Page 141 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

Her youngest son turned to the man sitting quietly next to her taking everything in. “I’m sorry.”

Nox gave him a single nod. “Apology accepted. And to answer your question, I work for Shadow Valley PD.”

Kee’s eyes lit up. “That’s in the Dirty Angels territory.”

Liyah mentally sighed. She didn’t like the fact her seven-year-old knew so much about motorcycle clubs.

“I’m going to join them when I turn eighteen,” her son declared next. “Dawg said I could.”

Who said what?

“Oh no, sir, you are not.” Now she had to have a discussion with Caitlyn’s father, too? Dawg did not need to be encouraging her kids to join the Dirty Angels. Or any club.

“Just join the Dark Knights. Grumpa would love that,” Devyn suggested,oh sohelpfully.

“They only accept Black members,” Kee informed his older brother. “I’m only half Black, like you.”

Liyah smacked a hand onto her forehead and groaned. “Enough of this talk. We’ve had this discussion before and we’re not having it again right now at the dinner table. But to be clear, half Black is still Black, and you areneverjoining an MC.”

She was about to lose her shit and she wanted this evening to be pleasant, not full of drama.

Nox would never want to come back again, and she wouldn’t blame him.

They somehow managed to finish dinner without Nox sprinting from the house screaming and after he helped her clean up the kitchen, the two of them moved into the family room to settle in with a movie.

ChapterThirty-Two

Aaliyah hadto call for her kids three times before they finally came in to join them. Of course, they dragged their feet the whole way, despite letting them choose the movie. No surprise, they picked the first Fast & Furious movie, even though they had seen it a billion and one times.

Both boys claimed the recliners flanking the center couch that Liyah and Nox were left sharing. The only complaint she had with that was, she was tempted to curl up with the man while they watched the action flick.

Instead, they kept a safe gap between them. Though a few times, Nox’s fingers trailed over hers when he grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl they shared.

Halfway through the movie, a sound caught her ears. It took a few second to realize it wasn’t coming from the television.

The loud, very distinct rumble of a Harley was unmistakable. She heard it too often not to recognize it.

With a groan of annoyance, Liyah shot up from the couch, rushed over to the window and pulled the drapes aside to peer outside.

Holy shit.“Devyn!”

“What?” her oldest asked, trying to sound innocent around a mouthful of popcorn.

She looked for his cell phone. It was face down in his lap.

Figures.“You didn’t tell Grumpa that Nox was here, did you?”

“He texted and asked what I was doing. I told him the truth because you told me not to lie.”

The kid was fifteen. He lied all the time and never worried about it.

But,holy shit,this could be bad.

“You’re lying right now! He only texts when he’s forced to. He certainly doesn’t text you out of the blue.” Her old man preferred phone calls over typing. And emails? Forget it.

Technology was not Magnum’s friend.

“Should I go hide?” A grin flirted on Nox’s lips.

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