Page 153 of Property of Stone
Or make her look at him differently. Prove to her he wasn’t just a bad person, that he had good moments, too.
Though, with what he just did to her ex-husband, he might be past that point.
With one last glance at Sunny out cold—no doubt mentally and emotionally exhausted from that ordeal—he closed the door softly behind him and headed back downstairs.
Taryn sat on the couch with her arm around her son, keeping him pinned to her side. The TV volume was down low and only Baby Bird was concentrating on whatever movie was on the screen.
Taryn’s eyes remained glued on him as he approached. He jerked his chin toward the back door.
She whispered something to Wren, who nodded, thenshe rose from the couch and followed him outside. He didn’t stop until he was far enough away that the kids wouldn’t overhear the conversation.
“What happened?”
“Ask me no questions, won’t tell you no lies.”
She shook her head. “So basically, if I ask, you’re going to lie about what happened.”
“Just said I ain’t, if you don’t ask.”
“You do know that double negatives makes a positive, right?”
He scowled. “He ain’t gonna be a threat no more.”For fuck’s sake. He just said the opposite of what he meant because of his use of double fucking negatives. “He was eighty-sixed.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “Eighty-sixed? I have to assume that your version isn’t anything like mine.”
Yeah, the meanings weren’t even close. Once again proving how different the two of them were. “Your version sounds borin’. For us it means taking someone eight miles out and burying them six feet fuckin’ under.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Mine might be boring but yours sounds illegal. ”
Stone cocked an eyebrow. “Ain’t illegal if it never happened.”
Her lips flattened out. “I’m sure the person being eighty-sixed would beg to differ.”
“By that time, the beggin’s over.”
She pulled in an audible breath as she scrubbed her palm across her forehead. Her gaze sliced from him back to the house. To where her son was.
Stone got it. Her son just lost his father and would be upset when he found out. Even though Baby Bird didn’tknow all the truth about what a piece of shit his sperm donor had been.
The remains of his anger washed away. Everyone who belonged to him was now back together and safe. He needed to make sure it stayed that way.
“You don’t look upset,” he murmured.
Her blue eyes landed back on him. “Believe it not, I don’t feel anything. What Vic did to Sunny was unforgivable. I’m sorry I told you to spare him in the first place. That was my mistake because I was trying to be the better person. Just like I hoped he would’ve learned his lesson in prison. Again, my mistake. His downward spiral was never going to reverse direction.” She sighed. “Now my concern is with Wren and figuring out how to explain why he’ll never see his father again. I’m going to have to lie about it.”
No shit.
“Sure you’ll come up with somethin’. Thinkin’ you didn’t tell him it was his father who took Sunny.”
Taryn shook her head. “No. If possible, I never want him to know that. Maybe you can ask Sunny not to tell him, either.”
“Doubt she put two and two together to figure out who he was. If she did, after she wakes up, gonna ask her to keep his name to herself. Can’t guarantee she won’t slip or he won’t figure it the fuck out.”
Her expression turned grim. “I’ll deal with it if that happens.” She placed her hands on her hips and glanced around. Like she was trying to avoid meeting his eyes. “In the meantime, it looks like my problem has been solved.”
He wasn’t liking how she said that. “This one, yeah.”
“That means Wren and I will no longer need protection.”
