Page 190 of Dagger

But the information about Sunny knocked me for six.

Layla had been the subject of town gossip for years. The women used to snigger behind their hands about her getting drunk and knocked up by some college kid who wasn’t interested in taking responsibility. They’d call her a slut, and then the hypocritical bitches would go off for a tennis lesson and bang their instructors.

The FaceTime call between John, me, Bowie, and Layla was difficult. Still, she assured me she held no grudges against anybody but Robbie. She also pointed out that the kids couldn’t control who their dad was. A realization hit me that Jack and Molly were Sunny’s half-siblings, and she was nothing but good.

And it eased my fears considerably.

The children’s doctor and the CPS had asked for an emergency hearing with the family courts to request they transfer custody of the children to John and I so we could take them back to Wyoming with us. Kennedy, our lawyer, sat beside John, looking as if she was ready to rumble.

Sophie, Mitch, Colt, and his mom Caroline—a well-known and very wealthy New York socialite—Hannigan, Shepherd, andHendrix’s medic, Bones, were all sitting in the courtroom as professionals, ready and willing to give personal statements to the judge that we were good people and that the kids would be safe with us, and the huge extended family they would be part of.

The door opened, and my heart leaped into my throat.

I twisted my neck to see a ‘good ol’ boy’ type gentleman stroll into the room and take the seat at the head of the big, rectangular-shaped table where we all sat.

His eyes slid over every face, and he boomed, “Gotta full house, I see.”

“Yes, Judge Cooper,” the kid’s social worker confirmed. “All these folks are here to vouch for Mr and Mrs. Stone.”

The judge nodded appreciatively and picked up the reports detailing my and John’s bank statements and assets. “I see you can care financially for your grandchildren.” He looked up at John. “Is their medical insurance in place?”

“Yes, Judge,” John confirmed, nodding toward Sophie. “Not only that, but our daughter here is the head of General Surgery at Baines Memorial Hospital in Wyoming. If anything happened to me, or my wife, she would become Jack and Molly’s legal guardian.”

The judge picked up some other papers, nodding, before addressing the social worker again. “You’re happy with the quality of care the Stones can give the children?”

She smiled. “Perfectly happy, Judge.”

He nodded again, turning to address me and John. “I’ve seen a lotta cases come through this room. Most of them are petty, squabbling parents. Others are so heartbreaking that some nights, I lie awake worrying about the fate of some of the kids I see.” His mouth split into a grin. “But now and again, I get a case where the ending is a happy one. Those kids are going through an indescribable loss, but I think they’ll be okay.” He picked up a sheaf of papers and flicked through them, signing ashe went. “Custody of Jack and Molly Wright has been awarded to John and Elise Stone. I just signed off on the adoption, too. Congratulations, looks like you’re in for an interesting retirement.”

My shoulders slumped with relief, and warmth slid through my belly.

“Thank you, Judge,” I murmured.

He gave me a nod, stood, and walked out without a backward glance.

John turned to Kennedy. “That’s it?”

Ned shrugged. “Looks like it.”

“Congratulations, John,” Colt piped up from his seat. “Just think, in a couple of years, you’ll have two teenagers on your hands.”

“Jesus,” Hannigan muttered. “If they’re anything like mine, I’d be giving them back.”

“Just think,” Kennedy interjected. “Hormones, moods, shark week, heartbreaks, school politics, and more heartbreak.”

“Yeah,” Sophie added. “Breaking curfew, kids coming home late and drunk,” she glanced at Kennedy and grinned, “andmoreheartbreak.”

My husband’s body locked with a jerk.

“John?” I questioned, a flicker of unease igniting in my belly.

Slowly, my Stone turned his head to face me, and he croaked, “Teenagers.” A hand raised to rub at his beard before he tipped his head back, looked to the heavens and spat one solitary word,

“Fuck!”

Thirteen Months Later

December 25th

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