Page 73 of Promiscuous Lies

“Wasn’t Will able to track who the father is?” Eli asks.

“No, he could only narrow it down to three men she spent a lot of time with. But whatever her relationship she had with them is unknown. She was never openly affectionate with any of them.

“She wiped her social media accounts three months after her parents passed and cut off all ties with her friends. So there are no photos. Only video footage of restaurants they might’ve visited.”

Eli considers this. “So she might’ve been a dirty little secret. Or perhaps none of them are the father. Or whoever it is has ways to keep his activities unknown.”

“Precisely.”

“It’s not definite that the kid’s dad will come looking for him,” Eli says.

My gut tells me otherwise. Posie was so terrified. Both in Boston and last night after the party. “She’s scared that someone is going to come for her.”

“How do we know she’s still not a part of this?” Eli asks.

“She’s not.”

“Is that fact?” he pushes.

“I told you, she’s not,” I insist. Eli’s gaze dips to my knuckles, and that’s when I realize they’re turning white from how tightly I’m clenching my fists.

“You’re going out of your way for a woman that you’re simply fucking.”

I slam my hands on the desk, the chair screeching back. “I’m not just fucking her!”

My eyebrows dip as Eli’s stare hardens.What the fuck am I doing?It’s not just sex anymore. It hasn’t been for me since the very beginning, but I’ve been in such heavy denial, confident I could never feelthis way about someone. I thought it was a fixation, something I needed to get out of my system.

Eli turns his chair to face away from me, leaving me to my own humiliation. “Then make sure you protect them. I’ll tell the others to watch out for anyone wearing the club’s patch. This could all be for nothing, cousin. But for fuck’s sake, if anything happens, tell me. Don’t do anything stupid that will jeopardize my business. The last thing we want is to go to war with these fuckers.”

I dig my nails into my palms, furious that my perfectly polished mask is slipping.

But I can’t help the insistent buzz inside of me to protect Posie and Bentley.

Posie is a strong woman, but the past often has the power to creep back up on us.

I’ve slain all of my demons, but it terrifies me that there might be something out there trying to get her.

And I’m hellbent on making sure those shadows never touch Posie or Bentley again.

Even if I have to bloody my own hands for them.

CHAPTER 37

Posie

After having Dutton here for half the day yesterday, Bentley and I eased into our afternoon, cleaning around the house. While we were tidying up, men arrived to install security cameras. I called Dutton and chewed his ear off for doing it without my permission, but I’m grateful for the added sense of security. I slept somewhat peacefully last night, even with Bentley in the bed with me. He’d wanted to try out the new bed, so I told him he could sleep with me just for one night.

Dutton didn’t ask again about my association with the Boston Delinquents, but he’s showing his concern by installing the cameras and promising to swing by every day. I told him it’s not necessary, but I’m not opposed to it.

My kid hanging around dangerous men wasn’t on my bingo card. But he took a real liking to Dawson. I don’t think it’s just because of the ice cream, either. Dutton brought him ice cream, and while he likes Dutton, he isn’t begging to see him like he is Dawson.

However, last night, when I put Bentley to bed, all he could do was talk about Dutton and how cool it was that they built the bed together. He’s excited that Dutton is coming by later to take us to see Dawson.

After picking up Bentley from school and giving him a quick bath, I get him settled in his room with his toys so I can do a bit of social media work. Ten minutes in, I get distracted.

I haven’t bothered to search Bentley’s father in all the years since I left Boston.

But now I do.

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