Page 24 of Devil's Work: Dark

Lacy wobbles to me, but Ty beats her. While he latches on to my legs, I scoop up Lace into my arms. I pick up the diaper bag hanging on the coat tree by the door, looping it over my shoulder, then thank Mable once more.

Ty runs ahead of me back home while I carry Baby Girl a bit slower. It’s hot as blazes out again and I can’t wait to strip out of these pants.

“Can we have chicky nugs for dinner?” Ty asks. Since I stopped having to worry about electric and food per Dark’s directive, I’ve been able to branch out with what I feed them. He’s taken to calling them ‘chicky nugs’ thanks to one Mr. Dark. But I suppose if that’s the worst he picks up from Dark’s time with us, then we’re golden.

The kids will get the baked chicken nuggets with mashed potatoes and carrots with ranch to dip. Green gets a full chicken breast with his meal. Potatoes peeled first and put on the stovetop while the oven heats up. Then I grab the nuggets from the freezer, laying them in a single layer on a sheet pan. Next, I pull a few chicken breasts from the fridge, along with a couple of eggs.

I crack the eggs into a bowl and mix that with a little water. In the next platter, I pour a cup of flour that I add salt, pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes to. Lastly, I crush up cornflakes. Then it’s simply a matter of flour, eggs, flour, eggs, and cornflakes. The breasts get put on a separate, smaller pan normally reserved for cakes, lined with foil. Everything goes in the oven.

When my timer goes off, I drain the potatoes and mash them with butter, salt, pepper, and milk. Green gets a salad with his food.

For the first time since he started guarding us, Dark doesn’t show for dinner. I must have really pissed him off. Whatever. I’ll turn his chicken into chicken salad for lunch tomorrow. Green sits in Dark’s normal spot along with me and the kids.

“This is amazing, Rae. Thanks.” Green cuts into his chicken and takes a huge bite.

“Not a problem.” I take my first bite, rolling my eyes and groaning because it’sthatgood. It’s now or never. I shift in my chair to face Green and see him staring at me. “What?” I ask.

“Woman, you can’t make noises like that, or I’m gonna end up getting my ass kicked.”

He’s going to get his ass kicked because I groan over delicious chicken? Okay.

“I don’t know what one has to do with the other, but here’s the thing…” I suck in a breath.

“Mumma, Green said a swear,” Ty says before I’m ever able to get out what I need to get out.

Green’s cheeks turn the cutest shade of pink and we all get a good laugh out of it.

It’s time to strike. “I need to go to parents’ night tonight. Mable said she’d watch the kids again.”

“Not happening.”

“It is. It has to.”

“Woman—were you not at the Walmart today?”

“Yes. Which is exactly why I need to go—Ty cover your ears for a second.” Like a good boy, he does it without question. “Those guys are following me,” I whisper. “Which means they know I have kids. They work for people who abuse kids. If you were a bad guy going after a woman with kids, pretending to be a parent would be the easiest way to keep tabs and find an opening, don’t you think? Not to mention—kids, hello?” I throw my hands out in front of me.“They take kids. Tell me you get it. None of the children in Bentley are safe with them hanging around. So we need to see if we recognize any of the men showing up. I feel like they’d try to ingratiate themselves into the community somehow.”

“That makes sense.”

“Yeah… I know.”

“Shit…” He shakes his head. “You know I’m gonna have to tell Dark, right?”

“Ty, you’re good now. Eat your food.”

My son drops his hands and goes back to eating.

“No, you don’t,” I say to Green, continuing from where I left off. “I’m firing Dark. Name your price. I’ll hire you to guard us.”

He laughs. Outright laughs. “Honey, that’s a great offer you just made, even though I’m pretty sure you didn’t know you made it, but I like my life, so I’m gonna have to respectfully decline.”

“Ty, cover your ears again,” I say. Ty, my good boy, huffs, but he does it setting his fork down to cover his ears without any backtalk. “Those men intimidated you today?” I ask. “You seemed so sure of yourself.”

“I can handle those dicks. It’s not them.”

“Then who?”

“Ah, Rae… If you don’t know yet, then I’m gonna sit back and watch this one play out.” He plucks another bite of chicken into his mouth.

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