Page 50 of My Orc Nanny

“Howdareyou!” I snapped, my anger overriding my fear as I turned my son and I to face him. “You’ve hurt so many people, and we’re lucky to have you out of our lives. You’re useless, Travis, and when the courts told you so, you thought you could justtakemy son?” I spat out the words as the first police car skidded to a stop nearby. “I’m having you charged with kidnapping.”

As the police officers approached, guns drawn, Aswan carefully lowered Travis, although anyone could still read the angry violence in his stance. My ex’s expression turned wheedling—just like when he used to need money—and he turned to Benny.

“Come on, son,” he whined. “You wouldn’t let this bitch do that to your dad, would you? I’m your daddy, aren’t I? Youwantto be with me, don’t you?”

I felt Benny stiffen in my arms, and my heart broke. Travis was manipulative and always seemed to know exactly what to say…it was why I’d taken him back so many times. But the kids... They didn’t realize that about him, did they?

To Benny, Travis was hisfather. Realizing that his father had tried to hurt him…oh God. I had to fight against the urge to vomit, to keep my son hidden. But he was clearly trying to push away from me.

The police were barking orders, but I was focused on my son. Slowly, I released him, allowing him to turn to face the bastard who’d fathered him…and then tried to hurt him.

Travis grinned, that stupid charming grin, and was reaching for the boy. Benny stepped out of my arms, and for a horrifying moment my heart clenched, thinking he was going to be swayed by Travis’s manipulations.

And from the way my ex smirked, he believed the same thing.

But I should have had more faith in my son.

After all, he was half Travis, but he was half me too. And I was the one who’d raised him, who’d taught him. Me and…

Aswan.

Benny stepped toward the two males, but when Travis groped for him, my son skittered out of his reach and slammed hard into Aswan. My Mate gathered Benny in his arms and turned them both away from Travis as the police moved in.

“You fucker!” screamed Travis as a knife appeared in his hand, and he launched himself toward Aswan. “He belongs to me!”

Those sickening words were the last I heard before two policemen swarmed him, slamming him to the ground, and I found myself in the protective circle of my Mate’s arms.

Safe.

I was safe, Benny was safe. Aswan’s arms closed around us, shielding us from the obscenities Travis hurled. Iknewwe were safe now, and I thanked God for sending us someone as strong and good and kind as Aswan.

But Benny’s arms were around Aswan’s middle, his face crushed against his stomach, and I could feel his small body shaking with tears. My son was still processing his fear.

I stroked his head and met my Mate’s sad gaze.

We were safe, yes, but Benny hadn’t accepted that yet.

He—all the children—needed to know Aswan was part of our family now…and we weren’t going to be separated. Not now. Not ever.

Chapter Thirteen

Aswan

I tippedthe pizza delivery guy exorbitantly as I heard Hannah wrapping up the phone call with her lawyer.

“Yeah. Yeah. Okay…” She exhaled. “Okay, that makes sense. Perfect. …Thanks for working so late on a Friday.” A rueful smile twitched at her lips. “That would be nice. Thanks, Shonda. Have a good weekend.”

When she hung up, she stared down at the phone long enough for me to set out the boxes and cross the kitchen to engulf her hand in mine. “Good news?”

She took a deep breath and lifted her chin, her expression tight, but her nod firm. “Yeah. Shonda was on my side through the divorce and custody hearings, which she reminded me were pretty easy. The courts already know Travis is a scumbag.”

When she glanced over her shoulder, I checked as well. All three kids were zoned out in front of the T.V., and I had to hope they were far enough away they couldn’t hear us. So I squeezed her hand.

“And now?”

Another deep breath, and she pressed forward, into my arms. “She says that he skipped parole in Nashville, stole a car, and drove for two days straight to get here.”

“That makes sense. Chief Ortiz says he was obviously under the influence of cocaine.”High as fuckwas what the man said, but I knew what he meant. Simbel and Memnon—both my younger brothers were cops—showed up at the station to help run interference for my family. While Memnon had scowled and stomped around—so much like Abydos it was scary sometimes—Simbel had done his best to translate what was happening so we could understand it. “Does this mean he’s wanted back in Tennessee?”

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