Page 46 of Cash

“Please!” Cash responds before I can take back my words.

“Can I bring Snots? He’s been home alone all day, and I hate to leave him again.”

“Absolutely. Can you come now?” Cash answers with a bit of panic in his voice.

“Yeah. Be there soon.”

I disconnect and realize I’m smiling as I get Snots and me out the door and in my car. After hitting the road, I make a quick call to James, put it on speaker, and start asking questions about babies.

*~*~*~*

“He likes you,” Cash states as I sit with Liam in the recliner.

I have my knees up with Liam’s back against them, and I’m holding the smallest hands I’ve ever held. Liam’s smiling and cooing while we wave his arms around and I make nonsensical noises and faces at him. I probably look like an idiot, but I don’t care. The baby’s not crying, Cash looks relaxed, and I accomplished both of those things.

I’m finding I like holding Liam and making him smile. James told me it’s not smiling, it’s probably gas, but I like to think differently. Liam’s making the cutest sounds, and his little legs are pumping like mad. He’s happy and that’s hitting me hard in the heart and stomach region. Maybe I do have a maternal instinct I never knew about.

“When do you go back to work?” I ask Cash while glancing at him.

“Monday. I’m taking Liam to work with me. Axel’s woman, Bailey, is usually there with their daughter Alex, and she said she’d help keep an eye on him.”

“It’s nice that you have that option,” I answer quietly.

“I know being a cop, you’ve probably heard things about my club. Regardless of what you might’ve heard, they’re good people. None better. Someone needs something, there’s always someone there to help,” Cash says in a low, serious voice.

“I don’t judge people, Cash. Not until they’ve given me a reason to that is. Being a cop, I hear and see a lot of things about a lot of people, but I let their behavior decide mine. I see the worst in people some shifts, but I also see the best. I see homeless people give up what little food they have for a stray dog. I see wealthy people mistreat those less fortunate than them. I see acts of depravity but also acts of bravery. Wearing a uniform, I see it all. I guess what I’m saying is that yeah, I’ve heard things about your club, but I’m not forming opinions based on hearsay.”

“Good to know that about you, Livi.”

Our serious conversation is interrupted when Snots suddenly jumps off the couch and races to the front door, barking the whole way. While I’m thinking how impressed I am with how quickly he made that maneuver, Cash gets up to see what the fuss is all about.

When there’s a knock on the door, Cash orders Snots back and surprisingly he obeys. Cash opens the door and I see two tiny elderly women push their way inside. Both stop and wait for a kiss on their cheek from Cash before stepping further into the room. Immediately, both sets of eyes hit me, and I see the surprise on their faces. The surprise quickly turns to what looks like anger before both come to a stop in front of my raised knees.

“So, Lola, how we doing this? I hold the baby, and you kick the shit out of her, or do you want the baby while I do some damage? Either way, I’m good with it,” spits the tiny lady on the left.

Instantly, my eyebrows hit my hairline, and my mouth drops open. I’m used to my uniform bringing on dislike and aggression but not me as a person. I’m still gaping at them like an idiot when the other lady, Lola, responds.

“Hold my purse, Lottie. This little harlot’s mine!”

I hear Cash snort out a laugh before dropping his massive biceps over both ladies’ shoulders and pulling them close to him. I’m seriously relieved because, like really, who wants to be the person who takes down two elderly women? I would never, ever hurt an elderly person, but they could be hurt by me simply trying to protect my vital organs. Organs I’m positive they were planning on ripping out of me.

“She’s not Liam’s mother, Aunties. This is Livi, and she came over to help me out tonight,” Cash informs them, but I can hear laughter in his voice and see it in his eyes.

“Livi, please meet my two great aunts, Lola and Lottie. I would like to say that they’re not usually this ornery, but it would be a lie. They’re a handful on their best day. They’re also my two favorite people in the world and my biggest defenders.”

“Livi? As in the Livi that Lars told us about?” Lottie asks in a now sweet voice.

“Yes, that Livi,” Cash grins down at her.

“Probably a good thing we didn’t take her down then with her being a cop and all,” Lola mutters while still eyeing me over.

“I’m Lottie and this is my sister, Lola. It’s very nice to meet you, Livi. I’m sorry for our behavior, but we just assumed you were the hussy who pushed out Liam.”

“Yes, Livi. Apologies. Now that we know you’re not her, let’s chat a little,” Lola adds while primly taking a seat on the couch.

Lottie joins her and then shoots a raised eyebrow Cash’s direction. He grins and immediately walks to the kitchen. He returns with two glasses of iced tea and places them on coasters within reach of each of the ladies. He hands each a cloth napkin and then sets a small plate of cookies close by. I watch all of this before realizing my face is still frozen in the original expression. I quickly close my mouth and relax my face. Glancing at Cash, I see a smirk on his. I mentally prepare for the interrogation I instinctively know is coming.

“Just to put it out there, we never approved of Cash dating that woman. If he had let us around her in the beginning, we could have prevented them from dating. But, then again, we did get Liam out of it, so things ended well,” Lottie says.

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