Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 68698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 343(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 229(@300wpm)
I shot him a grin. Clearly, Aodhan knew me well.
“Thanks.” I blew him an air kiss.
When I would’ve gotten out to walk, he walked right over to me and hauled me onto his back one-handed.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and nuzzled my nose into his throat as I said, “Be calm. Do this the adult way. And don’t let him get away with anything.”
He squeezed my thighs, and too soon, he was putting me onto my feet and depositing me on the bench right outside the garage doors.
He winked at me, then left, meeting up with Sunny right inside the doors.
I could hear them asking for the man, Justin Kingston, almost immediately.
A squeaky male voice hurried off, indicating the one running what was likely the front desk was a young teen who hadn’t quite come into his own yet.
I bit my lip and fiddled with the cuticle on my thumb as I listened to them speak quietly.
CHAPTER 18
I don’t have a resting bitch face. I’m just a bitch that needs rest.
-Morrigan to Aodhan
AODHAN
My stomach was in knots.
My brain was also in several places. Part of it was outside, with Morrigan. And the other part of it was at Danyetta’s house with Bowie.
I couldn’t quite decide how I should feel in that moment.
Thirty minutes ago, as I’d made my way back to Danyetta’s place, I’d mentally berated myself all the way there. Mostly because I knew Morr’s triggers, and I’d definitely left her there, like a ticking time bomb.
Now, I was berating myself for wanting to accompany Sunny on this little errand, when I should be at home with Morrigan and my son.
But the moment Justin Kingston made his way out of his office, with his arm around the uncomfortable young teen, I knew I’d made the right decision in coming.
Justin was a douchebag, and it was obvious to see when you knew what you were looking for.
“Sheriff Summers,” Justin said, his eyes pinging between me and Sunny. “What can I help you with?”
I crossed my arms over my chest so I didn’t inadvertently reach toward him and strangle the life out of him.
“We’re here because you were implicated in a case that popped up today,” Sunny said. “A few boys have been arrested lately for arson. One of which was Mr. McBanks’s son. And a few of the boys have given you as an inspiration in why they were committing arson in the first place.”
Justin blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
“And, since I can access sealed juvenile files, I do know that you were implicated in your own arson cases.” Sunny linked his fingers in front of him. “I also saw another little notation on your file. One that says you’re not allowed to be around children due to an indecent exposure when you were twenty-two.”
My mouth nearly hit the floor.
That I hadn’t known.
But, now that I did, I was damn sure going to make sure that he wasn’t ever around any kids again.
“From what the court order explains, you have to be accompanied by another adult. One that can verify that you are not mistreating any minors.” He looked around. “Do you have any supervising adults present?”
Just then, the back room door opened, and out walked Adler Newsome. The douchebag who’d tried to switch my son at birth.
He swaggered into the open area at the front just as Sunny said, “Ah. That makes sense then.”
Adler and Justin both looked at him, confused.
I was confused, too.
But only because my brain was clouded with a killing fog.
For the two of them to be hanging out, there had to be at least some knowledge of what the other had done/was doing.
“And I hate to break it to you, Justin, but a convicted felon doesn’t count as a supervised adult,” Sunny offered. “Unless you have someone else up here, you’re already in violation of this.”
He jerked his chin in the young kid’s direction that’d been manning the front desk.
The kid was likely all of fifteen and definitely still a child. He was also looking on with his phone in his hand, recording every second of the standoff.
He was bouncing back and forth between looking at Sunny and me, and then Justin and Adler.
Justin’s smirk fell off his face as he heard Sunny’s words. “That’s bullshit and you know it. Those charges were bullshit charges. I changed in front of my girlfriend’s daughter. My girlfriend who, might I add, broke up with me later because of a falling-out. Then accused me of that. I’ve been doing this business for fifteen years now without any supervisory adults. I think I can keep doing it just fine.”
“Not when you have this kind of prior, and definitely not when these kids are taking your advice and starting fires because of something you urged them to do when they couldn’t handle their emotions. Justin Kingston, you’re under arrest.” Sunny pulled out his cuffs.