Page 92 of Outlaw

I turned around at the sound of Stevie’s voice to see her standing in her favorite Bluey pajamas and slippers. Her blonde curls wild from the bed and a wide-eyed look on her face. When she saw me, she beamed and came running. I set my cup down before she wrapped her arms around my legs.

“You came back!”

“Of course I came back. This is where you are, isn’t it?” I ruffled her hair.

She tilted her head back to stare up at me. “We had a scaywee thing happen.” Her expression turned serious.

Maui had been set free from Luther’s arms and came straight to Stevie, wagging his entire backside.

She glanced down at him. “Wait a minute, Maui. I have to tell my dad something.” Then, she turned back to me. “Hudson came to the pawak, and he yelled at Mommy. I cwied. And Locke made him leave Mommy alone. I told Locke to tell you I wanted you to come home. I was scaywud. Did he tell you?”

I should have killed the dentist. She’d been scared and wanted me. I hadn’t been here. Damn, the lump in my throat felt as if it might choke me.

“He did. And I will make sure Hudson never gets near you or your mommy again. I promise.”

She sighed loudly and smiled.

Maui was still demanding her attention, and she bent down toplay with him.

“I made chocolate chip waffles,” Jayda said in a singsong voice.

“You did?!” Stevie asked, then squealed. “I love chocolate for bweakfast.”

I watched her as she and Maui tumbled around on the floor. This house had never been so lively. She made the dark shit go away.

“You two are a bad influence,” I heard Branwen groan.

My gaze shot up to see her standing in the doorway, looking fucking perfect. Her hair appeared as if she’d only run her fingers through it. The baggy pink-and-white striped pajama pants she wore hung on her hips, and her white tank top didn’t meet her belly button, leaving her flat, tanned stomach bare.

Her eyes met mine, and they widened. “Oh,” she said. “I, uh, I didn’t know you were back.”

“For the record, I’m not the bad influence. Luther is,” Jayda piped up, taking a waffle and putting it onto a plate.

Branwen blinked, as if she had been slightly dazed and was coming out of it. I continued to watch her, wondering how I thought I could live under this roof with her for a year and not be affected by her. I couldn’t trust her, but it wasn’t like I was going to propose. There were other options.

“Just to get it out there and over with,” Luther drawled. “The three of us shared three or so bottles of wine last night.”

“Six, Luther. We went through six bottles,” Jayda corrected him.

He shrugged. “Whatever. We drank, ate some cheesecake and cookies, threw darts.” He pointed at Branwen. “She’s good. If you ever play her, do not place any bets. I owe her a hundred dollars.”

“Five hundred, Luther. I was there. You kept going double or nothing,” Jayda said.

He rolled his eyes.

Branwen looked so nervous that she was slightly pale. I studied her. She shifted her eyes to me, her throat bobbed as she swallowed, and then the tip of her pink tongue darted out and licked her lips.

“I-I…uh…” She smiled, but it was a nervous one. “I don’t want your money.”

“You are taking his money,” Jayda said.

“No. Really. It was fun.” She reached up and touched her forehead. “Wasbeing the operative word. My head isn’t feeling great this morning.”

Jayda chuckled. “I’ll fix that. Sit down and let me give you my hangover cure.”

Stevie stood up from tussling with Maui. “Mommy! My dad came home.”

Branwen nodded. “I see.” She went to sit down at the bar, still looking uneasy.

---