Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
I watched in real time as Taylor clued into the drama. She gripped the stair rail and stopped behind my twins. Nash scooted over for her, but she met my gaze, seemed to consider her options, and then sat down beside him. Immediately, he melted into her side.
Nolan, though, was fighting back tears. As soon as our gazes met, she flew down the stairs and launched herself at me. “Dad!”
I caught her. She was all gangly legs and skinny arms. She shuddered in my arms. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
She shook her head, unfolding her legs and slid down to stand on the ground. She kept her arms wrapped around my waist, her face pressed into me.
Sam came over to join us, running a hand down her hair. “Honey? What’s wrong?” She whispered to me, “What happened earlier with you?”
Nolan just hugged me tighter, but she looked up, her eyes bouncing between us.
I met Sam’s gaze over her head, but I couldn’t answer. Not here.
“Nolan, honey.” I bent down and nudged her a little. “You need to give us a clue what’s going on or your mom and I are going to have a heart attack—”
Sam slapped my shoulder, and she glared at me. “Are you kidding me? You pick that choice of words?”
She was under the impression the kids thought their grandpa died from a heart attack. I took her hand in mine and whispered, “They know.”
“What?” Sam went rigid.
I nodded. “They’ve known since before we told them anything. Nolan knew.”
Sam sucked in her breath, comprehension dawning. Then remorse. “Oh, honey.”
Nolan detached completely from me and wrapped her arms around her mother.
“Sweetie. Is this about that—”
Nolan looked up at Sam and then me. “I just had a bad dream. I was napping.”
Movement caught our attention from the stairs.
Nash came down with Taylor behind him.
I frowned. “Wha—”
She reached out, touching my chin. “What did you do to yourself? You and your brother.”
Sam winced. “I tried my best.”
My bruises. Sam had bandaged me up last night. Taylor did that for a living.
I was a bit slow with everything going on. “I’m fine,” I said.
She ignored me, turning to Sam. “You did great work. It would still be a good idea to go in. A couple of these could do with a stitch.” She reached up to my face.
I swatted her away. “No one touches me except my wife and my children.”
Taylor didn’t care. She pressed her finger into one of the cuts.
I grimaced. That hurt.
She rolled her eyes. “You don’t scare me anymore. I don’t think you ever did.”
I shot her a dark look. The fuck?
Sam was still holding Nolan and rubbing a hand over her back, but she started laughing.
Mark and Cass continued arguing, but Logan meandered over to us, holding one of the bowls of popcorn. He held it out to me. “Hungry?”
I growled.
He snatched it back, shooting me a look. “Fine. No popcorn for you. I’m never offering you popcorn again, big brother.”
Nash grinned. He idolized his uncle. “I’ll have some popcorn.”
Logan immediately turned the bowl toward him. “Of course, anything for my favorite godson and nephew.”
Nolan giggled as Sam ran a hand over her forehead. “He’s your only nephew, Uncle Logan.”
Logan grinned at both of them, his adoration evident. “That’s true. Don’t tell the other kids who think they’re my nephews.”
Taylor looked over to Cass and Mark, still yelling. “Do I want to ask?”
Logan opened his mouth.
Sam’s hand shot out, clamping on his arm. “Please. Let me.” She gave him a meaningful look. He nodded, giving her the floor. “You, me, and Heather need to have girls’s night tonight,” she told Taylor.
“Again?” Taylor asked, but her smile said she was down for it.
There was a moment of peace from the other room, and I used the quiet to regroup. Kai Bennett was not the threat that took away my dad. I believed him. I had no idea why Logan had called me earlier, but we only had the night to handle the hacker because there was no way I was going to deal with him by myself. Fuck. That meant I had to relay everything to Logan and Sam, and all of the sudden, I was really fucking tired.
Nolan chose that moment to tell me, “The bad guy left, Dad. You cannot let him come back.”
23
MADDY
Me: I messed up. I was supposed to call your dad and give him a message from my dad.
Max: Why didn’t you?
Me: I did call, but got distracted. I feel bad. I keep messing up.
Max: You want me to tell him now? I don’t think he’s here.
Me: No. My dad came home from talking to that KB guy.
Max: I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Me: You want to come over? We have live and in-person entertainment. Uncle Mark just broke up with his live-in girlfriend. Actually, I think they broke up three times since they walked into the house. Or since she followed him here.