by Roxie Ray
Like a ghost appearing out of nowhere, Maddox darted under Tiffany and caught her just as she let go. He whirled her around, settling her into my arms as I ran up. I sat her on the ground and looked her over, but she was no worse for the wear, except for being scared. As soon as I was sure she was fine, I pulled her close and stood with her arms wrapped around my neck and her little sniffles in my ear.
“Thank you,” I said in amazement. “Where did you come from?”
He pointed toward the trail. “I was running.”
Belatedly, I realized he was covered in sweat. His moisture-wicking shirt was drenched, and he had beads of sweat all over his face. “How far did you run?”
It wasn’t that hot out here. “Way up the mountain.” He pointed in the direction that would lead to the trail he’d intercepted me on the week before.
He must’ve been running hard. “Thank you so much. I don’t think I would’ve gotten to her in time. I know it’s sand, but that’s a long drop for a child as small as she is.”
I pulled her arms from around my neck and looked into her tear-streaked face. “Honey, how did you get up there? You know you’re not supposed to do the monkey bars by yourself.”
She looked around the park. “A girl helped me get up, but I don’t see her now.”
I sighed. “This was why I always hesitated to bring her to this park and not the smaller one down the trail,” I said. “But she loves the slide and most of the jungle gym is appropriate for her. I just keep her away from these monkey bars and the swings.”
Maddox nodded and leaned in close to Tiffany. “Be careful or you’ll give Mommy a heart attack.” Tiffany nodded at him sagely, like she took his advice to heart. He chuckled. “Kids are crafty. They get into tough situations all the time. Don’t beat yourself up. If you knew some of the things I did to my mom as a kid...”
I laughed. “I bet you did. You seem the type.”
He put his hand over his heart. “Oh, what you must think of me.”
His movements made my heart flutter, to my chagrin. This was the best, most natural interaction I’d had with him yet. Neither of us acted awkwardly or like there was some weight on us. “Well, thank y—”
“Is that the type of parenting that is supposed to keep our granddaughter safe?”
His voice burned through my good mood in a split second. I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath before I turned around to find Kyle’s parents standing close by with their hands crossed and angry expressions on their faces.
I’d been worried they’d do this eventually. Barge in and try to make a mess of my life. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
They both ignored me. Tiffany had twisted in my arms to see who I was talking to. Of course, she looked just like Kyle and this was the first time they had seen her since the day she was born. They were stunned.
Kyle’s mom, Mary, stepped forward. “She’s precious,” she whispered.
“I agree.” I couldn’t help the acid in my tone. “She’s been precious for three years.”
“Is this your idea of good parenting?” Walter asked. “Letting her fall off a jungle gym she had no business being on in the first place?”
My blood ran ice cold. “You have no right to judge anything I do with my daughter.”
Mary sniffed. “We’ll see about that.” She shot me a venomous look but smiled at Tiffany. Too bad for her, Tiff saw the expression on Mary’s face when she looked at me. Tiffany buried her face in my neck. “Mommy, go,” she whispered.
“What do you mean, we’ll see?” I asked.
Walter tugged on Mary’s arm, so she stepped back beside him. “It means, this proves you’re a negligent mother. You’re too busy to be raising a little girl on your own. We’ve decided to sue for custody.”
I looked at him in shock. After three years of nothing but drunken calls, he expected to get custody of his grandchild? “Over my dead body,” I seethed. Moving to the side, I tried to walk past them, but Walter sidestepped and got in my way.
“You’re a child playing house,” he said. “And you killed our son. We’ll get custody.”
Tiffany was only three, but she was smart. She’d be able to figure out what they were saying, or at least their intention. “How dare you do this here, now? How did you even find us here?”
“When you weren’t home, we drove by your mother’s house,” Mary said. “Your car wasn’t there. Black Claw is a very small town. There were only a couple of other places you could’ve been.”
They’d driven all over, looking for me. “You could’ve called, set up a meeting. Done this amicably. Now Tiffany is scared of you and you’ve made a scene in front of all these other kids.” I gestured toward all the parents sitting on benches around the perimeter of the play area, shooting us looks and trying to listen in.
My anger began to build, and my voice shook. I opened my mouth to give them another dressing down, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. I’d completely forgotten Maddox was behind me.
He stepped forward. “I’m Maddox. I may not look like it now, but I’m a deputy sheriff here in Black Claw. I think it would be best for you folks to leave instead of making threats.”
“We have every right to be here,” Walter sputtered. “We’re Tiffany’s grandparents.”
“Be that as it may, lawyers exist for a reason.” He looked down at me and Tiff. “In my professional opinion, you don’t have a case, so you might want to back off with the threats before you get the consultation of someone knowledgeable in family custody cases.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Walter hissed.
He smiled, but it was more threatening than reassuring. “Maddox Kingston,” he said. He seemed to grow taller and more imposing, though of course, that was impossible. Suddenly having him around all the time didn’t seem like the worst thing. I was grateful to have an ally against Kyle’s parents.
They obviously knew the Kingston name. It carried more weight around town than I realized, though Kara had told me it did. Walter and Mary drew back slightly, and Mary smoothed her hair. Most of the time we’d talked, she’d only had eyes for Tiffany. More than likely, if I remembered her correctly, she had no interest in a custody case. She probably would’ve been happy with visiting Tiff.
Walter was another story. But he grunted and looked at Mary. “We’ll consult an attorney, then.” He shot me one last glare, then he turned Mary around with one hand on the small of her back. He was so damn controlling. It was a big reason we’d always spent time at my parents’ house as kids instead of Kyle’s. He didn’t want me exposed to his Dad’s vitriol.
We watched them walk away, and my adrenaline left as soon as their car pulled out of the parking lot, leaving me shaking. Tiffany brightened up, with the resilience only a toddler could have. “Mommy, slide?”
“Sure, sweetie. Go slide.”
Maddox’s hand was still on my shoulder. It slipped off when I bent down to set Tiffany on the sand and watched her run toward the steps. “Everything will be okay,” he said. “You’ve got a great reputation, and everyone in Black Claw knows how devoted you are to your daughter.”
I didn’t take my eyes off of my daughter after she almost fell, but his words warmed me and helped me calm down.
“I am a good mother,” I whispered defensively. “I’m not good at many things, but I’m a damn good mom.”
He put his hands on my shoulders again and squeezed. I didn’t mind the touch or the comfort, so I didn’t step away. This was a new leaf in our relationship and how we treated one another.
I wasn’t mad at it.
“Everything will be okay,” he whispered.
I didn’t know why his words settled my gut and nerves, but they did. I believed him. Turning so that I could swing my head back and forth and look at Maddox and Tiffany, I smiled at him. Then I quickly found my daughter in the jungle gym again. “Thank you.”
“Call me if they follow through on their threats,” he said. “I’m goin
g to college to be a lawyer and know all the lawyers in the county through my work at the police station. I’d be happy to help you find someone.”
I watched him walk away after thanking him again. He called goodbye to Tiffany, then got back on the trail and broke into a jog. I found Tiffany again and watched her with an eagle eye. In the back of my mind, I began questioning my sanity and whether I’d pushed away a good man.
8
Maddox
“So then, Carrie told Cassie that Connie and Callie were doing cheer routines behind her back, can you believe it?”
I stared at my sister, Hailey, in amazement. “All these people are real, with virtually the same name?”
She dissolved into giggles and threw herself against the couch. “Madd, you’re so crazy. Of course they’re real, they’re my best friends in the whole world!”
As she chattered on, I watched her animated face and marveled at the fact that she was already thirteen. She was gorgeous with nearly black hair and big eyes. She looked more and more like our mom every day. And thankfully nothing like her biological father. She loved sports and was a tomboy, but one day I had a bad feeling I’d have to turn into the protective older brother when she started dating and went through puberty and all that.
Ugh. I hated the thought of my sweet little sister being old enough to date. But my dad was so protective of his stepdaughter, I probably wouldn’t have gotten a chance to be her protector. He’d likely take care of it.
I caught a boy’s name in her chatter. “Wait, go back,” I interrupted. She cocked her head and looked at me with all the attitude she could muster. “Who is the boy?”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “He’s just a boy,” she said. “I don’t have time for boyfriends, so don’t go there again.”
Maybe I’d lectured her once or twice about the untrustworthiness of teenage boys. Or three times. It was my job as her brother, after all. “Fine,” I said.
“Come eat!” Mom yelled from the kitchen. We walked in to find Dad already at the table and my favorite dinner spread out. Taco salad.
I groaned and plopped down. “This looks great.”
“Why don’t you come to eat with us more often?” Mom asked. “I know all you’re eating in that little apartment is frozen dinners.”
Pausing in the act of filling my bowl, I shot her a fake-haughty look. “No. I also get takeout.”
Hailey burst out laughing and Mom pushed at her head. “Don’t encourage him.”
“Oh, Madd, I meant to ask.” Hailey grabbed a bowl and took the spoon from me. “What happened at the park the other day?”
I furrowed my brow and stared at my little sister. “Thirteen-year-olds gossip too much. How’d you even hear about that?”
“Cassie’s older sister was babysitting and took her along to help. She said you were a hero.”
I rolled my eyes at her and swallowed a big bite of salad. “I was in the right place at the right time.”
Hailey shook her head. “Cassie wouldn’t lie.”
“What is she talking about?” Mom asked.
“I was running on the trail behind the park and came out of the woods in time to see Tiffany Leeds about to fall off the monkey bars. Everyone had their eyes on her, so I put a little extra speed in my run while they weren’t looking and caught her before she hit the ground.”
Mom raised her eyebrows. “Bethany’s daughter?”
I nodded. “You know her?”
“Yeah. She’s friends with Harley and Abby. We’ve met at the salon. She’s a sweet girl.” She handed napkins out to everyone, and as usual hadn’t even sat down yet to eat her own food.
Dad hated it when she did that, so he jumped up and got her a drink and nudged her toward the table.
“Well, it was a lucky coincidence I was there. Not a big deal. Good thing, though. She’s so little. I bet she would’ve broken something if she’d fallen.”
I was equally glad I’d been there to stand next to Bethany when Tiffany’s grandparents showed up. She probably would have handled it on her own, but me being there seemed to have made it a little easier for her. As much as I didn’t care for her or her attitude, she was a good mother. Everyone that knew her could tell that. I didn’t know the whole story with her ex, but she didn’t deserve whatever that was about.
“Well, I also heard you went on a date with Bethany,” Hailey said haughtily. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder. Dad choked on his iced tea and Mom stared at me with her eyebrows up.
Damn it, Hailey. “You’re too sassy for your own good,” I said. “Don’t you know gossiping is bad?”
Hailey took a dainty bite. “It’s not gossip if it’s true.”
Mom turned her glare from me to my sister and arched an eyebrow. “We’ll talk about gossiping later, miss.”
Hailey shrank a little under Mom’s scowl, but then she turned it back to me. “What is she talking about now? Start talking.”
“I told you to tell her,” Dad muttered, his face close to his bowl.
“Tell me what?” Mom looked like she was getting upset.
I groaned and stuffed a huge bite in my mouth, then looked at Mom as I chewed with the most innocent face I could muster.
Mom’s face went from curious to upset. Then, it darkened, and her eyebrows fell. “Do not tell me she’s your mate.”
I didn’t know why she hated the idea so much. I didn’t think Bethany was right for me, but she wasn’t that bad. I was surprised to feel defensive of her, even after deciding Artemis was wrong about her being my mate.
“Artemis thinks she is,” I said when I finally swallowed. “But I’m not so sure.”
She was silent for far too long. I got in three big bites before she spoke again. “Dating a single mother isn’t going to be easy.”
Ugh. Here we went with the lecture. “I know, Mom. I have no current plans to date her, anyway.”
Mom sniffed. “That will change. If Artemis recognizes her as your mate, you won’t be able to stop yourself.”
I met her gaze and saw the truth in her face. She believed it to be true, anyway. “We’re not compatible.”
She waved her hand, ignoring her food, and continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “You need to be prepared to be a father. You can’t just give it a shot then walk away. That doesn’t work for fated mates or children, either one.”
She carried on talking about the importance of raising a child, especially one that wasn’t biologically mine. Dad nodded along as she spoke and winked at Hailey a few times. She just rolled her eyes. Mom wouldn’t let anyone get a word in edgewise, anyway. When she went on a rant like this, we all knew to just let her vent her spleen and get it out of her system.
As soon as she stopped to take a breath, I jumped in. “I know, Mom. I know. I’m aware of everything you’re saying. But we’re not a good match. Bethany isn’t the sort of person I expected to spend the rest of my life with. And besides, she doesn’t seem to care for me at all.”
That was the wrong thing to say. Damn it.
“What do you mean? Why doesn’t she like you?” She pointed her fork at me and wiggled it a little, enunciating her words. “You’re handsome, smart, come from a good family. What more could she want? You’ll be an excellent father, too.” She clanked her fork down in her bowl of uneaten taco salad and huffed. “Not to mention you’re going to be a lawyer. Even if your father’s family didn’t have money, you’d be able to provide for a family.”
I didn’t butt in to tell her Bethany probably didn’t need my money, anyway. She had a successful business that she seemed to care about. That was a point in her favor, anyway. At least we could be sure she wasn’t a gold digger.
When she wound down her rant, she sighed and grabbed my hand across the table. “Promise me you won’t rush into anything you’re not ready for.”
“I won’t, Mom. I promise.”
It’s obvious she was nervous about the whole thing. But she sighed. “It’s hard for me not to want to interfe
re. You’re still my baby boy in my heart. I want to rush in and try to fix everything for you.”
At this point, I would’ve gladly let her. “I know, and I appreciate it.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “It’s a girl. It’s not brain surgery.”
I snorted and ruffled her hair, which set her off screeching to the bathroom to fix it. “Yeah, right. Wait till it’s her turn.”
It was Dad’s turn for his face to darken. “Let’s not.”
The rest of the dinner passed in relative comfort. When it was time to go, I grabbed Mom’s arm and pulled her into a hug. “I’ll always be your baby, Mom.”
She laughed in my chest. “My baby who’s twice my size or more.”
I squeezed her tight until she squeaked. “That’s okay. You can still want to protect me.”
It was nice to have her arms around me. It felt like when I was little and hugging my mommy was the cure for most problems.
After pressing a kiss to her head, I walked out to the truck Dad gave me when I first moved to Black Claw. I’d taken care of it. It had several upgrades since I first got it, and I kept it in the garage at the house most of the time. My legs worked fine for most errands.
I’d told Jury I’d meet up with him for a beer after dinner with my parents. His mate, Abby, was doing some girls’ thing with Harley and maybe Bethany.
As usual, as soon as I walked into the bar, one woman after another interrupted my walk across the floor toward Jury. It would’ve been flattering if the women weren’t so obvious. I made it to the table, and we couldn’t even take a sip of our beers before another woman came up. It was particularly worse tonight because Rico was in the booth beside Jury, with Jury on the inside. Every other woman touched his arm or mine flirtatiously. Every time one of them put a hand on me, Bethany’s face flashed through my mind.
I didn’t even want to be her mate and already I felt like I was being unfaithful just by being near a flirtatious woman. Normally I might’ve encouraged one of them to come home with me for a one-night stand, but the idea was repugnant.