Page 398 of The Tempted

“Are you serious? You can’t be serious. If something happened to Riggs I have a right to know,” I demanded, but even as I said the words I wondered if I really had any right. Fuck that, of course I did. I was Pea’s mom which gave me every goddamn right in the world.

“Where is he?”

“Lauren, calm down. I’m sure he’s fine,” he said calmly, placing his hands on my shoulders and smiled at me. “It’s nice having company,” he added.

I squinted.

“What’s that mean?”

“For a long time, I’ve been the only one in Riggs’ corner,” he shrugged his shoulders. “Seems like I’m not alone anymore,” he continued. “I’ll take care of it, keep you posted.”

It was his turn to receive a phone call and when he answered it he turned his back away from me.

Well fuck that, I made a mental note to do the same the next time my phone rang.

I tiptoed closer to him, trying to listen just as he had.

“Not here and Bianci called Lauren, yes the baby mama…”

I paused, fighting off the urge to take the phone and tell whoever was on the other end that was getting old.

I was Lauren Bianci not Riggs’ baby mama.

But I was.

I sighed, accepting my title, or at least the one I’d carry with me for the next eighteen years and leaned closer to Bones.

“His bike is at Xonerated and apparently someone decided to fuck it up and poured paint all over it. Yeah, I know, he’s going to blow a gasket,” he said, turning around and raising an eyebrow at me.

Busted.

“I’ve got to go. Yeah, I know, well we can’t afford to skip the meeting with Wu. We have to keep that deal in good standing. I’m on my way,” he ended the call and looked back at me. “You’re nosey.”

“So are you,” I argued.

He smirked.

“I like you, Lauren, think you’re great for Riggs,” he stated.

Wow.

Cue the violins.

Someone tell the poor guy we were just friends having a kid.

“Think you’ll keep him on his toes and that’s what he needs,” Bones continued. “He’s going to do the right thing and he’ll be a good dad too, just have patience with him,” he affirmed. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring him back to you,” he said.

His words were meant to ease me but instead they instilled fear in me. What if he was wrong? If there was one thing I learned being Anthony Bianci’s sister, it’s that a man who plays on the other side of the law is a gambling man. You can’t win every hand and one day you’ll be forced to fold.

Bones started for the door and I stared at the patch on his back. The reaper stared back at me, warning me everyone folds eventually.

Hey Reaper.

Two words.

One finger.

And then Bones turned around as I held up my middle finger.

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