Page 73 of Compelled Obedience

“What happened to your mother?”

“She succumbed to pneumonia brought on by her return to drugs. When I went to the funeral, I asked Drago if I could take custody of Casey and he told me no. The bastard tried to convince me that he loved the little boy, but I knew better. Every time I tried to talk to him on the phone, I was shut out or could tell something was wrong.”

“So you took him.” He wasn’t criticizing me, just making conversation.

“Not right away. I did try to do everything the right way but when I got nowhere, I went there again. A neighbor told me Casey was left alone a lot. I broke into the house.” How could I tell him every ugly detail? Maybe I didn’t want to relive them.

“You were very young to take guardianship and to fight the system,” Grant said quietly. I sensed his anger increasing, bridging the surface.

“I didn’t have a choice. When I finally got inside the house where he was living with the… horrible person who’d offered sperm, I knew I couldn’t leave him there any longer. Drago had no interest in protecting his kid or caring for him in the least.”

He shook his head. “The authorities took Drago’s side. Didn’t they?”

“Yes. He was the father and I guess he had the police in his pocket. I think he had a position of some importance by that point in the cartel.”

“That’s why you almost didn’t gain custody.”

“True. But it was all worth it. You should have seen the filth Casey lived in. He was still in diapers half the time, for God’s sake.”

Granted exhaled then glanced at Casey. “Why did Drago fight you for custody?”

“I honestly don’t know other than the last time we saw each other was when…”

“When?”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s gone. He’s really gone.” I still found it almost impossible to believe. A moment of joy swept through me, even though the nagging continued. I could feel something was off. Wrong.

He cocked his head, nodding. “We can talk about this later as well.”

“It won’t change anything. It won’t fix anything. It won’t keep me safe.” I watched as Casey started to draw on the sketchpad I’d brought with us, his attention taken from the conversation. I was grateful I’d brought the colored pencils with me, the distraction exactly what we both needed. They’d been a gift from Rebecca, costly and one of those treats that had floored me. He loved them, his artistry so impressive I could lose myself in his drawings for hours.

“I’ll keep you safe, Kerri.”

“From monsters?”

“From evil.”

“How about the unknown? My stepfather had a lot of enemies, Grant. That was when I lived in the same house as the… piece of garbage.” Sometimes being forced to choose my words carefully was difficult.

“That’s where some good buddies of mine come into play.”

I lifted my head, studying him intently. “I don’t want you in the middle of whatever debt is owed.”

“That’s what you think is going on?” he asked.

“There’s no other explanation for the threats and the strange note, although maybe it wasn’t sent by Drago. I don’t know what else to think.”

“I’m already in the middle of your life, Kerri, because I chose to be. Plus, you don’t understand how dangerous I can be.” The tug of his lips as he grinned was sexy as hell.

“Mmm… I guess you’ll need to show me.”

“Only if you’re a good girl.”

When his phone beeped, he yanked it from the table, glaring at it as he’d done before. His jaw was clenched, whatever text he was reading annoying him.

“That’s gorgeous, little man,” I told Casey.

“Can I draw a picture of Grant?”

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