Page 260 of Bossy Hero

“Mom, your boyfriend’s here,” she singsongs. The vibration of the chair gives her voice a humorous vibrato.

I ruffle her soft blond hair, earning her middle finger. Sweet kid.She isn’t.

Despite the call from her daughter, Maddie’s nowhere to be seen. “Where is she?”

Sammy glowers at me, lips pursed and eyes squinted. “Why? You in a hurry to see her or something?”

I cock my head to the side, eying her down.

Unfortunately, she must be immune to my glare. Like her mother.

Dammit.

Grabbing the chair’s remote, Sammy turns off the vibration and collapses the footrest, bringing herself gradually into a sitting position. She doesn’t break her stare the entire twenty seconds it takes for the damn thing to finish the position change.

Once upright, she shifts to the edge of the seat and folds her hands in her lap. “What are your intentions with my mother, Mr. Lancaster?”

I bark out a thunderous guffaw. “Ah, Sammy. Thanks for the laugh. I needed that.”

Her typical sarcasm is missing from her expression. “I was only partially kidding.”

Interesting.

“Sammy, if you’re asking for a sincere answer, I’m happy to oblige.” I splay my hand over my chest and hold her eye contact. “I’ve been in love with your mother from the moment I laid eyes on her. Now that Lenkov is in the morgue, my purpose in life is to bring Maddie nothing but happiness, love, comfort, and safety for as long as we live. That’s a promise.”

She hefts to her feet and squares herself with me. “Even if it gets hard?”

I slant my head to the side and narrow my eyes at her, searching for the source of the concern. I don’t need to probe far to see it, though.

“My mom’s lived a life most people can’t even fathom. For a long time, the only love she received from men—my brothers excluded—was conditional and violent. Not only from our shitbag father.” She lifts her brows, sharpening her gaze to ensure I get her meaning.

And I do. Maddie’s childhood was equally as fucked as her adulthood.

Sammy continues with a hint of wistfulness in her tone. “Through it all, Mom’s remained compassionate and loving.” After a sigh, she gives her eyes a quick roll. “And don’t ask me how she did it. I only went through a fraction of her suffering, and I came out bitter and resentful. No freaking clue how she’s managed to avoid hating the world and everyone in it. But that’s the magic of Madeline Mason, I suppose.”

I couldn’t agree more.

“She’s a grizzly, sweetie. A mama bear. Indomitable spirit. Strength and resilience. Loyal to her marrow.” I force down a jagged swallow. “Sadly, even bears are vulnerable to pain and fear. Since the night I met her, I’ve been trying to coax out her inner spirit, ensuring she feels secure enough to be her true self. I have no plans to stop doing that. Ever.”

Sammy’s earlier concern over her mother shimmers into a vibrant prism of love and light. I’ve never studied her this closely for this long. She’s wondrously complex. And I admire the hell out of her for having the balls to talk to me like this. There’s plenty of her mama’s spirit in her.

She squeezes my shoulder. “I’m glad to hear that because she deserves nothing less. And although things might be fine now, there will be times when she’s not okay. It even happens to me sometimes. Don’t give up on her.”

“Never have. Never will.”

“Good. Then you have my permission to shag my mother as often as she likes.”

And just like that, the tender moment is ruined.

“Argh.Sammy, come on.”

“Oh, puh-lease. Don’t act like you don’t do the chitty chitty bang bang every chance you get. I know how you Redleg guys are. Bunch of freaks. And you’re their leader, so you’re probably the worst of them all. Age ain’t nothing but a number.”

“Come and eat, princess,” Sawyer calls out, saving me from having to respond to what’s rapidly devolved into the most uncomfortable chat of my existence.

Snickering diabolically, she points her chin toward the hall. “She’s in the guest room. Second door on the right.”

Shaking my head, I mutter, “Thank fuck I can exit this conversation.” Louder, I say, “Sawyer, you’re a saint. Off the shit list.”

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