash added under his breath. “And he is a Stone boy.”
A sharp pain shot through my chest. “Stop that shit!” I barked.
Atlas hooted a laugh.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Cara admonished, turning to Cash. “Go get Wilder away from Imogen before Donovan here has a damned conniption.”
Cash heaved out a breath before prowling away.
Rosie rested a hand on my arm. “They’re only kids. He’s just taken with her, and honestly, it seems Immie’s pretty taken with him, too. As long as he’s careful with her, what’s the harm?”
“Wilder doesn’t really mix with the other kids,” Cara interjected.
“He’s a loner because he doesn’t have much in common with the others, so I love that he’s drawn to Immie.
I know he’s a little shit and the jury’s still out on whether my boy’s loopy in the head, but he isn’t mean or nasty.
If he likes Imogen, he’ll look after her.
He’ll be a good friend for her to have.”
My head tipped back, and I looked to the sky. “Jesus.”
Rosie laughed softly, then crooned, “My poor man’s getting a sneak peek of fifteen years into the future.”
I glanced at her, scraping my hand down my face, my gut churning like a goddamned washing machine.
That was when a mini roar filled the air.
Every eye turned to Wilder as he yelled, “No!” at Cash, who stood, staring down at his son with his hands on his hips.
“Come on, Son,” he ordered. “Imogen’s dad wants her.”
Wilder’s eyes narrowed to slits and his little hands balled into fists as he stared up at his dad, his face turning purple with rage. “No!” he shouted again, then followed up with two words spoken so gutturally that they made my blood turn to ice.
“Immie’s mine!”
The garden fell silent except for Rosie’s sharp intake of breath.
My mouth went dry as I stared over at the kid, horror-struck.
Cara looked at me and made an ‘eek’ face.
My feet moved toward them, and my heart stuttered when I saw my girl looking up at Wilder as if she was about to burst into tears.
“Imogen,” I called over. “Come with Daddy, baby girl.”
Her bottom lip trembled, and she looked up at me, her big eyes swimming with tears. Then she held her arms up to the boy standing next to her and wailed, “Wawa.”
Like a flash, Wilder was on his knees, taking her hand, his voice light as he soothed, “Don’t cry, Immie. It’ll be okay. I’ll play with you.”
The women’s sighs filled the air along with murmurs of, “How sweet.” Even a few of the guys let out quiet chuckles.
Gabby’s hand flew to her chest before she turned to Sunny and declared, “Wilder’s so cute the way he loves Immie.”
Sunshine nodded enthusiastically and announced, “My dad met my mom when he was Wilder’s age, and they used to play together all the time.” She leaned toward Gabby and told her sagely, “Grandpa John says all us Stones love hard, fast, and forever.”
My gaze settled back on Wilder, who was rubbing his hand down Imogen’s back soothingly while she gazed up at him, babbling in baby language.
Atlas sidled up to me with a knowing look on his face. “See that?” he demanded, nodding toward Wilder and Imogen.
I grunted.
“You know what it means, right?”
My head slowly swiveled toward him, and my lip curled because yeah, I fucking knew alright.
A wide grin split his face. “Basically, O’Shea. You’re fucked.”
My chest deflated because a weird feeling had settled in my gut the instant I witnessed a five-year-old hellion claim my girl, and it wasn’t leaving me anytime soon.
Atlas was right.
I was well and truly fucked.