Page 130 of My UnTrue Love
“I’ll get you another one.” Clem continued rubbing his back. “It’ll be okay. That violin was just a way to access your music, not the music itself. No one can destroy your music, no matter how cruel they are. It’s bigger than them.”
Luke smiled a tiny bit, as if he liked that reasoning.
“Where is your father, now?” Hank asked.
“I don’t know. Gone forever, I hope.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure that he never hurts you again.” Clem vowed.
Bill basked in her sweetness. His wife was half Luke’s size, with magic that brought nothing but creativity and joy, and she’d just promised to protect the largest coyote in Red River Valley. …And everyone in the room fully believed she could do it.
“I thought you might hate me now, ‘cause I lied to you about who I am.” Luke muttered, not quite looking Clem in the face.
“Ilikewho you are.” She tilted her head, deliberately reestablishing eye-contact, when he avoided her gaze. “Your father’s actions are all on him. And how you’re related to Bill doesn’t matter to me. I care aboutLuke.” She smiled. “Although, having a little brother will be a welcomed change.” She sent a teasing wink Hank’s way. “The big ones are such dictators.”
Hank’s lips quirked, love in his expression when he looked at her. “I wouldn’t celebrate too hard. I got a baby sister. The younger ones can be a real pain in the ass.”
Clem laughed and stroked Luke’s hair.
Bill gave up.
She was clearly gonna keep the boy, so there was no sense in fighting it. He wasn’t about to rip a child out of his wife’s arms, even an overgrown, grumpy one.
Bill’s own coyote wasn’t on guard against Luke being near their mate, which indicated that no part of the kid was a threat. In fact, Bill could see flashes of Luke’s coyote peering out of the boy’s eyes, gazing at Clem with a puppy-like eagerness to please.
That gigantic monster had been born in the darkness of Luke’s apartment. The very first person it saw was a woman who cooed that he was a sweetie-pie and promised to keep him safe. It was the damnedest thing Bill ever heard of, but he was fairly sure that coyote had imprinted on Clem as a mother.
Most new coyotes were half-crazed with anger and fear after they shifted. Luke seemed… okay, though. He’d found an anchor in civilization. Maybe coyotes weresupposedto have gentle care, as their animal-halves emerged. When had a coyote ever had someone nearby to comfort him with his first transformation? They always struggled through the ordeal alone. Maybe that initial isolation and trauma was why so many coyotes grew up broken.
Maybe that was why so many were scared to need anyone.
Bill cleared his throat. Regardless of the reasons, Luke and his coyote both seemed devoted to Clem, and she was happy with their claim. Bill accepted the fact that the kid was staying with them.
Far worse news was that his long-lost father was back.
Hopalong Kassidy meant nothing to him beyond some violent memories, a lot of resentment, and a few old photos of his momma’s. His reappearance was a real pain in the ass. Bill didn’t appreciate Hop beating on his heretofore unknown sibling. And threatening Clem was hislastfucking mistake. Hop was gonna share a grave with Johnny.
“Conduct your murder-spree out in the desert.” Hank implored, looking Bill’s way. “It’ll be a mess to deal with it, here in town.”
It was a pleasant surprise how he and his brother-in-law fell into such a natural understanding of each other. The bachelor party planning was sure to be a breeze, considering Hank could just about read Bill’s mind.
“Bill can’t go on a murder-spree.” Clementine gasped. “His hands are much too delicate!”
Luke snorted in amusement and immediately slapped a palm over his own mouth. The noise seemed to surprise him more than anyone else, like maybe he wasn’t accustomed to finding anything funny.
Clem tugged his wrist down, letting him know it was alright to laugh.
The kid’s expression was positively blissful. Bill fully expected he’d soon be making her Mother’s Day cards and devouring all her enemies with his massive fangs. You couldn’t ask for much more than that, when you were raising up a coyote child.
“Murder spree? Why I am a law-abiding citizen.” Bill sent Hank a bland look. “I don’t leave corpses just lyin’ around the street.”
“You bury them?” Hank guessed.
Bill slowly grinned. “I’ll tell ya, Sheriff, were like two peas in a pod, the way we can communicate.”
“That’s a frightening thought.” Hank massaged his temples. “Just do me a favor andtryto allow the justice system to work. Alright? Give it twenty-four hours, before you do anything crazy.”
“Twenty-four hours?”
