Page 62 of Menace

“The problem is I don’t want him to be a part of his life while he’s with that vile woman. I won’t expose my child to someone like her. Her eyes were filled with an evil so deep and dreadful it sent shivers down my spine because it reminded me of my brother’s eyes. She’s like him, likes hurting people, likes how it makes her feel. I’m telling you, Bren, she’s evil to the core. Lucky being with someone so evil makes me re-think having him in Ry’s life.”

Letting go of my hand he put an arm around me and held me. We were silent as we sat there, watching Ry.

He finished but kept sucking, I pulled the teat from his pursed little lips with a loud pop and set it to the side. My boy’s eyes were on me and I marvelled at how beautiful he was with his dark hair, olive toned skin and ice blue eyes, exactly like mine. I put the burp cloth over my shoulder and set him against it.

I didn’t even have to pat his back when he let loose a massive burp.

“Wow, little man that was a huge one.” I pulled him from my shoulder and grinned at Bren’s surprised face.

My boy just gave a little smile and closed his beautiful eyes, going to sleep.

He was such a great baby.

Bren gently stroked a hand down his leg then met my eyes.

“I want you to forget about what happened, for now anyway. You only had the one appointment for this afternoon and it cancelled. Ink said you’re not taking walk-ins so I’m going to take you guys home and you’re going to rest. Today has been a tough one on you. Let’s get your shit packed up and get out of here.”

It didn’t take long to get my station sorted. Mark stood at the back door holding Ry in his carrier and as he handed him off to Bren he drew me into a hard hug.

“Try not to think about what happened, Harper. Let it slide off you, like a fat seal sliding off an ice flow in the arctic, right into the jaws of a pod of Orcas.” He let me go, stepped back then grinned and winked. “Chomp, chomp, blood in the water, and they’re gone.”

The visual he planted in my head had me snorting with laughter. Trust our Pretty Boy to cut the tension.

Viper had the door open and was waiting on us, his eyes everywhere as he scanned the back alley. Once Bren had Ry settled he came to get me with Viper standing watch. Between him and Bren they made me feel incredibly safe.

Bren was true to his word, when we got home he carried Ry upstairs and watched while I settled him in his cot. Giving me a hug he then left and I changed into comfy yoga pants and a big tee. I lay on my bed staring at my sleeping little boy while curved around my body pillow and slowly dropped off the edge of the world into deep sleep.

I woke up rested and ravenously hungry. As I stretched my belly made growling noises and I grimaced, my eyes still closed. That’s when I realised Ry hadn’t woken me up, something else had.

There was a warm weight on me, reaching down I jerked to a stop when I felt something that shouldn’t be there.

There was a large, warm, male hand on me.

I instantly froze and my eyes shot open, ready to start screaming for Bren.

My curtains were open and the afternoon sun fell into the room. My eyes instantly when to Ry’s cot. He was still sleeping, lying on his back with his arms above his head. My eyes left my boy to stare up at the huge man sitting on the side of my bed, his hand on my stomach.

Lucky Boudreaux.

The bastard was in my room, had his hands on my body.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I hissed. “Get your damned hand off me.”

I jerked away from him and sat up. Grabbing my pillows I stacked them against the headboard, sat back and glared at him. He didn’t say a word, just looked at me. His eyes glided over my face then down to the cot at the side of my bed, where they stayed.

He nodded towards it.

“Is he mine?”

The fucker. The nerve of the bastard, implying I had been with other men.

“What do you think, you asshole? Of course he’s yours. I told you I’d been celibate until you. You think after you left I went falling on dicks all over the place? No, I did not.” I wanted to smack his pretty face.

I growled at the look of shock on his face. He had known smiley and easy going Joney, now he was up against pissed off and snarly Harper.

“And after what happened at the studio today we certainly can’t say the same about you, can we? How you can be with that evil bitch I really don’t know.” I shook my head. “But then I don’t really know you, do I?”

His mouth opened as if he was about to say something but I held up my hand to shut him up. All I wanted to know from him was why he was in my room, touching me.

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