Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“Are you going to marry ‘Loh?” She questioned.
No bullshitting with my girl. She had too much of me in her to deal with shit she didn’t need to. Straightforward was how I liked to deal with everything, and my girl was the same way.
“Yes, baby. I’m going to ask her. I just wanted to make sure you understood what that meant.” I replied.
She looked at me. Those big eyes staring at me. Her blonde hair was in a sideways ponytail and braided. She was wearing tight skinny jeans, her black cowboy boots with the lime green fringe, and a black tank top that said heart breaker on it.
She was nothing like her mother. Didn’t even look like her. For which I was very thankful for. One day Janie might decide that she wanted to know more about her mother, and when that day came, I didn’t want her to have a reminder that a part of her life would forever be missing. Something that was so integral in how she came to be.
“Can I call her mommy?” She finally asked.
My heart stalled, and started galloping full force. “Well, I don’t mind. But I think that’s something you need to make sure is alright with Shiloh first. Okay?” I asked.
“Yeah, daddy. Where were you last night?” She raised her brow. That move was so much like Cheyenne that I wanted to laugh.
“Mom!” I called, knowing she wouldn’t be far away.
My mother entered a few moments later. I was surprised to see that Todd was with her. Even though I’d known that they were together, I still hadn’t been faced with the fact that my mother was now intimately involved with someone. However, one look at Todd’s possessive hand at the small of my mother’s back made me hyperaware.
My father died when I was really young, and not once had I seen my mother with someone in all those years. I was happy that she was moving on after all this time. She deserved to be happy.
I stood and walked over to Todd, holding out my hand. He shook it, nodding his head at me in acknowledgement. Yes, he knew I was okay with him and my mom being together. The flash of relief in his eyes showed that he wasn’t sure how I’d react, which made me smile.
“So, Todd. I was about to tell my mother that I was marrying Shiloh. When will you be making an honest woman of my mama?” I joked.
His eyes narrowed. “Well, we haven’t really gotten that far. She told me I have to ask permission before we discuss dates.”
No bullshitting. Just what I liked.
“You have it. Now, what’s for breakfast?” I said, raising my eyebrows at my mom in question.
Silence echoed through the room at my abrupt change in subject. Then my mom finally came unglued, and disentangled herself from Todd’s arms. Then proceeded to make breakfast.
“I’ll be back. I’m going to wake Shiloh before we get started.” I said, heading out of the kitchen and walking towards my room.
No, strike that. Our room. She wouldn’t be leaving.
The shower was running when I crossed the threshold, and I stopped, took a breath, willing my cock to get under control, and stepped into the bathroom. The shower turned off just as I was opening the door, and my breath halted in my chest as I saw Shiloh step out of the shower, dripping wet.
I swallowed convulsively, letting my eyes wander down her body, but forced myself to remain still. I didn’t have time. There were people waiting downstairs. I had to go meet with Sam and Max. I had to go Christmas shopping. Ring shopping.
My eyes followed Shiloh’s gaze to my forearm where a perfect set of teeth were outlined prominently on the meaty part of my arm. Then my eyes found the tips of her nipples, slightly reddened from last night’s activities, and all the excuses abruptly flew out the fucking window.
Twenty minutes later, Shiloh proceeded me into the kitchen, and then promptly flushed bright red when my mother’s disapproving eyes, and Todd’s humor filled ones, landed on us. Pancakes were half eaten, as well as eggs, sausage, and slightly cold coffee.
I pulled Shiloh’s chair out for her, and she sat, placing a napkin in her lap. I took the chair at the head of the table with Janie on my right and Shiloh on the left.
It was after we finished breakfast, and Shiloh loaded the dishes in the washer that I dropped the bomb. “Shiloh, you won’t be taking Janie to see Anna any longer. I filed a suit for full custody, and I’m getting Anna’s visitation revoked. We’re going to beat her at her own game.”
***
“Did you find anything else?” I asked Jack as he typed away at the computer.
“Not much. What I did find was enough for now. It’ll get the custody suit dropped on her end. Ever heard of a Sloan Lerng? That’s the name that keeps popping up every time you trace Anna’s calls on the days she has Janie. He’s got no history, and I mean none. He doesn’t exist. Which means it’s an alias.” Jack recapped to the group.
Well that much was obvious. I could’ve told you that before I even looked it up. Although, my guess was that it was a burner phone, not that it was actually registered to someone. Which begged me to wonder....why?
Let’s say that he did, indeed, use a burner. That would mean that the burner wouldn’t be registered to anyone in specific. That would mean, if Janie had told the truth, which she did, that it would be the word of a child’s against an adult’s word. And that adult, Anna, could pretty much say she didn’t know what on earth Janie was talking about.
However, by having the phone actually registered to someone meant that he wanted to be found. Which, even if we found out who it was an alias for, didn’t mean we could pin it on that individual.
Whoever it was thought he was smart. Too smart to be caught. What he didn’t know was that he’d already made a mistake. He’d messed with the wrong little girl. That little girl not only had a very protective father with an extensive military background, but also the love of five other men, who also had extensive military backgrounds. Not to mention the love of every single member of the SWAT team, who also had extensive military backgrounds.