Page 58 of The Fated Mate Bandit

“What about the pups?” I ask.

“Oh, you gotta take those, too. It’s an all or nothing deal. I’m not paying child support.” He winks at me, like he’s telling a joke—a joke about abandoning his children.

“You’d be willing to sign away your parental rights?”

Daryll considers me skeptically. “Are you being serious?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re telling me that you want my fat, pregnant omega? And you want to adopt all three of my pups?”

I nod.

He throws back his head and laughs.

“Tell you what, Silver. That’s your name, right? I will gladly sign over my parental rights the second my bond with Lucas is over, and I can stick my dick in somebody else. That sounds like a fair trade to me. In the meantime, I need money to pay the rent. So go get him already.”

Daryll is probably drunk. He may not be willing to follow through on any of these promises when or if Lucas is ready to bond to me. But maybe it’s worth it to placate him, at least until then.

“How much money do you need?” I ask.

“Fifteen hundred.”

I don’t have fifteen hundred dollars in cash lying around. I could get it, though.

“Come back tomorrow at two o’clock. I’ll get you your money,” I say. “But only if you leave right now.”

“No way, man. I’m not falling for that. Go get Lucas.” Daryll sways a little. I bet he’ll fall asleep in a few minutes, regardless of where he is.

“Lucas isn’t coming out here. Leave now, and I’ll pay your rent this one time. If you don’t leave, the offer is gone.”

He steps back. “Fine, but I’m holding you to it.”

“Okay.”

He points at me. “I’ll get my money from you.”

“Okay,” I repeat.

“My money and my freedom,” Daryll says, slurring the last word. He stumbles down the steps and toward an old pickup truck in the driveway. I would tell him not to drive if I thought he would listen. Instead, I write down his license plate. The cops can tell him for me.

I close the door and slide the deadbolt home, relieved that Daryll wasn’t interested in fighting someone his own size.

I guess he only hits people who are too small to fight back.

25

LUCAS

Ipull the covers over my head and close my eyes. If only I could escape out the back door or apologize to Daryll. It isn’t safe to just lie here and wait for something bad to happen. Every nerve ending in my body is tense and alert. I can hear Silver’s voice off in the distance, but I can’t decipher what he’s saying. I hear Daryll, too. His voice makes my skin crawl.

What if Silver lets him inside? What if he hits Silver? Their conversation goes on for what feels like forever. I can’t understand a thing they’re saying. Their voices are too far away. But I do hear Daryll laugh.

Is Silver making friends with him? What is Daryll saying about me? Are they joking around with each other? Cold fear fills my chest. What did Silver say that Daryll thought was so funny?

I stay very still as I wait for Silver to return. Several scenarios run through my head. What if Silver hands me over, and I have to return to Daryll? No, he wouldn’t do that. What if Daryll tells Silver why he hit me? Would he take Daryll’s side? Or understand why Daryll lost his temper? No, Silver is never violent. I try to calm myself down and remember all the sweet things Silver has said to me over the last few days, but I can still hear Daryll’s voice, and I know I’m not safe. The pups aren’t safe. I should run.

The door to the bedroom opens. “He’s gone, baby.”

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