Page 7 of Stone

“No, I’m not, but when I received news about the accident, I wasn’t going to sit back and let anyone else handle this.” Mandy puts a hand over my arm and gives it a squeeze. “I make it my business to know who and what goes on in this city. Within minutes I had enough background on you, the only living relative and your connection to the Young Outlaws, I didn’t have to think twice, I made sure the case was mine.”

“Then tell me what I need to do to make sure this is a done deal.”

ChapterFive

Stone

It wasn’t long before Sasha was fighting sleep, so without thinking twice I grabbed her some PJs from her cabinet drawers and got her ready for bed. I already knew that she was dry during the day but still wore night diapers, thanks to my brothers’ constant updates on Sasha’s progress. With her tucked up into her bed that seemed far too large for her tiny frame, I grabbed the book I’d read to her a million times before when visiting and sat up with my legs outstretched beside her.

Mandy hovers in the doorway for a few moments, but out of the corner of my eye, I notice her move away, shortly followed by the sound of her footsteps as she descends the stairs.

Despite not wanting to leave Sasha alone, once I was sure she was fast asleep, I switched on the monitor on the bedside table and grabbed the handset to take with me.

When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I could hear the mumbling voices of both Smoke and Mandy in the kitchen.

When I get nearer, I can see plates and sandwich stuff laid out on the countertop in front of Smoke. He spreads slices of rye bread with mayo before loading them with thin slices of brisket and fresh tomato. I take the vacant bar chair beside Mandy on the other side of the counter. In front of her is a handful of papers that she’s filling out with a black ballpoint pen.

Smoke plates up one of the overfilled sandwiches that must be at least four inches tall and pushes it towards me. “Eat,” he instructs. When I shake my head and open my mouth to tell him I’m not hungry, he raises a brow and casts me a look that clearly says, ‘do as you’re fucking told’, throwing the fact that he’s my boss when it comes down to it in my face. I pull the plate towards me, defiantly place my hand over the top of the whole sandwich and push it down, squashing it to a size that will make it easier to get my mouth around. The smell of the meat and rye drifts up on impact and hits my senses, causing my stomach to rumble, making me realize just how hungry I am.

I take a large bite, immediately I’m hit by the perfect combination of flavors as they dance across my tastebuds, causing me to groan out my approval. “Did you manage to speak to Cannon over in Florida?” I ask around the mouthful of deliciousness.

“Yeah, I was just telling Mandy, he’s already on it,” Smoke offers a plate up for Mandy, but she politely refuses before placing her attention back on the paperwork in front of her. Smoke doesn’t argue her decision and takes it for himself. “He spoke to his legal guy while I was still holding on. Guy call Rossi, reckons that within twenty-four hours he’ll have your record resembling those of a preppy, whiter than white, high school valedictorian.”

“Jesus,” I snigger before putting the last bit of crust between my lips. “That’s sick as fuck, but that’s also one hell of a favor you’ve called in there, Smoke.”

“Well, what I was owed, didn’t quite amount to that much, so I had a bit of negotiating to do, but we can talk about it later.” His eyes flick towards Mandy, before coming back to mine, making it clear it wasn’t something he was willing to discuss in front of her.

“Don’t worry,” she smirks, not missing the interaction despite her concentration being elsewhere. She’s one very astute woman. “The less I know about that, the better.” She slides off the stool, pushes away the empty plate in front of me and replaces it with the pile of papers she’s been working on. “Sign here.” She puts a single piece of paper before me and points to a dotted line before holding the pen out to me. I sign it without question. “This,” she waves the paper at me before sliding it into her purse that’s sitting on the floor where she left it when we first came in, “explains that under my recommendation, Sasha will remain in your care for now. With the agreement that you stay here in her current home, here in Billings, until we can make the necessary arrangements for you to gain legal guardianship.” She shuffles the rest of the papers together, tapping the edge of them on the counter until they’re in a nice, neat pile. “These are the forms you need to sign for me to go forward with that. Read through them, providing you have no problems with what I’ve put, sign them and get them back to me as soon as possible so I can submit to the courts.”

I quickly flick through the papers, scanning the handwritten parts. I know I should read through them word for word, but it’s obvious that this woman has mine and Sasha’s backs and is fighting our corner. By the time she’s got her stuff together and has taken a couple of steps towards the door, I’d scribbled my signature where applicable.

“Mandy,” I call out her name before she gets to the door. “Here.” I hand her the papers. “I’m putting my trust in you, so don’t let me down.”

“I won’t,” she tsks back at me. Her body language has a steely confidence with it, especially with how she grips the papers firmly in her hand, like they’re granting clemency from the death penalty. “I’ll be in touch as soon as I have any more news, but don’t be surprised if I don’t turn up on the doorstep unannounced to check on your ass. If you run, I will hunt you down, because no one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it. You understand?” She prods me in the chest with her index finger, and despite my muscle mass, it feels like a hot poker piercing my skin.

“Like I said, I trust you and as far as I can see, in this case, getting to keep Sasha, means that I need to play by the book.”

We don’t say goodbye, but the mutual respect between us is clear. I watch from the doorway as she climbs into the back of the old red Prius, the driver still sitting patiently in the front driver’s seat.

“Shit, he must have been bored out of his tiny mind out there all this time,” Smoke sniggers from behind me. “Maybe I should have at least taken him out a cup of coffee.”

ChapterSix

Stone

Closing the door, I stay facing it and bang my head against the solid wood so hard it gives out a groan in protest.

“What the hell has happened, brother?” I spit out on a heavy exhale.

“Life, Stone. That’s what’s happened, and sometimes it throws you a fucking curve ball.”

“What the fuck am I going to do?”

“You’re going to pick it up and run with it, because you’re all that kid upstairs has got left, and she’s relying on you to get your shit together and make it work.” Smoke pats my back several times before placing his arm firmly around my shoulder and forcing me to turn around. “You seem to forget you have a family. Might not be blood, but a family nonetheless. You’ll have our support. Whatever you need, Stone, you got it.” He guides me to the living room and all but pushes me down into one of the chairs. “While you were upstairs, I had a nosy around and spotted a rather nice bottle of scotch which is just screaming for the seal to be broken.”

“It’s not a good idea. Sasha could wake up any moment.”

“One isn’t going to hurt,” Smoke argues, standing in front of where I sit.

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