Until Posey Tl Reeve & Michele Ryan &

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 Until Posey
Happily Ever After Alpha

TL Reeve
Michele Ryan

Illustrated by

Covers By K
Copyright © 2023 by TL Reeve and Michele Ryan
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published by Boom Factory Publishing, LLC.

TL REEVE and MICHELE RYAN CONTRIBUTOR to the Original Works was granted permission by Aurora Rose Reynolds, ORIGINAL AUTHOR, to use the
copyrighted characters and/ or worlds created by Aurora Rose Reynolds in the Original Work; all copyright protection to the characters and/ or worlds of Aurora Rose
Reynolds in the Original Works are and shall continue to be retained by Aurora Rose Reynolds. You can find all of Aurora Rose Reynolds Original Works on most major
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passages for review purposes. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.
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 Contents
Playlist and Pinterest
Blurb
Prologue
1. Hunter
2. Posey
3. Hunter
4. Posey
5. Posey
6. Hunter
7. Hunter
8. Posey
9. Posey
10. Hunter
11. Hunter
12. Posey
13. Hunter
14. Hunter
15. Hunter
16. Posey
17. Posey
18. Hunter
19. Posey
Epilogue
Want More?
About Boom Factory Publishing
Read More from TL Reeve and Michele Ryan
About the Authors
 Playlist and Pinterest

Are you curious about what we listened to while writing Until Posey? Check out our Spotify playlist for more details!

While you’re listening to some music, check out the inspiration for our Until series books on Pinterest!
To our readers... Thank you for continuing to support our little adventure in the Until Him/Her world. We’re beyond blessed
to be a part of this series. We hope you enjoy Hunter and Posey’s book as much as we enjoyed writing their story. Let’s do
this again next year.

To Aurora... Thank you. These last few years working with you have been amazing. Michele and I are eternally grateful to
you.

To Michele... Bitch, you knew this was coming. lol. You’re like the big sister I wished I had. Thank you for being my bestie,
my sounding board, and my venting ear. Being your friend is an adventure every day, even on the suckiest of them. I am so
grateful I met you. Even though I know you seriously second guess meeting me. (I don’t blame you one bit. lol) Let’s be
friends for another twelve years, then we can be old biddies together.
 Blurb

The BOOM.
The heart-pounding, inexplicable sensation of falling in love. An emotional pull that can complete a man in one second and
destroy him in the next.
Hunter Banks, eldest brother, consummate bachelor, and family protector. When Cobi Mayson shows up at the shop,
needing his help, Hunter agrees. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep his family safe. Including going undercover and back to
where everything started for Ireland—Lux Automotive.
However, helping a friend comes at a price, and now, the balance is due.
Posey Roberts doesn’t like liars. Even lies of omission. If a person couldn’t tell the truth, they’re either hiding something or
guilty of doing something else. She’d learned that lesson several times over while in the foster care system until her adoptive
mom stepped in. Now, as a social worker, Posey helps children in need, including Destiny Banks, a six-month-old baby girl.
When she arrives at Hunter’s home, Posey’s ready to tear Hunter apart. Until she meets the Viking-God in person and
everything else disappears. Unfortunately for her, Hunter is off limits. She has a job to do, protect Destiny at all costs.
The web of lies Hunter has woven to safeguard his family are coming apart at the seams. Telling Posey the truth could put
her and Destiny in danger. Continuing to lie to her will tear them apart. Meeting his Boom was supposed to be an adventure,
but when the truth comes out, Hunter will have no one else to blame but himself.
The Boom is supposed to be forever.
What if this time it’s not?
 Prologue

Hunter

wo weeks after Ireland’s engagement party...

T Music blared through the stereo in the shop. It was weird being there alone, left with my thoughts, as my sister and her
new husband went on their honeymoon. Wouldn’t say I was jealous of them. Nothing about getting married or settling
down appealed to me. Now, Jackson, on the other hand, that boy was getting into it deep with Waverly. He landed the girl of
his dreams, and I could already see the little hearts in his eyes.
He'd be the next one to take the leap.
Mark my words.
Still, not being able to argue with Ireland about her shitty choice in music left me surly and rough around the edges. Not
even Landon fucking with the playlists elevated my mood. If anything, the sour, bitter taste spread across my senses, forcing a
fuck from between my lips, the longer I stood there.
I was antsy, and I didn’t have any reason to be. Except for my routine, being thrown off. Goddammit, Ireland. My sister
could rile me up even when she wasn’t here. I ran a hand over my slicked back hair. If anyone saw me right now, they’d think I
was having a mental breakdown.
‘Suppose I was, too.
Two weeks was too long.
“Looks like you’re in the seventh round of a twelve-round fight, and you’re losing,” Cobi said, joining me in the paint bay.
Beside him was a woman I hadn’t met before. She smelled like expensive perfume and a G-Man. Or in her case, a G-Woman.
She was pretty, in a buttoned-up suit kind of way. Definitely not my style.
How they knew where I’d been or entered my domain without me knowing it showed just how fucked in the head I’d been
all morning. “When did you get here? Better yet, why are you here?”
Cobi stared at me. Intention and a bit of apprehension filled his eyes. “I won’t bullshit you.”
My stomach dropped. “Not the best way to start a conversation, all things considered.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and lines of stress and exhaustion crisscrossed his features before he motioned to the
woman who stood beside him. “This is Detective Ava St. James. She just transferred into our division from New York. Is there
some place private we can talk?”
“All right,” I said, motioning to the office. “Why don’t we go to the office instead of standing out here?”
Once we settled and I’d closed the door, I crossed to the desk. So much had changed in such a short amount of time. We
expanded the business a little, considering once word got around about our prices and quality, we were more in demand.
Which also meant expanding the office space instead of us having to use the shitty little desk out front.
“What can I do for the both of you?” I asked, taking a seat.
“We need you to reopen Lux,” Cobi said, not even attempting to beat around the bush. “I know that’s a big ask, but you’re
the only one I could trust for this assignment.”
Blowing out a breath, I put my hands behind my head. Opening Lux? The last place I ever wanted to step foot in. Memories
of the day when Ireland and Mack took down Edgar as I traced VIN numbers while ducking Edger’s posse flashed through my
mind.
“Why?”
“You’re not recognizable.” Cobi bent forward, folding his hands in front of him as he braced his elbows on his jean-
covered thighs. “Look, a call came in from a distributor. They obviously didn’t get the memo about the original raid, so they
wanted to bring a shipment of cars in to chop. The auction house would be a suitable cover for them. If we can track their
moves, perhaps we can shut down the remaining arm of Edgar’s operation and add more charges to the asshole’s already
lengthy case.”
Well, shit. Not anything I’d been expecting.
“So, we set up the business like nothing ever happened and go with the flow?” I assumed, cutting my gaze to Detective St.
James. I wasn’t sure if she’d been there to run interference or if she was a casual observer. All things considered, it kind of
unnerved me. “How do we explain Edgar not being there? Or the fact everything is different, and I’m running the place, not one
of Edgar’s men?”
“Basically? Yes. We’ll get some cars from impound and have them around the lot. Of course, if you want to hit up a junk
yard or two...” Cobi shrugged. “The other is easy enough. We can lie.”
Reminded me of the old days, to be honest, before we knew what Edgar was doing to Ireland. “What do I do about this
place?” Ireland was gone for two weeks. Landon did better on transmissions and exhausts. Our real bread and butter came
from Ireland’s engine repairs.
“Skeleton crew until Ireland gets back?” Cobi cocked a brow. “I know it’s not perfect. We have four days to move
everything into place. I wouldn’t even ask, but you’re who they know.”
“It’s been a long time,” I said with a shrug. The desperation seeping from Cobi showed me how much of a tight spot he
really was in. “Fuck it. Fine. I’ll do it. I can close the shop down for a few weeks, not much going on as it is. I’ll let Landon
know to take a hike as well.”
Glancing at Detective St. James, I wondered what she was thinking. She hadn’t said a word since her introduction, but she
watched our interaction with keen interest. She extended her hand and when I took it; I noticed the calluses on her fingers and
the roughness of her palms. Working hands. Good. Didn’t need someone dainty fidgeting about the auction while trying to trap
our targets.
If that made me misogynistic, so be it.
“Perfect.” Cobi stood. “I’ll text you the info, and we’ll meet again to go over the finer details of this assignment. Until then,
do a little salvage digging and find some cars you like. I’ll get purchase orders to you when you’re ready.”
I grunted. “Sure thing.”

It had taken all four days to put the plan into place. Landon went fishing, and Jackson was spending time with Waverly, which
left me free to become the person I used to be. Someone I didn’t like.
The jackass with a chip on his shoulder who hated everyone.
When Ireland met Edgar, we were all in an awful place. Our parents had just died, and we were responsible for a sixteen-
year-old boy. Edgar offered Ireland and Landon good jobs with enough money to make ends meet while also taking care of our
baby bro as our parents’ estate went through all the proper machinations of the court system. However, the longer Ireland
stayed there, the more Ireland lost herself in the business. Landon and I let some bad shit slide. Saw stuff we shouldn’t have
and kept our heads down. I’m not that self-absorbed to not be able to chide myself for all the red flags we’d ignored along the
way.
Until Ireland asked us for help.
Now, I was reopening the doors to Lux Automotive Auction, to set a trap for the rest of Edgar’s syndicate. Couldn’t say I
didn’t feel like I was jumping out of a plane without a parachute.
Lux Automotive Auction was one of the biggest auction houses in Nashville. At one point, Edgar had over a hundred
employees, doing three-quarters of a million dollars in profit every week, if not more. There were people in titles. Mechanics.
Car washers. Receptionists and contract negotiators who did all the binding paperwork. How Cobi and Detective St. James
planned on bringing the place back to life was beyond me.
Especially in such little time.
The day of the reopening, I’d slept like shit the night before. Ireland wasn’t there, so I could run the plan by her, and telling
Landon was a non-starter. My stomach gnawed at me the whole time I got ready. Anything and everything could go wrong. Then
where would I be? I thought about sending a text to Mack just to keep him abreast of the situation, but I didn’t want to ruin their
honeymoon.
Instead, I pulled up my big boy undies and got my ass in gear. I could do this. All the way to the auction, I thought about
what I was supposed to do and how I would explain Edgar’s absence or my presence. The idea he wasn’t talking, or no one
knew his business collapsed around him, it rubbed me the wrong way. For being a thuggish booster, Edgar had no loyalty to his
people. Then again, Ireland already knew that. She’d taken the brunt of his abusive bullshit.
After grabbing a coffee on the way, I pulled into the parking lot on day five and stopped short. I had to be hallucinating.
There was no other way to describe what was happening. There were cars in the parking lot and a line at the door. Cars with
dealer plates were scattered amongst regular Davidson County tags. The gate covered in corrugated sheet metal was open, and
there were several cars in the bays for the auction. Outside, people waited in a line to get inside the building as buyers. Cobi
had outdone himself.
I was impressed.
Driving through the gate, I spotted the cars I’d picked out to work on already on the lifts. Across from where I stopped
were three rows of high-end model cars awaiting buyers. If I hadn’t known the truth, I’d have sworn the place was still open
for business. Cobi wasn’t kidding when he said they would go all in for this bust.
I climbed off my bike after parking in the designated spot and pushed into the main part of the business. Fresh paint and
sparkling floors greeted me. All the scuff marks and chipped walls had been fixed from where all hell had broken loose when
Edgar realized it was all over, and the police had crashed his little party. The front of the building was awash in activity, while
others stood around talking. There was even a faint scent of food cooking from the cafeteria down the hall. From the
appearance of things, this was a fully functioning auction house.
“There you are,” a man said, coming straight for me. “Didn’t your assistant tell you I’d be here early?”
The guy was older. Going by the lines around his eyes and mouth, I’d have to say he was my age or a little older. A woman
about Jackson’s age, maybe, followed behind the man. She’d been dressed in barely-there clothes, looking more like arm candy
than of importance. “I’m Pedro. This is Hope, my girl. Are you ready to make a shitload of money today?”
My gaze bounced from Pedro to Hope. She was too good for him. Too sweet. Too soft. I could see it with the way she
smiled at Pedro, indulgingly and always touched him right over his heart. She fancied herself in love with him if I had to guess,
and boy, when she found out the truth of what was happening inside the auction house, it would break her.
If she didn’t already know.
There was something else there in Pedro’s amber-colored eyes. Determination. The need to prove himself. I’d seen that
same spark of light before in Ireland’s eyes. When she dug in, getting her to back away was impossible. The day Mack showed
up at the shop and relayed Ireland’s shenanigans, i.e.; going into Lux to find all the stolen cars herself while Edgar was there.
I’d seen just how far she’d been willing to go to catch the son of a bitch. That same stubborn set in her features matched how
the man standing in front of me looked. Only Pedro wanted to prove himself to Edgar, and Ireland wanted to nail that bastard to
the wall.
“Yes, sir,” I drawled, keeping my eyes on the girl. “I believe I am. Let’s talk in my office.” Now to bait the hook.
 Chapter 1

Hunter

ighteen months later…

E “And in other news…” the reporter said, drawing my attention as I carried Mack Jr. into the kitchen for breakfast.
“The fiery accident yesterday afternoon at the Shelby Road exit of Interstate 24 is still under investigation after a wild
chase through Nashville lead to the death of both the passenger and driver of the vehicle. Local authority won’t release the
names of the suspects, only they were wanted in connection with a string of car thefts around the area.”
I glanced at the screen and shook my head. “That’s why we don’t chop cars, little dude.” I kissed the side of Mack Jr.’s
head.
Eighteen months ago, Cobi and Ava St. James came into my life and threw me into the deep side of the river. They needed
my help to take down the remaining ring of Edgar’s Lux syndicate. I don’t know, maybe the asshole caught me at a moment of
weakness, worried about my sister, feeling pitiful about myself and pounced. I’d taken him up on the job and, well, it hadn’t
gone according to plan.
Sure, we shut down the organization for good, but the two people who knew more about Edgar’s business than those
arrested were in the wind. The second Nashville PD and federal agents busted through those doors, Pedro grabbed Hope and
they were on the run. So far, they hadn’t been found. I figured they’d gone back to Mexico to hide out with Edgar’s family.
Or maybe they headed back to New York.
Either way, they were on Nashville’s most wanted list and eventually, both would fuck up. The idea bothered me. Hope
was innocent in my book. She had personal problems out the ass. She had a juvie record a mile long for petty shit. CPS had
been on her mom’s ass for most of Hope’s life. The odds were stacked against her and when she could have found a better way,
Pedro showed up and swept Hope away.
By the time she arrived at Lux with Pedro, no matter what I said or wanted for her, mattered. She’d been in deep with that
motherfucker, and I hated it for her. For six weeks, I watched her get paraded around. Pedro even offered her up to me, if I ever
needed to “release a little steam.” Fact was, I looked at Hope as a little sister in need of some guidance. No way in hell I’d
ever fuck her. Not that she didn’t have a tight fucking body and pretty tits.
She was a broken doll.
Hope needed someone to rescue her. Not take advantage of her too-sweet disposition.
Fuck.
Sometimes, I wished I could have saved her. Maybe, if I had given in to the temptation, I could have gotten her away. I
wasn’t sure, but I knew the wives and girlfriends of the Broken Eagles MC could figure it out. They all did some kind of
charity work or whatever. Plus, Mack had people on speed dial. If she wanted out, I could’ve made it happen.
Cobi could’ve made it happen.
Every so often, when I thought about her too much, I could hear her soft voice asking the one question I wish I could have
answered better. “Where can I go? This is all I know, Hunter.”
I should’ve been more commanding. More authoritative when I said, “Anywhere but here.” Instead, I whispered those
words, and the welling of sadness consumed me. I had the chance to save one person, and she slipped away, determined to
follow her man into the unknown sea that would always be their lives.
Mack Jr.’s soft coo, then sob, brought me back to reality.
“You can say that again,” I replied, rubbing his back. The car on the screen looked new, which meant it should have
absorbed the impact. However, wrapping it around an offramp pole at a high rate of speed, not so much. That was not the way
anyone should want to die. Especially not for boosting cars.
Placing Mack Jr. in his bounce seat, I put his bottle together for a mid-morning snack. Ireland was still on maternity leave
and had a few appointments with Mack for the day, leaving the kid with me. I didn’t mind. We had guy bonding time.
“... The cause of the accident is still under investigation. From what little police are saying, the people in the vehicle had
been staying at a local hotel. Police advise the community to avoid the area until their investigation is complete.” There was a
quick shot of the hotel, and Hunter frowned. The place wasn’t far from Lux.
 “See kid, never shit where you stay, got me?” I quirked a brow and Mack Jr. gave me a gummy smile before flapping his
arms and legs, causing the seat to bounce up and down. “That’s what I thought too. We have a lot of work to do today, too. So,
no slacking on this milk. Can’t get big and strong if you half-ass it.”
Mack Jr. giggled.
Best fucking sound ever.
If anyone outside of my family saw me having this conversation, I’d deny it. I had a reputation to uphold, and this... This
would kill that surly rep. As it was, this kid had me wrapped around his little finger. Still seemed like a dream. Our sister had
a kid and was married.
While Mack Jr. chugged down his milk, I drank my coffee, watching the rest of the news. The wreck stuck with me even as
I changed his diaper and got ready to go. We still needed to paint the Maverick and put new tires on before I’d have it street
worthy. Having a nephew changed priorities for me. Couldn’t put a car seat on a motorcycle. So, I took one of the salvage cars
Cobi bought with county money, paid him back, and got to work.
Mack Jr. and I decided on candy apple red for the exterior, with black leather for the interior. The soft top was also getting
an upgrade. Engine wise, we were taking her to a whole new level. Standard Mavericks came with a 302 engine. Best engine
Ford ever made, but we were beefing her up. We’d start with a new intake manifold, change out the carburetor, and an MSD
ignition. 302’s were easy to work on and tinker with power wise. Then, once we made the first set of upgrades, we’d change
the cylinder heads and add a high-performance camshaft and change out her timing system just to add a little stability. When my
baby hit the streets, she’d be a whole new car.
He'd be the coolest little dude hitchin’ a ride to preschool.
As I cleaned up our breakfast, a knock came at the door, giving me pause. I glanced at Mack Jr, who gave me the suspicious
stink eye. Or it could have been gas. Then he gurgled. Probably gas. Or a shitty diaper. I picked him up and did the sniff test as
the knock came again. Not a shitty diaper. We were safe. For now. The knock came again, and I sighed. Some people were just
impatient fucks.
Guess I should be happy they weren’t fucking with the doorbell.
“Hold your shit,” I yelled, rubbing Mack Jr.’s back as he snacked on his fist. Little dude was going to eat me out of house
and home.
Opening the door, the air was snatched from my body. Boom. A woman with curves in all the right places stood before me,
with long, unruly curly blonde hair. Big, beautiful blue eyes and full lush lips. I wondered how they’d feel like wrapped around
my dick. Speaking of which, the aforementioned appendage thickened to the point of pain, pressing against the zipper of my
jeans, cutting a track into the length. There was a dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose and fuck me if she didn’t
steal my soul with her bright smile. This woman, I didn’t know who she was or why she stood on my doorstep, but I was happy
she was there because she was mine. Until I saw the baby carrier in her right hand and focused on the notebook in her left.
The fuck?
I glanced at her perfect handful tits and saw her name tag, Posey Roberts. Damn, even her name had a nice, cutesy ring to it.
Then I read the rest of it. Department of Children’s Resources–Davidson County. “Hi, does a Hunter Banks live at this
address?”
I glanced from her to the baby in the carrier and back to the woman I’d rather be fucking than standing on my porch talking
to. “That’s me.”
She exhaled. Her expression filled with disappointment. Like she regrated coming to my door. What the fuck could I have
done to make her see me in such a light? “Great. Well, could I come in? I don’t think you want your neighbors to hear our
conversation.”
Our conversation? “Sure. Who’s the kid?” I lifted my chin in the baby girl’s direction.
She rolled her eyes and gave me a duh look, like I was supposed to recognize her or some shit. Sucked to be Posey, I had
no clue what the fuck was going on. “I’ll explain once we’re inside.” The air of authority in her voice only turned me on more.
I’d love to fuck the snippiness out of her.
“Sure. Let me put little dude down in his playpen. Would you like some coffee?” I needed a moment to gather my wits. This
woman knocked me off my game, left my head spinning. She irritated the fuck out of me because she’d seen me as an asshole
without even knowing me. Not saying I wasn’t. I was one of the biggest assholes around, but how the fuck was she going to step
into my house with all her preconceived notions?
“No, thank you.” She placed the car seat on the coffee table in the living room where I’d been earlier with Mack Jr., then
looked around.
When she pulled out the pen and a notebook, I had to stop her. “Look, Posey, I’m sure whatever has happened, it’s all been
a misunderstanding. Put the pen and pad away and let’s talk.”
She smirked. “A misunderstanding? Sure. Okay.” She capped her pen and pushed the pad of paper back into the folder she
carried. “Did you know, Hope Veracruz?” Posey sat when I offered her a chair.
Hope... I knew her first name, but didn’t stick around long enough to learn her last name. Besides, she and Pedro took off
before Cobi and St. James could find them. What did she have to do with this... Oh fuck. I stared at the little girl, even at
whatever the baby’s age was, I should have seen it. “Are you fucking telling me this is Hope’s baby?”
She bristled at my curse before she cleared her throat. “This baby, Mr. Banks, is your daughter. Destiny Banks.”
The fuck she was. Hope and I never messed around. Sure, the offers were there and trust me, I’d been tempted, but I never
fucked Hope. Ever. Besides, she’d only been sleeping with Pedro. Wait... I needed to slow down here and think this through.
There was a reason Posey was here. I had to figure it out and not give anything away. If Hope put me on the birth certificate,
she had a reason to. Fuck. Still, she wasn’t pregnant while she was at Lux, was she? Damn it, they spent almost every day
together. I tried my damnedest to get her out of that situation and into a better life. Had her past finally caught up to her? But that
didn’t explain why she put me down as the father of her baby.
Was Posey so blind to see we looked nothing alike? Come to think of it, Destiny didn’t look like Pedro either. What the
fuck was going on? Why was this woman here with the kid besides the fact Hope put me as the baby daddy? None of it made a
lick of sense. “Could you repeat that, Miss Roberts?” I hadn’t seen a ring on the woman’s finger. Even if there was one there,
I’d find the fucker and remove him from her life. She was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
Posey gave an exasperated sigh before rolling her eyes. It was obvious I’d offended her somehow. “If you would have
answered your phone one of the several times, I’d been trying to call you, this situation would’ve been resolved had you
answered. Perhaps you should call your wife or girlfriend so she can be a part of this.”
The fuck? I tilted my head, trying to understand why she was so angry at me. If I missed a call or two, it was because Mack
Jr. was sleeping, and I didn’t want anyone to disturb him. Plus, everyone used text instead of calling. “As you can see, I didn’t
want to disturb little dude’s nap. So texting would have been a better option.”
Fire light those sexy blue eyes of her. I wanted to fuck the indignation out of her. Maybe then she’d stop beating around the
bush about why she was here. “Be that as it may, should we wait for your significant other? They should be here to hear what I
have to say.”
“Lady, you have a lot of fucking balls coming into my house, treating me like shit, only to present a kid who has my name on
her birth certificate. You want to take your bitchiness down a notch or two?”
The stubborn set of her chin, along with the way she ran her tongue over her teeth as she crossed her arms, put me on edge.
She hated me and she didn’t even know me. Had I fucked her before? No, I would have recognized her. There was no way I’d
have let her walk away from me, so what gives? What had I done to her to anger her to the point she looked like she wanted to
throttle me?
“You’ve seen the news, correct?” She lifted her chin to the kitchen, where the morning reports played out.
“Honestly,” I stated, crossing my arms, “it’s background noise. What does that have to do with why you’re sitting in my
living room?”
She exhaled again and opened the folder she’d had in her arms. “Yesterday there was a single car accident on I-24. Hope
was in the vehicle. I’m sure you saw the high-speed pursuit?” She glanced up at me, and for the second time since meeting
Posey, the air rushed out of me. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“Wait. Are you saying Hope was in that mangled car?” Fuck. Fuck! I failed. I told Hope this was what would happen. She
didn’t listen. She was in love with Pedro, and that motherfucker got her killed. Killed the bastard too, hopefully. Would serve
him right.
“Yes,” Posey answered.
“How is she not all banged up too? How did this kid survive?” But Hope died. I didn’t add that last part as I stared at the
little girl. What the fuck, man? What. The. Fuck? The baby girl’s big brown eyes stared into my soul. She reminded me so
much of Hope. Didn’t make a peep. Watched everything and everyone. Hope put my name on that birth certificate for a reason.
She had to have. Which meant I was going to have to claim Destiny, even if she wasn’t mine.
Dammit.
“She wasn’t in the vehicle with Miss Veracruz or Mr. Garcia. We found her in a hotel close to where the vehicle crashed.”
The heaviness of her words landed on me like a ton of bricks. Hope left her behind. I couldn’t say whether that was
because she was trying to protect her daughter or there were more nefarious ideas at work. Either way, the situation was
messed up. “Oh.”
“Oh? That’s all you have to say about your daughter being found in a hotel room?” Again, exasperation filled her tone.
“Don’t you care about your kid?”
“I didn’t know she was pregnant.” Probably wasn’t the best answer for Miss Posey Roberts, but it was the truth. If Destiny
was six months old, Hope couldn’t have been more than a couple of months along when she and Pedro fled. Or worse, she was
pregnant when I met her.
Posey huffed out a breath. “How old is the baby?” She glanced to the playpen where Mack Jr. laid, staring up at his infant
gym Ireland bought for him.
“Six months.”
She shook her head. “You sure get around, Mr. Banks.”
 The fuck.
“Lady, you’ve got a lot of nerve.” I stood then. “Mack Jr. isn’t mine. He’s my sister’s son.” She blanched, knocking some of
the starchiness from her. “Yeah, see what happens when you assume shit. You end up looking like an asshole.”
Instead of apologizing, she dug in. “Well, excuse me for believing he belonged to you. It’s quite obvious you get around.”
That smug superiority lashed against my skin, and I wasn’t sure if fucking the obstinance out of her would work. She got
under my skin. Made all kinds of assumptions about me and my life before she met me, then she believed I was some kind of
walking sperm donor. Coming in every available hole before leaving the women behind to raise my kids.
I didn’t operate that way. I might like to fuck, but I wrapped my dick up and took zero chances. Even if I had sex with Hope,
that baby wouldn’t have been mine. “You don’t know me. Look, I get it, I’m Destiny’s father. I’ll take responsibility of her.
Whatever it takes. But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t come in here and act like I razed the fucking world and destroyed Hope,
too. That’s not me.”
“Did you know she was married to Mr. Garcia?” Posey quirked a brow.
“Nope.” If Hope got married to him, she’d done so when I hadn’t been around. The operation only lasted a couple of
weeks. Pedro and Hope were at the auction every day. Most of the time, Hope was in my office talking about life, staying out of
the way. She was a good kid in a messed-up situation. Could she have been telling me the whole time she was pregnant and
looking for a way out?
Shit.
Guess none of it mattered now. Hope was dead, and so was Pedro. The others were in prison awaiting trial if they hadn’t
pleaded out already. Cobi had texted the other day and reminded me pre-trial was coming up and the DA would contact me
about trial prep. Seemed like a lifetime ago, now.
“The condition we found Destiny in, Mr. Banks,” Posey began, “was unsanitary. We’ve had her screened for drugs in her
system along with anything else you might need to know. She is about two pounds underweight, which fits because there’d only
been dust left in her formula can. I have a week’s worth of supplies for you, but she is now your responsibility. I also need to
assess your home. Mr. Banks, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on when it comes to Hope’s pregnancy and the birth of your
daughter, but I expect you to step up and be her father.”
Couldn’t she slow down? She was already on point twenty of her list, and I was still stuck on Destiny having my last name.
The fact Hope chose me spoke volumes. It meant perhaps all those talks we’d had sunk in. She realized she could turn to me,
and I’d help her. This, however, wasn’t what I meant. People don’t just spring babies on them. Right?
“Sure. I can do that.” I glanced around the house, completely out of my element. The Maverick still needed work. Landon
was gone to work. Which meant I had to wait for him to return to make a run for the shit I’d need. What the fuck do I need? My
mind was going a million miles an hour. Trying to formulate a plan while also not sure if I should tell anyone about Destiny left
me drawing a blank. “Who is working her case? Hope’s I mean?”
“Cobi Mayson. He’s over the entire investigation. He wasn’t there when Destiny was found, but he’s been kept abreast of
the situation,” she replied. “I’d like to do my walkthrough now. If that’s okay with you? Also, I need a list of people who live
here and a time I can schedule to meet with them along with any family you might have.”
I ran my hand over my hair and sucked air between my teeth. Fuck. Of course, she’d need to talk to everyone. “Landon is at
the shop. Our shop, Banks Automotive, and our younger brother is at Flame or school. Ireland is with her husband, hence why
Mack Jr. is with me.”
“I’ll need their phone numbers so we can speak.” Posey pulled out her notebook once more and grabbed her phone. The
idea of her walking through our place set me on edge. The itch between my shoulders to yell at her to leave everything alone
grated on my nerves. More than half of the stuff in this place belonged to our dead parents. Sure, we changed out some
furniture, but this was their home, just a different location.
As much as my dick was on board with fucking Posey, I needed her to leave.
Now.
I stared at Destiny, who continued to look at me with those wide eyes. This kid had been through the ringer, and she wasn’t
even a year old yet. The day of the raid, I’d had an uneasy feeling all morning. Something bad was going to happen. I couldn’t
shake it. It wasn’t anything like when Mack and Ireland worked together to take down Edgar. This was more of an irritant. Like
I couldn’t quite grasp what the problem was. The plan was simple. All the pieces were on the board and in place.
Until they weren’t.
When the raid happened, Pedro and Hope were already driving off, and a cop car was chasing after them. Cobi hadn’t told
us they’d gotten away until a couple of days later. The raid was a success. They shut down the remaining arms of the
organization and once they had Hope and Pedro in custody, they could close the case.
For months, they’d been on the run. I suspected they got “lost” on purposed, but finding out Hope and Pedro had been in
Nashville the whole time? My mind was reeling and the only person who could fit all the scattered pieces together was dead. I
still had time to tell Posey the truth. I could explain the situation to her and what? Put the kid into foster care? Perhaps, with the
resources from the state, she could find Hope’s family.
 Damn it.
I couldn’t do that to this baby. She deserved some normalcy. Explaining how Destiny came to be, to my family, would be a
whole other kettle of fish. Ireland wouldn’t want to leave well enough alone. She’d also ride my ass about having a kid with
someone, after preaching to Landon and Jackson about using protection, but also about not knowing Hope had been pregnant.
The worst part? I wouldn’t be able to tell Ireland the whole truth because of the ongoing investigation and the coming court
case.
Talk about completely fucked up.
When Posey came back to the living room, she had a list of things that needed to be fixed in the house. Destiny was
crawling now. I needed baby gates and all kinds of bullshit that added to my list of things to do. Just listening to her gave me a
headache, not to mention made my balls blue.
“Until everything is settled, I will check in with you periodically. Answer your phone, Mr. Banks.” She gave me a pointed
look.
Yep, it was inevitable. I was going to fuck that sass out of her and make her beg for more, even if I couldn’t stand her. “Not
a problem.” I forced a smile. “If you’ll tell me where her stuff is, I’ll grab it.”
“No, I’ll bring it in, Mr. Banks. You have two children under the age of one in your home. Your attention should be on
them.” She turned and went to the door. “I know this isn’t how you expected your day or your life to go, but those who play fast
and loose always end up getting caught.”
I stared after her. Bitch.
 Chapter 2

Posey

ell, that went lovely,” I grumbled under my breath before yanking open the door to my trusty and slightly rusty sedan.
“W As I got into my car, I glared up at the house where Hunter lived and where I’d just left Destiny. They had money. Had
to have to own the little hacienda in a quiet Murfreesboro neighborhood.
The reaction I had to Hunter was... Odd. The smug bastard behind that door irritated the fuck out of me and caused my
stomach to do a funny little flip when he opened the door. Get it together, girl. He’s the enemy. Plus, there was the fact he
pretended like he didn’t know where babies came from.
My reaction to him, both physically and mentally, gave me pause. I liked to give each parent or guardian the benefit of the
doubt when it came to their children. However, with Hunter Banks, I felt openly hostile toward him and did something I’d
never done in my life.
I assumed and cast judgment on him without even hearing his side of the story.
What happens when we assume, Posey? I’d made an ass of myself. The child I’d presumed was his turned out to be his
nephew. Hunter also seemed genuinely surprised to find out about Destiny. Because of the investigation, along with other
related cases to Pedro and Hope, Cobi was being tight-lipped about it all. Only that there was a case coming up within the
federal court and if I needed more information, I could attend the hearing.
I should’ve held my tongue with Hunter until I knew the full truth.
Instead, I went with my gut.
Now that I could breathe and feel like my insides were going to melt, or I’d ruin my panties being so close to Hunter, I
could think clearly. Which meant my actions just compounded the situation. Instead of compassion and understanding, I led with
disdain and self-righteous anger. I tapped into my abandonment issues and took them out on him.
What a nightmare. I blew an errant piece of hair out of my face because boy, did I make an ass out of myself with Hunter. I
was rude, condescending, and worst, I behaved like a jealous woman to boot.
Me.
Posey Roberts, who all my friends, which included two people, constantly told me how nice and sweet I was. Trust wasn’t
easy for me because of my background. Therapy was helping, but I also was aware I’d never be perfect. I’d also been called,
occasionally, a goodie-two-shoes in both high school and college. Hell, even around the office they called me a Rosey-Posey
behind my back. I didn’t take offense. I’d rather be an upbeat, considerate person than a miserable grump like Hunter.
Even if the rubble of my life lay at my feet.
Shit. I smacked my forehead in frustration. I did it again.
As a social worker, I’d seen some things in my time, and I always leaned toward non-judgmental, yet I treated Hunter like a
contemptuous bitch. I didn’t like the slimy feeling of guilt coating my skin.
For cripes' sake, I showed up out of the blue and informed him he was a dad. Oh, and by the way, here is your daughter. See
what happens when you don’t use a fucking condom, asshole? Followed by, see ya wouldn’t want to be ya. You can’t give us
back your kid. You better take care of her or else.
That would stress anyone out.
Smacking the steering wheel because of how arrogant I’d been, I realized above everything, I now owed him an apology.
Not this second, of course, because even though he seemed competent with his nephew, the cute little boy still had a mother
who’d relieve Hunter at some point.
No one was coming to take Destiny to give him a breather. From now on, he’d have his hands full.
Then there was the fact we hadn’t ended the introductions in the most pleasant of ways, either. Going back up onto his
porch and knocking on the door was tantamount to walking into a den of lions. Hunter would eat me alive. Not a bad way to
go. Be honest with yourself, girl. You want to ride that Viking God dick?
Instead of contemplating my inner hussy’s question, I started the car and hit the map button on my phone to load the
directions back to the office. Once my phone started talking to me, I pulled away from Hunter’s house. Work was still waiting
to be done at the office. I could wallow in self-pity later, after I followed up on my pending cases.
 I was halfway back to the office when my mind drifted back to Hunter.
Ugh.
Why did he have to be so gosh darn hot?
And tall.
Hunter had to be at least six foot three. Wouldn’t you know it, I had a thing for tall guys? Even if the few dates I’d been
lucky to have in my life were short compared to Hunter. He was also barrel chested and broad shouldered, filling up every
space he occupied to the point of suffocation.
No wonder why I couldn’t think around him.
At my five-foot-two stature, Hunter was a freaking giant. He towered over me. Mixed with the faux hawk he was sporting,
and the array of tattoos plastered all over his body, Hunter reminded me of one of those Viking Gods from the romance novels I
loved to read. Being able to visualize how the hero could loom over the heroine gave me more delicious visuals.
Obviously, I was a voracious reader, which meant I also had a lot of book boyfriends.
They were safe. They never told me I should not be eating the pasta I ordered for dinner. Or, better yet, I should’ve ordered
a salad instead. That had happened to me twice. The last time it happened, it was when I swore off dating. Men saw a slim
waist, big ass, and breasts, and thought somehow, I either waist trained, or I gained in the right spots. I was genetically blessed,
like some said I was or genetically cursed.
Both suited my love-hate relationship with my body.
I’d told Lucy, my best friend, I’d rather become the town’s cat lady, than deal with that bullshit of having my caloric intake
scrutinized again. Not that any of the guys I had ever dated were marriage material. More like they were something to do on the
weekend, so I didn’t feel alone in life.
Worst part, their personalities were so atrocious, I never had sex with them. Something I’d promise myself I’d do before I
turned thirty. No one liked a thirty-year-old virgin.
Hunter, on the other hand, had what Lucy called big dick energy.
And I’d have to agree.
Who knew the smell of motor oil, mixed with soap and whatever cologne Hunter wore, could be such a turn-on?
For sure, not me.
From our brief interaction, I could tell Hunter wasn’t a man to be poked or pushed. Even though I had done both. Secretly,
deep down, I enjoyed watching him clench his jaw. I wanted to lick the vein that visibly throbbed in the middle of his forehead.
Feel the tendril pulse against my tongue while easing his anger, even though I’d caused it.
What the hell? Where the hell had that thought come from?
I shook my head. I shouldn’t be fantasizing about my client. I had to remember he had a baby he didn’t know about, and I
treated him like a convicted felon. Which he wasn’t. Yet, even while I regarded him in such low esteem, Hunter never tried to
intimidate me, nor did he become physically violent with me.
It wouldn’t have been the first time someone attempted to assault me. As a social worker, I didn’t always get to see
everyone at their best. Yes, some people were just assholes, but occasionally they were down on their luck. I’d been called
some truly horrible names in the years I’ve worked at CPS. Yet, there were always the few who came back later as better
versions of themselves and apologized.
Those individuals were the ones I continued to fight for.
Why I got up every morning ready to conquer the day.
I did it for the kids. The ones who talked and the ones who were silenced or trying to find their voice once more. I fought
for them because every kid deserved to grow up in a safe and stable environment. Children shouldn’t have to worry about
when they’d get to eat next, or if they remembered to lock their bedroom door at night to keep out a predator. They sure as hell
didn’t need to wonder if they’d be sold by their mothers or fathers for a fix, either.
Having grown up within protective services, I could relate to my case kids better than anyone in the office. My boss knows
it too. It was part of the reason I’d been given some of the worst assignments within our division. Jenna and Darcy knew I’d
defend them.
The kids labeled as troubled were also assigned to me. Most times, the labeled kids didn’t give me any issues. They
recognized like for like rather quickly. I could hash out the same tired nonsense they could. The difference between us? I made
it out. I’d be their role model if they let me. However, I was only a guide. I could show them the right path to take. How to
harness their anger and resentment and do good in the world, but they had to make the conscious decision to do better. I
couldn’t decide for them.
While they worked on themselves, I moved mountains and cut through all the red tape to get those kids out of unsafe homes
and into good ones. Families that showed a history of abuse? I worked harder to remove them from the fostering system and
made sure they’d never abuse another child. If that meant getting the police involved, so be it. I still had a long way to go,
because I couldn’t weed them all out or help every kid, but I was determined to not go down without a fight.
Which brought me back to Hunter and Destiny.
 Ugh. I’d been such an asshole to Hunter. My tone always set the meetings with parents and for some reason, when I looked
at the wet dream/God-like cover model come to life, I couldn’t hold my tongue. I lashed out at him like defensive parents did to
me when I knocked on their door.
You need to apologize to him, Posey. It’s the right thing to do.
I knew deep down Destiny was safe with her father. He was one of the good ones. He had a family he loved and supported.
During my quick walked through, I’d spotted family pictures on every wall. All their smiling faces expressed their love and
happiness. Even the small memorial of his parents, tucked away at the corner of the long hallway, showed better times among
the bitterness of loss.
Hunter Banks had known what it felt like to lose his parents. In his grief, he’d stepped in and taken care of the younger
siblings when he could’ve washed his hands and walked away. That strength and dedication shone brightly in a red-headed
boy’s graduation photos. He was an admirable man. Those pictures should’ve told me everything I needed to know about
Hunter.
Still, I’d been a dick to him.
Destiny was safe, and Hunter had a support system behind him. She would grow up with at least one cousin, no doubt more.
The lack of food, and the horrible neglect she experienced for one so young, wouldn’t even be a memory. I was grateful for
that. Content even.
With her father’s love and care, Destiny would never know what other kids in foster care could experience.
Even if her dad was a giant dick.
A hot, giant dick.
A giant dick I’d like to climb if the opportunity ever presented itself.
I snorted.
What a pipe dream. I need to pull my head out of the clouds and focus on reality. At least during the day.
Tonight was a different story. When I laid in bed, after reading my latest book, I wouldn’t be dreaming of some faceless
man anymore. They’d be the non-asshole version of Hunter Banks.
I clenched my thighs, trying to relieve the aching arousal building in the pit of my stomach. When I saw Hunter again in two
weeks, when I did my follow-up visit, I’d apologize for how I acted. Then I’d be the best version of myself, because Destiny
deserved that much.
My phone rang as I exited the freeway and Darcy’s photo filled the screen. Since I was waiting for the exit light to change, I
swiped my finger across the screen and hit the speaker button. “Hey, Darcy.”
My relationship was unique with Darcy while at work. When we stepped through those doors and clocked in, we were
supervisor and case worker. I appreciated her not babying me. Although Darcy has never shown me favoritism, and never
would, this job wasn’t easy. If I had my co-workers at my throat, while trying to deal with irate parents, I’d never survive.
Like with every other call we had to discuss business, my adoptive mom and boss cut through the formalities and got
straight to the point. “Destiny arrived safely at her father’s?”
“Yup,” I replied, still debating if I should tell her about the visit or if I should keep it to myself. Knowing Darcy, she’d most
likely ask me questions I wasn’t prepared to answer.
“Any problems?”
Obviously, Darcy was also a mind reader.
Damn it.
Other than I’d like to climb Destiny’s dad like a tree while berating him for not knowing about his daughter? Absolutely
not. I cleared my suddenly dry throat and croaked out, “No. Everything went well. I did a quick home inspection, got a list of
names of who lives there, and will follow up with another visit in two weeks.” How I’d been able to say everything with a
straight face, I couldn’t say. “However, he seemed taken aback. We might want to schedule a DNA test to prove he’s the dad.
He didn’t know the mother was pregnant.”
“Did he say he wasn’t?”
I thought about my interaction with Hunter, and realized he never said either way. It was almost like he accepted everything
I threw at him as truth and didn’t bother to question me. “No, he didn’t. It was how he worded some things. Like he referred to
Destiny as Hope’s baby. After I told him Hope had passed away, he admitted he was Destiny’s father. It was just an odd
interaction.”
That was an understatement.
“Chances are he was in shock, Posey. It can take a while to process the fact a man has a child, and the mother of the child is
dead.” There wasn’t an ounce of censure in Darcy’s voice. “Was this the first time you had to inform a new parent the mother
or father of the child was deceased?”
I shook my head, then remembered Darcy couldn’t see me. “I did it one other time. I was so nervous, I couldn’t tell you
how anything went down.”
“It’s never easy to relay the information. Even if the parents are no longer together. At one point, they had a relationship,
otherwise there wouldn’t be a child. Even if they broke up, the parent left behind can never receive any type of closure. Mr.
Banks will never know why Hope kept silent about his daughter. Combined with her death, and that he’s now responsible for a
baby on his own... It’s a lot to take in.”
Ugh...
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear Darcy somehow knew about the contemptuous meeting between me and Hunter—er—Mr.
Banks. I needed to keep things purely professional with him. Referring to him by a formal name would be the start.
The guilt from earlier reared its ugly head again. My gut turned with nausea as I turned the corner. Darcy was right. I’d laid
a lot of information at Mr. Bank’s feet in a short time. Everyone handled grief differently.
I had no clue what to say, so I finally uttered, “It is.”
“Are you on the way back to the office?”
I never felt more grateful for a topic change than now. “Yes, ma’am. I’m about ten or fifteen minutes out.”
“Good. We just got another case and I know you’re currently at your max in cases, but considering this handoff with Destiny
went so well, I’d like you to take this one if you’re comfortable with your caseload.”
I couldn’t help myself. I smiled. Another reason I respected Darcy as a boss. She never demanded any of us to take any
case. She asked and always gave us an out if we choose not to take the assignment. I also knew Darcy was methodical in how
she reviewed a case and assigned them to us. Her reasons were always the correct ones.
Our caseloads would always be heavy. It was the nature of the beast, unfortunately. Destiny was in the best hands and at the
right house. If I took the case Darcy had for me, I didn’t believe it would interfere with anything involving the Banks family.
“I’ll take it,” I said.
Darcy gave me some background on the family, then said she would explain the rest when I got to the office. Once I ended
the call, I made a quick stop at the local convenience store for gas. I had a feeling I’d be burning the midnight oil, and I didn’t
want to worry about getting it when it was late.
Single girl problems for the win!
Of course, while I was there, I couldn’t resist running in to get my favorite brand of soda to have with my lunch. At least
that was my excuse when I came out with not one but two of the red-labeled drink. My only defense was they were on sale, and
I’d need a caffeine boost for sure.
Boy, was that an understatement. By the time I returned to the office, Darcy handed off the case, and I hit the ground running.
I ate my meager lunch in the car while reading over the file, then went into the courthouse to petition the court on the child’s
behalf as their new caseworker, since the family had been in the system with a different worker a year ago.
Then I had to meet the child. It was never fun for me to visit a school. One, parents who were there sometimes got paranoid
and two, the children were often afraid of me, especially if they knew I was there for them. The child in question this time was
a fourteen-year-old girl. After reading over her case, I knew who did most of the abuse, and I understood before I left the
guidance office what I had to do.
Remove the child, even if the child had run away from home.
Which also meant stopping by the police department to have an arrest warrant placed on the father for sexual and physical
abuse of a minor and one for the mother for allowing the father to hurt her child. These two pieces of shit made all the other
parents look like spun gold, as far as I was concerned.
By the time I pulled into my apartment complex, it was a little after midnight, and I was beat.
Bright lights peppered through the windows around the buildings, as people were in various stages of their nights. I
yawned, not fighting it. I was dog-tired, but I took a moment or two to go over my hectic afternoon in my mind.
Luna hadn’t come to school that morning. It was happenstance a police officer saw her walking the streets when she should
have been in class. He brought her back as a truancy, and that’s when everything came out. The machinations of her case
weren’t usual, and it didn’t stop me from talking to the scared girl the entire time she was in my presence. Nor had the way they
had found her, either.
When police ran her prints and name through the system, they got an immediate hit. I’d only been brought in when the police
found the recently closed CPS case. When I arrived, she sat huddled in the room's corner, keeping her back to the wall and her
eyes on both doors. The defensive pose hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks. This little girl was afraid of everything, and she
had a right to be.
I didn’t fault the other worker for closing the case so quickly. How could I? The parents said all the right things. Now we
knew it was all a façade.
Because of the seriousness of Luna’s situation, she and any siblings she had would become wards of the Juvenile Court of
Tennessee. After securing a spot for her and her siblings in a house where she’d be safe, I grabbed them some clothes and
groceries for the family where they’d be staying.
The memory of her fearful voice and tear-streaked cheeks would haunt me forever. “You’re just going to drop me here and
make me someone else’s problem.”
“I’m not. I’ll be back to see you tomorrow morning around ten.” I’d already marked the time in my calendar and planned
a meeting with Jacki, the woman who ran the foster house. But saying as much to a frightened girl while she tried to protect her
siblings didn’t count for much. I had to show her every day I was in her corner, no matter what.
One of my neighbor’s dogs barking pulled me back to the here and now. I yawned again and got my bag together and got out
of my car. Once I locked up my car, I walked toward the building to the right, heading up three flights of stairs to my apartment
on the left.
My place wasn’t overly big. A large bedroom, one bathroom with a small kitchen, and a living room. I’d learned over the
years, out of habit, before I met Darcy, to keep my belongings simple and easy to pack. I didn’t even own physical books, just a
tablet to read them on.
Dropping my keys on the table by the door, I took my lunch bag to the kitchen. I was tired and hungry, but I was also kind of
cheap. I rarely ordered takeout, preferring to either make dinner at home or eat leftovers. Right now, I was too tired and didn’t
care. I’d eat in the morning.
Closing my bedroom door behind me, I started stripping off my clothes for a shower. It might seem weird to some, but after
going so long in life without being able to take a bath, I took two a day—a luxury to any of the kids in the system.
Once steam flowed out of the shower, I pinned my curly hair up in a bun and stepped into the spray. A long, tired moan
escaped me as the muscles in my shoulders relaxed. Using my favorite scented soap, I thoroughly washed my body, moaning
when the washcloth brushed across my nipples. I blamed the excess arousal from meeting Hunter for the cause of my
sensitivity.
Growing up, privacy was a privilege. I was in a group home or one of the many houses where I didn’t feel a hundred
percent comfortable enough to explore my body. Thanks to my stint of being in group homes, I’d heard about the sexual assault
that occurred with both the boys and girls. I was one of the lucky ones.
Yet the stunted growth had followed me through my life. I never fully felt comfortable in my skin, nor able to relax enough
to enjoy a little quality time with myself. At the ripe old age of 28, I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing orgasm. Like
ever. I was a walking cliché. The girl most readers complained about, while I sought solace in those women, knowing I wasn’t
alone.
Out of desperation, because I didn’t like the stigma attached to not being able to pleasure myself, I bought a vibrator, or
four. Yet, I could never make myself come. Even after several attempts. After a while, I just kind of gave up.
So, the fact my nipples were sensitive had been a shocking revelation.
Could it be I just didn’t have the correct stimulation or motivation?
I wondered, not for the first time today, how Hunter would kiss me. How’d it feels to be naked in his arms, with his body
pressed to mine?
I shuddered as intense pleasure washed over me. My clit throbbed in need. Who knew, maybe with Hunter in my thoughts,
maybe I could finally achieve a climax. Then I groaned. Using him as spank bank material would make it uncomfortable for me
to look him in the eye the next time, I saw him. Chiding myself for being stupid, I finished my shower, then got out.
Tonight, was going to be a long night. No matter how much I tried not to think about Hunter or how he made me feel, he was
at the forefront of my mind, invading my thoughts. Damn it, why did I have to meet you now?
 Chapter 3

Hunter

“H unter...” I closed my eyes, knowing just what she saw the minute she stepped into Mack Jr.’s room, aka Ireland’s old
bedroom. “What’s going on?”
“Can you be more specific?” I tilted my head, hoping not to engage in a round of twenty questions—Ireland’s
favorite game.
She squinted her eyes and pursed her lips, pointing right at me while Mack Jr. gurgled and cooed in her arms. His hair was
all askew from his hardcore nap. He even had a little sheet wrinkle mark on his cheek where he’d faced planted in his portable
crib. “Don’t you dare gaslight me, Hunter Banks. I know what I saw in there.”
I exhaled, running my fingers through my hair. “It’s best you don’t know for now.” When she opened her mouth, I held up my
hand. “So much has happened over the last few months that I can’t talk about.”
“Does this have anything to do with where you were slinking off to—” She frowned. “Of course, it does. That little girl
can’t be much older than Mack Jr. Where’s her mother, Hunter?”
I gritted my teeth. Why did I think any of this would be simple? Why did I believe I could go undercover, help Cobi, and
come out the other side without being tagged by something else? “Ireland, I wish I could explain everything, but I can’t right
now. All you need to know is Destiny’s my daughter, and I’m taking responsibility for my indiscretions.”
“Your daughter?” She jerked, her expression going from angry to disbelief in a blink. Ireland shook her head. “No. No way.
I’d know if you got some girl pregnant, Hunter. We all would.”
“Would you though? You don’t live here now. Jackson is at work or school or even with Waverly, more than he’s home. I
could say the same for Landon. How do you know I didn’t fuck out my frustrations one night and forgot to wrap up my dick?” I
hated being dishonest with my family. We didn’t lie to each other. But in order for Destiny to stay safe and for no one from the
auction to find out about her, I had to tell this lie.
“Because you never forget,” she answered, her tone tinged in disappointment. “Not even in the heat of the moment. Or did
you forget we talk about all that shit? Or that I’d forget how many times you’ve told Jackson to keep condoms on him, so he
doesn’t do something stupid to ruin his life. You’re going to tell me you played the hypocrite card and jizzed in a woman’s
pussy because, frustration?”
In a word, yes. I did. If that nosy damn caseworker came back to this house and we weren’t all on the same page,
everything Cobi and I worked so hard on would come undone. It would put a little girl on the radar of some bad people, and I
couldn’t have her death or kidnapping on my conscious. It was better this way. For all of us. “Yes. It happened. I was drunk,
okay? I was really into her and jealous of you and Mack. I did something stupid and now I’m paying the consequences for my
actions. Call it my FAFO moment.”
Fuck Around and Find Out, indeed.
“I don’t believe you,” Ireland snapped. “There’s something else going on.”
“Like what?” I prodded, needing to know how close she might be to the truth.
“I’m still trying to put the pieces together to see the picture clearly,” she snapped, her gaze not leaving mine. “I can’t
believe you’d just ejaculate in some woman’s vagina and walk away. That’s not the big brother I’ve known all my life.”
Well, it was the big brother I had to become to keep Destiny safe. Which reminded me, if Mack Jr. was awake, Little Miss
would be too soon. “I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you, Ire. I really am. But Destiny is here now and I’m going to do my very
best to make sure she’s taken care of and loved.” I didn’t have to lie about that. Once that caseworker lady left, I stared at
Destiny and made Hope a promise. Her daughter would want for nothing in her life. I’d do my level best to give her everything
she’d ever wanted.
“But where’s her mother, asshole?” The exasperated way she sighed slid down my spine like disgusting black tar, covering
me in her disappointment. Why the fuck couldn’t Miss Roberts show up any other fucking time and not when I’d been
babysitting Mack? I couldn’t even come up with a plausible story to tell everyone before they started showing up.
“I don’t know,” I forced out between clenched teeth. “A nosey fucking social worker dropped her off. Bitch thought Mack
Jr. was my son, too.”
 There, direct the attention away from me and back onto someone else, like Posey fucking Roberts.
“What?” Again, I knocked Ireland speechless. At least for now, I was keeping her off balance. Given enough time, she’d
start digging. When she did, this whole thing would blow up in my face. I just had to hope the trials came and went with no one
getting off on a technicality. “What do you mean you don’t know where her mother is? Or the state doesn’t? How is...” She
licked her lips, shaking her head. “This isn’t adding up, Hunter. Are you sure Destiny’s yours?”
“Yeah, Ire. She’s mine. I fucked up, okay? I did something stupid and now I’m paying for the consequences of my actions. I
don’t know what happened to her mother, but she put me down as the dad and the crazy fucking caseworker brought her here.”
Then she tempted me with all her lush fucking curves and caustic tongue. I wanted to bend her over the couch and fuck the sass
out of her. Learn if she was a screamer or if she was shy and would whimper for me. I yearned to see her on her knees, staring
up at me while I fucked my cock between her pouty lips and down her tight little throat. Fuck! I needed to stop. My dick
twitched to life, pressing against the fly of my jeans painfully.
Still, as I told myself to think of Posey Roberts as the enemy, I couldn’t. She was a perfect fit for me. If I didn’t get my
thoughts under control, I was going to slip and blab everything, destroying Cobi and the government’s case against the rest of
Edgar’s men. Hope named me as Destiny’s father for a reason. Whatever caused her to choose me, I couldn’t let her down.
“This is ridiculous, Hunter.” Ireland placed her hand on my chest, and I hated the connection we had. Surely, she felt the
rapid beat of my heart. The way my breath came in soft pants. She was like a human lie detector. “I’m going to regret this
because I know you’re not telling me everything.” Her tone was droll, lacking any emotion. “What do you need me to do to
help you?”
I exhaled an unsteady gust of air. “She’s going to call you Ireland. She made me give her everyone’s phone number. Just...”
Why was this so fucking hard? “Tell her I’ll be a wonderful dad. That I’m not some piece of shit off the streets.”
Ireland chuckled and not in a funny, ha-ha way either, as she hoisted Mack Jr. into her arms. “I don’t know, big bro, right
about now, you look like a piece of shit.” She ran her tongue over her teeth. “I didn’t think I’d ever have to use my three-strike
rule on my brothers until now. This is your first strike, Hunter. Don’t make me get to three.”
Ireland and her fucking three-strike rule. “It’s not like that.”
“There’s something else at play here. What it is or why you won’t let me in is your first strike. You can’t expect me to just
buy this shitshow as truth, big bro. However, you have always been in my corner, even when you got pissed off at me. So, I can
do this for you.” She glanced up at me with fire in her emerald eyes. “But don’t think this is over. I know you, Hunter. I know
when you’re not being honest and when you’re hiding something big. You’re doing both right now, with me. Don’t worry,
though, I’ll figure this shit out and when I do...” She sighed. The dark sound filled with reckoning and venom. “Your ass is
grass and I’m going to be the fucking lawn mower.”
Destiny’s soft whimper drew Ireland’s attention from me. She shoved Mack Jr. back into my arms and stalked off down the
hall. “Ire?”
“Don’t use my nickname, Hunter. If this is how it’s going to be, then I should get to know my niece.”
I glanced at Mack Jr. who stared at me with the brightest hazel eyes, more green than blue as he grinned. The little shit
knew his momma was raking my ass over the coals. “Fine. I agree. She’s in our lives permanently now. She should know
everyone.”
Ireland returned with a fussy Destiny and everything Posey said came back to me. “I need to make her a bottle. Probably
need a better schedule, too.” Most of what I was mutterings to myself. I couldn’t imagine how underweight the little girl was,
but she didn’t look six months old.
“How old is she?” Ireland followed Mack Jr. and me into the kitchen. “She feels light too.”
I really didn’t want to have this part of the conversation, either. “Miss Roberts said she’s six months old and her mother
wasn’t taking very good care of her. Said all her formula cans were empty and there was drug paraphernalia too.”
Ireland hissed. “You don’t sleep with crack whores, Hunter.”
“You’re right. I don’t. Miss Roberts did a blood test on Destiny while she was in the state’s custody. She’s not withdrawing
or anything, so that’s good.” Probably meant Pedro was the drug user and tried to get Hope to do them too while they were on
the run. Still made little sense why Hope and Pedro stuck around for so long. They could have gone anywhere. Since they were
now dead, that was another question none of us would know the answer to now, unfortunately.
“Do you not trust me?”
Ireland’s words were so soft, I barely heard them. It had nothing to do with trust and everything to do with the ongoing
investigation and the subsequent trial. I wouldn’t do anything to fuck this up for the feds or the state. “No, sis. It’s not that. I
wish I could tell you everything that’s happened in the last eighteen months or so. But I can’t. When the time is right, though, I
will.” I switched kids with her, Destiny into my arms and Mack Jr. into hers. “She wasn’t a mistake, Ireland. Okay? I’m going
to do right by Destiny. Give her the life her mother wanted her to have.”
“You’re saying things I can’t decipher,” she muttered, rubbing Mack Jr.’s back.
“I know.” Cradling Destiny to me, I gave her the bottle I’d made for her. “I’ll explain when I can, but not now.” Maybe not
for a while.
 She gave me a fleeting look before sighing loudly. “I need to get going. Are you sure you’re going to be okay by yourself
with her?”
I snorted. “Helped raise all of you, didn’t I?” I quirked a brow. “I’ve got this, Ireland. Slow and steady wins the race.”
Once more, she stared at Destiny before nodding. “Call me if you need something. I don’t care what time it is.”
“Risk Mack’s fury? No thanks. We’ll be just fine.” I grinned down at Destiny, who watched me with these incredible topaz
eyes. In the mid-afternoon sun, they were glittering flakes of gold.
I walked Ireland out, then sat on the couch to finish feeding Destiny. Sleeping in a playpen wasn’t the way to go, so I knew
I’d have to do a little shopping for supplies. Thankfully, Posey brought a car seat for me. Wouldn’t be much to carry her around
the store if I had to. “Well, kid. It’s just you and me.”
The next week went by faster than I’d been prepared for. I had the Maverick street legal, so I didn’t have to use my
motorcycle for the time being. The routine I’d been afraid wouldn’t come together quickly had, and by Friday, Destiny’s first
doctor’s appointment, she’d already gained a pound and eight ounces. Perfect progression for a malnourished baby.
However, Ireland hadn’t relented. If she didn’t slow her roll, she was going to end up drawing way too much attention to
me and on Destiny. So, I did the only thing I knew to do in a situation like this. I went to see Mack. Of all our family members,
he’d know what to do and would help keep Ireland off my ass. It was bad enough Posey was supposed to return in a few days
to do another checkup and to talk with anyone who might be home.
I strode through Flame with Destiny on my chest in a wrench-buddy carrier—I absolutely refused to call them slings or
snugglies or whatever the fuck Ireland said they were. I raised Destiny’s sunglasses off her eyes and fixed them on the top of
her head, then did the same for myself.
“Mr. Banks,” Mindy, I thought her name was, said with a smile. “Mr. Redman will be with you in a second. He said he has
a table prepared for you and your little guest.” She ran the pad of her index finger over Destiny’s fist and grinned.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” The praise was odd to me. Here I was, pretending to be the father of a baby who didn’t belong to me, but
needed me.
It was awkward.
“I kind of see the resemblance.” Mindy motioned to the table with the highchair already set in place. “Your server will be
with you shortly. Do you have a bottle or anything you need warmed up for your daughter?”
Was I supposed to? I’d fed Destiny before we left the house and changed her diaper. About the only thing I’d been prepared
for was a shitty diaper, not meal prep. “We’re good. I took care of all that before we left the house.”
“Great. We have crunchy bread sticks if she needs anything to chew on,” Mindy added. “My litter sister was a terror at this
age. Always teething. Always crying. Ear infections while teething? The worst.” She rolled her eyes and made a sour face.
Hadn’t thought about that. Destiny came fully equipped with four teeth. Two on top and two on the bottom. I didn’t notice
any others, but now that Mindy mentioned it, Destiny’s diapers were a little on the loose side. “It’s been a long time since I’ve
been around a baby. It’s a lot like riding a bike. Once you start moving, your memory kicks in and everything is instinct.”
Except when it came to teeth. Mom and Dad worried about that aspect. Not me.
Mindy laughed. “If you need a babysitter or anything,” she handed me a slip of paper. “My weekends are free. I’m usually
at the community college during the week until three and here by five. Unless I don’t have school.”
I glanced down at her swirly script and grinned. “I appreciate you, Mindy. If I find myself in need of a babysitter, you’ll be
the first I call.”
“Perfect.” She beamed. “Mack’s on his way, so I’ll get out of your hair. It was a pleasure meeting your daughter. Have a
pleasant lunch.”
When Mack joined me, I put Destiny in the highchair then placed a few of her toys Ireland insisted her niece have. The
waiter took our order and when he left, I folded my hands on the table. “I need your help. Of all the people who’ll understand
where I am in all this, it’s you.”
Mack quirked his features in a way, any other time I would have laughed. “That doesn’t sound ominous. What’s going on?”
The only reason I sat there with Mack was because of everyone, Mack knew Cobi and the Mayson’s the best. He also
wouldn’t go blabbing everything to anyone who’d listen. “I went undercover with Cobi while you and Ireland were on your
honeymoon.”
“Are you fucking with me right now?” The look of stunned disbelief etched into his features, causing my stomach to turn as
he leaned in. “How the fuck did that go down?”
“I probably shouldn’t be telling you any of this,” I hissed. “But the whole fencing operation wasn’t dismantled after Edgar
got picked up.”
Mack’s shoulders sagged. His features were taut with understanding and irritation. “I should have known it wouldn’t be as
easy as any of us thought. What do I need to do to protect Ireland?”
I pulled a face before taking a sip of my sweet tea. No beers for me while my ladybug was in the car with me. “I already
took care of everything.” I told him about Cobi’s plan and the feds helping. Then I told him about Destiny’s mother Hope and
her bastard of a father, Pedro. I was saying too much, but if I didn’t tell Mack the whole truth, he’d never help me out. “I didn’t
even know she was pregnant when all this shit went south. They fled. I half expected them to go to Mexico or New York, not
stick around here.”
“That car crash,” Mack snapped, keeping his tone low, so no one overheard us. “That was them?”
I nodded. “I’m telling you all this because Ireland is asking too many fucking questions.”
Mack grunted. “Of course, she is. Her natural curiosity has gotten her into trouble more often than not.”
Didn’t I know it? “I can’t keep having her ask me questions. Sooner rather than later, the wrong person is going to be there
at the right time and overhear us arguing about Destiny.”
Mack sighed. “That’s quite the dilemma. I’ll talk to her. In the meantime, what are you going to do about this precious little
girl?” My brother-in-law grinned at the gorgeous mini version of her mother, who was currently slapping her breadsticks on the
tray of her chair.
“Keep her,” I replied. “I won’t let anyone hurt her. She’s already been through so much in her short life.”
Mack pursed his lips. “In my line of work, I meet all kinds of people every day. I know a guy who’s a PI. I could get you
his number. Maybe he can help you find Hope’s family for Destiny.”
The offer didn’t sound half bad. Although I didn’t like the idea of Destiny being taken from me, either. “I only meant for you
to help me keep Ireland from getting too close.”
“I know,” Mack said. His gaze softened as he looked from Destiny to me. “She’s a cute kid, Hunter, but you’re being pulled
in too deep. Destiny should be with her family.”
I agreed. “You’re right. All of this would be so much easier if I could give her to Hope’s grandmother.” I might not know
her, but she was the closest relation I would trust with Destiny. Even though Hope never told me why she left her family, I got
the idea if there was anyone she trusted as much as me, it was her grandparents. “Then I could stop lying to my family.”
“Amen to that,” Mack muttered.
“Let’s do this on the sly. I don’t want to alert Destiny’s social worker or the state. Nor do I want anyone who could
jeopardize the case to find out, either. Until we’re sure about Hope’s family, the truth stays between us.” It was bad enough
Posey would eventually find out I lied when I accepted Destiny into my home without so much of a paternity test.
“Get a paternity test too,” Mack said, as if reading my mind. “You already know the outcome, but having the results in black
and white will also remove your name quicker from the birth certificate.”
Even though he said the words I needed to hear, it didn’t make the idea of giving up Destiny easy. There was a raw spot in
the center of my chest that ached at the knowledge of Hope dying so young and so needlessly. She gave me her daughter for a
reason because she knew I could protect her. Giving her up made the raw spot bigger. “I’ll text you a copy of Destiny’s birth
certificate to give your friend, and the last place I knew Pedro and Hope had been before they came to Nashville.”
“That’s a good start.” Mack placed his napkin on his now empty lunch plate. “I have to get back to work. I’ll talk to Ireland.
But I’m warning you, this could go one of two ways. Either she’ll listen to me and understand more is going on than can be
said, or she’ll be a squirrel looking for her nuts.”
Fuck me. Ireland’s tenacity was legendary. She could squeeze blood from a turnip, given half the chance. It was why I
needed Mack’s help. “Well, do what you can. Whatever comes next, I’ll have to face it. I just wanted a little more time.”
After changing Destiny’s diaper, we headed back to the house for the rest of the day. Mack’s offer played over in my mind
while I watched brain numbing television with Destiny before she went to sleep. Mack’s plan was solid. I should have thought
of doing the same thing since day one, but I also had a soft spot for women in distress. I guess the same could be said about
babies, too.
By the following Wednesday, I still hadn’t heard a word from Mack, and I was worried. Regrettably, I couldn’t continue to
dwell on the situation. Posey was on her way to the house for our two o’clock appointment. Landon was at the shop with
Ireland while Jackson was at work. I wished she would have done the courteous thing, which was choosing a time more
convenient for everyone else.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the luxury of being able to request such things. When the knock came at the door, I went to open
it, ready to face Posey’s wrath once more. The second I opened the door, the air rushed from my lungs, and my dick went from
soft to mach Jesus hard in less than a second. Posey was fine as hell. She wore frumpy clothes for someone her age. Though I
suppose she kind of had to, since she worked with kids.
Nothing like some kid puking on a three-hundred-dollar dress. Mack Jr. had already done that to Ireland. All down her back
and some in her hair. The memory knocked away some of the irritation surrounding me. “Good afternoon, Miss Roberts.”
She gave me a once over with her heated gaze as she tucked her notebook close to her chest. Yeah, I bet she did that in high
school, too. Shy, quiet girl, catching glances of the popular guy. Probably a quarterback or something equally as preppy.
Jealousy reared its evil head as I scowled at the thought of her looking at anyone other than me. “Mr. Banks. I trust since the
last time we talked, you’ve made proper living arrangements for Destiny.”
Goddamn, she had a whippish tongue. She could flay me open without even trying. “I have. If you’ll come this way, I’ll
show you to her room.”
 Her gaze burned a hole through my back as we climbed the stairs to the second floor. Goosebumps formed on my skin as
my balls drew up in anticipation. I’d experienced eye fuckings before, but this... She was so fucking sweet. Innocent if I had to
venture a guess. “I’d like to schedule another drug test, just to be sure there isn’t anything we missed the day I picked Destiny
up from the hospital. Things were chaotic, and I’m very protective of kids.”
I pushed open the door to Destiny’s new nursery. I’d spent some money, but in the end, it was worth it. This was her room,
and she needed something comforting after everything she’d been through. There were toy shelves and a glider. Books and a
soft rug. Her crib was one of those convertible ones that made a twin to double bed conversion. On the walls were photos of
my family and a couple of cartoon stickers. “As you can see, I’ve done tons of work since you were last here. I also agree with
you about the blood test. I’ve worried about the same too.” Then I hurried to add, “not that I’ve seen anything out of the
ordinary, but I can’t stop thinking about the way you found her.”
“Hope’s autopsy said a lot of nothing.” The disappointment in Posey’s tone shocked me. “Not that I was hoping to find
anything significant. Other than she was a few weeks pregnant at the time of the accident.”
My gut twisted. Damn it, Hope. What the fuck were you thinking? “You were assuming because of the scene?” I shook my
head. “Hope wasn’t like that. At least when I knew her. She didn’t drink. Didn’t even smoke. She was super sweet and wanted
to be cared for.”
“I suppose we all failed her then, didn’t we, Mr. Banks?”
Ouch. My feelings.
Nevertheless, Posey said exactly what I was feeling. Guilty because I couldn’t save her, though I tried. I’d been a de facto
therapist for Hope. I’d even pleaded with her to leave with me, but she chose the life over stability. “You can say that again.”
The second I felt Destiny go limp in my arms, I put her down into her crib and stepped back. “For what it’s worth, had we all
met under different circumstances, I don’t think Destiny would have been on your radar.”
“Maybe.” Posey murmured. “I know I came at a bad time. So, if you don’t mind, I thought I could stop at the auto shop and
talk to your siblings there.”
“That’s fine.” I shrugged, trying to control my raging libido. “What else do you need to see?”
“I thought we could talk about your plan. Goals you want to accomplish with Destiny.” She followed me out of the room,
then back down the steps to the living room.
“I haven’t given those much thought.” I turned on the monitor next to the couch and sighed as I sat back. “I’m still trying to
get my feet under me. I found a babysitter, though. She’s a good kid. Works for Mack Redman at Flame. Her name is Mindy,
and Mack will vouch for her.”
Posey nodded as she made a series of notes. “How are Destiny’s sleeping patterns?”
Fuck if I knew. She slept when she was tired. Ate when she was hunger, and pissed, and shit on schedule too. As far as I
could tell, the little girl was right on track. But something told me that wasn’t the question Posey was asking. She wanted to
know if Destiny exhibited signs of having nightmares. Is it possible for babies to dream about bad shit if they didn’t
understand what happened?
“They’re good. She naps two or three times during the day, but her pediatrician said because of the trauma and
malnourishment that was to be expected, for now. She has put on almost two pounds in a short amount of time. I think she’s
happy, too.” I frowned. “She also teething again, I think. It’s been a while since I’ve been around a baby full time.”
Posey laughed. The melodic sound went straight to my chest, mule kicking me with pleasure. I coveted hearing her joy.
“She is almost seven months now. Cutting teeth is a never-ending cycle from now until she turns three.”
“Happy days,” I mumbled.
A knowing smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Are there any concerns you have about her health or anything you
might have noticed since Destiny has been with you?”
I shook my head. Unlike last time, the superiority complex little Miss Social Worker displayed wasn’t there. It was almost
like she flipped a switch and was willing to help me. I’d have to keep a vigil over her.
“Then I think we’re almost done until the next time we meet.” Posey stood then and started for the door before she spun,
almost smacking into my chest.
Instinctively, I braced her, holding her shoulders so she didn’t face plant. Didn’t need her trying to sue for insurance money.
The second my fingertips grazed her soft tanned skin, electricity skirted up my arm and settled over my heart. A soft gasp fell
from her lips as she stared up at me, shocked like I was that I touched her and hadn’t let go.
“You, okay?”
She nodded. “Yes. I meant to apologize for our brisk first meeting. I may have made some assumptions and treated you
unfairly. I can see now you meant every word you said. This is my mea culpa to you.”
“I appreciate you—” My phone rang, cutting off the rest of my sentence. Holding up a finger, I answered the call, seeing
Mack’s name on the screen. Perhaps he had the information I needed. “Hey, Mack. Good to hear from you. Posey is here now
and she—”
“Have you turned on the television yet today?” Mack’s question made little sense. I never watched TV during the day
unless something tragic happened.
“No,” I said, furrowing my brows. “Why?”
“Turn on the news,” Mack said. “Now.”
Posey’s body language flipped the second my shoulders sagged. She followed me back into the living room, where I did as
Mack asked and turned on the flat screen. “Holy fuck.” There in fifty-five inches, 5HD quality picture was a scene outside the
hospital where Waverly worked, and a ticker tape ran across the screen with the newest update. “Oh, shit.”
“Waverly’s inside, Hunter. Everything is so fucked up. We’re taking Jackson over there. You should be there too. We’re
family now.” Mack’s tone was hollow, filled with such deep emotion, my stomach became a giant knot of anxiety. “I’ll let Cobi
and Franks know you’re on the way.”
“Yeah, sure man. Of course. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I ended the call, dropping onto the couch as the reporter
described what happened inside the hospital the night before. A father had taken the whole Labor and Delivery floor hostage
after his wife tragically passed away in an accident. “Posey... Miss Roberts, can I ask you for a favor?”
“Anything,” she said, concern filling her tone. “Would I be right to assume someone important works in that hospital?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. “Yeah, Mack’s little sister. My sister-in-law. Fuck...” I ran my hand over my hair. “I have to
get to my family, but I don’t think taking Destiny with me is a good idea. Can you stay here and watch her for me? I know this
doesn’t look good right now, but I can’t—”
Posey held up her hand. “Yes, you don’t have to ask. I’ll stay and help with Destiny. Your family is important to you,
Hunter. Will your sister need someone to watch over her son as well?”
Fuck. Mack Jr. “Yes, she will. I don’t want to burden you with our issues right now.”
She waved me off. “You go help your family. I can be here today for you.” She picked up my phone, then asked me to
unlock it for her. When I did, she put her number into my device and added it to speed dial. “Keep me in the loop. We’ll be fine
here.”
Thank fuck. Because I didn’t think my family ever would be the same after this.
 Chapter 4

Posey

t should feel uncomfortable being in Hunter’s home, right?

I Or, well, being left alone in a man’s house I barely know, while babysitting his newly found daughter. Particularly when
the man in question has been popping in and out of my head all day, every day, for the last two weeks.
Most notably at night.
Hunter Banks has been the leading man in every single one of my sexual fantasies. My explicit dirty dreams. Leading me to
wake up, wet, achy, and panting with need.
To the point, several of those mornings, I went searching for those long-discarded vibrators I’d thrown haphazardly into my
dresser drawers, hoping to find some kind of relief. It should’ve been weird, right? Fantasizing about a client I hardly knew.
But it wasn’t.
Hunter had barely pulled out of the driveway before my phone dinged. He’d texted me an abbreviated version of Destiny’s
schedule. If I had to adjust anything, he said not to worry about it. His family was dealing with enough stress. A fussy baby
wasn’t something else I was planning on leaving at his feet when he came back home.
I needed to figure out a workaround with my boss, however.
Babysitting wasn’t in my job description. But neither was letting a new parent struggle to find someone to watch a daughter
Hunter didn’t know he had when his entire family was in crisis mode and the only person he had for babysitting, possibly, had
been called into work.
Thankfully, I had little scheduled for the afternoon. Just file work at the office. Before I could talk myself out of it, I shot a
text off to Jenna, letting her know I wasn’t feeling great after I visited with Hunter, and I was just going straight home to rest.
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
Destiny still had another hour to go in her nap, and I just needed to find something to occupy my time so I could forget about
not going back to work or the guilt already clinging to me.
I always kept a book in my car, just in case I got held up some place and had to wait. So, I ran out to my car, snagged my
water bottle, a couple of my snacks—I didn’t want to rifle through any of his stuff, if possible—and my book.
Off to the side in the living room had been a chair I’d noticed on my first visit. The overstuffed chair was near the window
overlooking the garage and driveway, so I could see the outside and enjoy the afternoon. It was the perfect place to kick off my
shoes, sit back, and get lost in my book while I waited for Destiny to wake up.
I kept the television on, with the volume low, so I could continue to follow the story of what was going on at the hospital,
and brought the baby monitor to rest on the ledge of the window beside me.
No sooner had I gotten comfy and was pulled into the story of my book when the insistent ringing of my cell had me rushing
to get it, so it didn’t disturb Destiny.
I hoped it’d been an update from Hunter. Absently, I wondered if his phone voice was as sexy and sultry as when we were
face to face.
Okay, none of that.
A smidge of disappointment ran through me when I saw it was Lucy. Then immediately felt guilty for being upset it hadn’t
been Hunter. Anytime I could talk to Lucy was a good day.
“Hey!” I said cheerfully after swiping at the green button. Then remember to keep my voice down to not wake the baby.
“What’s up?”
There is a pause before Lucy questions. “You okay?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m totally fine.” I told her about the situation I’ve suddenly found myself in.
Lucy laughed. “I swear this shit only happens to you, Posey. Food poisoning is a great go to in an event like this. Just don’t
overplay the card.”
I laughed. She’s not wrong. I’m a magnet for weird shit. “Thanks for the advice.”
“No problem. So, what happened?”
“I had to do it, Luce. All his family is at the hospital. He has no one to watch the baby right now.”
 Lucy snorted. “He’s a grown-ass man, Pose. I’m sure he has a list of girls. Excuse me—women—just waiting in the wings
to swoop in and help him with the baby.”
“He panicked. I was here, it makes sense,” I threw out, knowing full well Hunter had a babysitter for Destiny. Only the
situation was messed up, and he probably couldn’t string two thoughts together.
“And how’d your boss take the whole food poisoning explanation?”
I nibbled on my cuticle. “I texted her and let her know I wasn’t feeling well and was going to go home after my home visit.
I figured texting was better than calling.”
“Wow,” Lucy remarked, and I could hear the shock in her voice.
“What?”
“My baby is all grown up.” Lucy fake sniffed. “Telling her first lie.” She sniffed again. “I’m so proud.”
I bristled a little. I wasn’t a fan of lying. I’d grown up being lied to by adults I was supposed to trust. It was deeply
engrained in my psyche that lying helped no one and just made the situation worse. I strived to never do it. “Fibbed, Luce. I
fibbed a little because I’m doing what I think is best for Destiny.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to justify your actions, Posey.”
Leave it to your best friend to call you on your shit, even if they were messing with you. I recognized I was making excuses
for my actions. Knew it the moment I sent the text out. I also knew the next time I saw my boss, I’d come clean on my
transgressions. “I’ll ask for forgiveness tomorrow. Right now, Destiny is important.”
The last time we’d seen each other, I’d ended up telling her a bit about my reactions to Hunter. She has no clue about my
nightly thoughts and how I’ve been using Hunter’s image in my head to get off. She probably would have cheered me on.
“I did the right thing,” I said, more to myself than anyone else. A low mewl spewed from the monitor, followed by an ear-
piercing scream. Saved by a crying baby. “Destiny is awake. Can we talk later?”
“Yup. Go take care of that sweet little girl.”
I hung up and scurried out of the chair and down the hall to the room with the closed door. I’d only peeked into Destiny’s
room earlier, now I took my fill of the space, admiring the updates. Little trinkets dotted through the room. A rocking chair off
to the corner across from the cream glider, with a matching ottoman. A couple of blankets were thrown over the back of the
chair. A book sat on the table next to the rocker. Toys filled containers all around the room. It was neat too.
Standing in the center of a new crib was Destiny. Tears tracking down her red cheeks, which had filled out.
I approached the crib cautiously. Yes, the baby had been in my care, but she might not remember me, and I didn’t want to
traumatize the poor little girl. When I stood in front of her, she gave me a toothy smile and stretched her hands out at me and
grunted.
Well, there you go.
Picking her up, she cuddled into my chest and gave a soft sigh. I held her tight, nuzzling the top of her head with my cheek.
“Did you have a nice nap?” Destiny cooed back. “How about we get you a bottle?” I peeked down at the sweet little girl, who
smiled at me. “Are you hungry?”
I didn’t expect an answer back, but I always felt as if you should talk to children, not at them.
Snagging a diaper and wipes from the changing station, I took them with me. I dropped them down on the couch before
going to the kitchen. Hunter had told me bottles were in the fridge. I pulled one out and had every intention of warming it up,
but Destiny took matters into her own hands. Grabbing the bottle from me, she tried to suck the milk out through the lid, then
cried.
“Hold on, baby girl,” I whispered before taking the bottle back and removing the cover. “There.”
Drinking cold formula never hurt a baby, and considering how Destiny was found, the baby had most likely never had a
warmed bottle before Hunter. If he even did warm it. A glance around the kitchen didn’t reveal a bottle warmer.
While Destiny noisily sucked down her bottle, I took her back into the living room and quickly changed her diaper, and sat
her upright to finish her meal.
Her warm little body snuggled into mine. One of her hands rubbed at my arm, while the other held her bottle tightly. Destiny
chugged her bottle like a frat boy. Burped like one, too.
The sweet little girl was content to cuddle, and so that was what I did. The tv was still on, and it was still broadcasting the
hostage situation at the hospital. I figured it’d be a long while before we heard or maybe even saw Hunter.
“How about we go for a walk, sweet girl?”
Destiny screeched. I guessed that meant yes.
A quick peek in the front closet revealed a fancy brand-new stroller. Since Hunter didn’t leave me a key, I couldn’t lock his
front door, which meant we were stuck walking up and down the street.
I pushed the buggy back and forth in front of the house, down to the stop sign and back. Stopping and kneeling in front of
Destiny when something caught her eye. We saw a stray cat, a bunny, multiple birds, a squirrel, and a frog.
Destiny babbled the entire time.
We only returned to Hunter’s house when the little girl started to fuss. No doubt getting antsy to play.
 After a snack for both of us, I sat down on the living room floor, reading and playing with Destiny until dinner time.
Feeding a baby wasn’t as easy as it looked. It seemed Destiny wore more sweet potatoes on her face than what I got into her
mouth. But after a bath, I put her in fresh pj’s and rocked her, while she took her final bottle.
Hunter didn’t seem like the type to rock Destiny to sleep, so once I finished the book and Destiny finished her bottle, I
placed her into her crib awake. I kissed her, and she gave me a tired smile, followed by a yawn.
“Sleep tight, sweet girl,” I said as I left the room, bringing the monitor with me while closing the door.
Now that Destiny was sleeping, I could eat.
I didn’t feel comfortable going through Hunter’s cabinets to see what he had, so I placed a call to the local pizza shop and
ordered a couple of pizzas. When Hunter returned, he’d be hungry and since everyone knew they could eat pizza cold, it was
perfect to have on hand.
Now two pies rested in his fridge, and my hunger had been taken care of. I cleaned up the kitchen and the living room and
then went back to tiding up the bathroom after leaving it a hot mess after Destiny’s bath.
I got comfortable on the couch and turned the television off. When I’d checked in earlier, they were still at a standstill at the
hospital. I figured I’d be here at least until morning.
At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because I woke to find Hunter crouched down beside me as he gently shook my
shoulder.
“Hey,” he said, keeping his voice low and sexy as fuck.
Rubbing at my eyes, I yawned and sat up. “What time is it?”
“Either it’s really early or very late. You can decide for yourself.”
I smiled because waking up to seeing him over me was better than waking up alone. “Are you hungry?” Hunter cocked a
brow, and an odd expression passed across his face. One I didn’t recognize, because I didn’t know him well enough. “I
ordered extra pizzas. They’re in the fridge.”
He nodded, then glanced past me, and gave a little whistle. I jerked, realizing someone was behind us. “Landon, pizzas in
the fridge. Leave it out for me.”
Hunter looked stressed. Dark purple smudges rimmed his eyes. His skin wasn’t his normal tan shade either. “Is everything
okay?”
He rubbed at the back of his neck with his right hand. The muscles in his upper arm flexed and pressed against the seams of
his t-shirts. No doubt if Hunter wanted to, he’d have no issue picking me up. Stop it, hussy. He’s had a very traumatic night.
“It is now.”
“Here,” a gruff, groggy voice behind me said, before a plate with four slices of pizza on it appeared in front of Hunter.
“Thanks,” Hunter said before easing back onto the coffee table in front of the couch where she was currently sitting.
Without hesitation, he tucked into the first piece, eating it in a couple of bites, before he focused back on me. “Any issues with
Destiny?” He picked up the second and groaned. He must have been starving.
“No. She’s a sweet baby.” He nodded in agreement as he polished off his next piece while I relayed Destiny’s afternoon.
“She hasn’t made a peep since I put her down.”
Hunter picked up the napkin given to him with his plate. I was never more grateful for being wrapped in a blanket as I
watched him wipe at his mouth. My nipples ached, and I shifted on the couch, attempting to ease the pressure from my jeans
pressing against my throbbing clit.
“She’s a content baby as long as her belly is full, and her butt is dry. Since she’s been here, she always sleeps through the
night.” He tossed the used napkin on the empty plate and turned sleepy hazel-green eyes on me.
I swore my ovaries combusted.
Clearing my throat, I gripped the blanket tighter in my hold. What I really wanted to do was run my fingers through his
messy mohawk. Focus. “You have her on a schedule and babies thrive on schedules.”
He grinned. “That’s what Ireland said too. Once she calmed down and stopped wanting to kick my ass for finding out I had
a kid.”
I smiled, knowing if that happened, I’d like a set of front-row tickets to that event. Considering I’d meet with Ireland
Redman last week, I’d think she’d have a chance of winning too. “You’re sister—”
“Is crazy?”
I snorted, more like Ireland had a strong will. I picked up on it within moments of meeting her. “Only if you pissed her off,
or she was extremely angry at you.”
“Thank God for her husband, Mack. He’s the only one so far that can rein in her ass. Lord knows I’ve tried.”
“I doubt she’d be pleased with you calling her crazy.”
He shrugged. “Called her worse. She didn’t give you any shit, did she?”
“She did not. None of your family gave me any issue.” I leaned forward. “Which, let me tell you, in my line of work, is in
an oddity. I’m not the person people want knocking on their door. Even if it’s just an interview. So, I appreciated it.”
“Good. I told the boys if they gave you any shit. They’d have to deal with me.”
 “And Ireland?”
Hunter snorted. “You can’t tell that girl anything. But she knew I’d have been less than pleased if she fucked this up for me.
Destiny’s mine,” he stated without missing a beat.
I swore my heart clenched, dropping to my stomach at the thought of Hunter loving another woman. The horrible jealous
green-eyed monster wanted to blow through my chest when I even thought of Hunter and Hope in a sexual relationship. Yeah, I
needed to get over it. Hunter wasn’t mine, and he’d never would be. I just wasn’t his type. Because, duh, why would a Viking
God want a frumpy maid?
“What’s wrong?” he asked. The worried expression had my stomach souring.
“Nothing.” I smiled, hoping to deflect how I was feeling. Those eyes of his watched me wearily. Almost like he didn’t
believe me, so I lied again. It was becoming a habit. One I didn’t like. “Just still a little sleepy. How’d everything go at the
hospital?”
Good job changing the subject.
Hunter ran his hand down his face in exhaustion and gave me a rundown of what had happened at the hospital overnight.
Then the bombshell. Waverly had a child and Jackson was the father. Hunter ended his explanation with Waverly going into
surgery and Jackson taking Alandria, his daughter, home.
“She’s going to be okay, then?”
“Seems like it. She has a hard road ahead of her. Therapy, school, her job, and now throwing Jackson into the mix.”
It was funny how his younger brother’s life paralleled Hunter’s a little. I didn’t point that out. I wasn’t stupid, and no doubt
Hunter had come to that conclusion himself.
“Are you going to have time to rest before Destiny wakes up? What about work? Will you have to go in?”
He yawned before glancing down at the watch on his wrist. “If I’m lucky, Destiny will sleep a couple more hours, allowing
me to get a nap in before my day starts. It was a long night, so I took advantage of the time and called out to our customers to
explain what was happening.” His sexy little smile had me choking on my damn saliva. “Trust me, none of our clients want us
working on their cars while we’re the walking dead. They’re all willing to wait another day.” He paused, yawing again. “What
do I owe you for the pizzas?” he questioned.
I nibbled at my lower lip. “It’s my treat.”
Hunter shook his head. “Yeah, no Posey, that’s not how this works. Or how I work. I’m aware I inconvenienced you. You
were still working, and I left you holding the bag, and my baby. The least I can do is reimburse you for the pizzas you got for us
—which I really appreciate, by the way—and your dinner. So, you’re going to tell me how much it cost, and I’m giving you the
money. Got it.”
His demands, made by belly wobble with need, and although I should’ve stopped myself, I didn’t. I saluted him and said
smartly, “Yes, sir!”
“Fuck,” Hunter hissed out in front of me, then stood abruptly before heading into the kitchen with his plate.
Okay. That was odd. But bonus, since he got up, it allowed me to get off the couch and make my way over to the chair
where I’d left all my stuff. When Hunter returned, I was busy putting on my sneakers. I glanced up. Hunter stood in the doorway
between the kitchen and the living room. Money in his hand.
“If you have any blowback from your job, I want you to let me know,” he said, his voice gruff, like how I imagined
characters sounded like when I read when the hero’s dialogue had a whiskey tone to it. Smoky with a bit of ruggedness.
“It shouldn’t cause me an issue,” I said, before sticking the book I’d been reading into my bag. “I just asked for the
afternoon off.”
“I guess that means you didn’t inform your boss you had an unexpected babysitting gig?”
“No, sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” I answered.
“You’re not wrong there. Done the same a time or two myself.” Hunter held out the money. “Here, please take this.”
I glanced down at the hundred-dollar bill in his hand. “Listen, Hunter, it’s a slippery slope. I can and will take the money
for the two pizzas.” I held up my hand to stop whatever he was going to say. “But I can’t allow you to pay for my dinner or for
watching Destiny. CPS has rules, and I won’t break them.”
Hunter smacked his forehead. “Shit. I’m sorry, Posey. I didn’t even think of that. I don’t want to put you in an even more
difficult situation. How much do I owe you for the pizzas?”
“It was sixteen for each pizza. And I gave the delivery guy a ten-dollar tip,” I told him.
He cocked a brow. “Nice tip.”
I smiled. “It was worth it. I didn’t have to wake up Destiny to retrieve my dinner.”
Hunter reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. He tucked the hundred-dollar bill in and pulled out two
twenties, which he held out to me. “Forty should make us even.”
“Perfect,” I told him before slipping the money from between his fingertips, making sure to not touch him. Otherwise, I
might not be able to control whatever the hell is going on in my body and climb him like a tree.
I tucked the money in the front of my pants pocket. It was crazy, but in the privacy of my home, where no one would judge
me, I wanted to sniff the money he gave me and see if it smelled like Hunter. “Night.”
Yes, I know it sounds slightly crazy. Don’t judge me!
A sexy little smile flashed across his lips. “Or Good Morning.”
I laughed. “I’ll call you if something pops up on Destiny’s case. But the investigation is complete. Once I file my report
from yesterday, you won’t have CPS hanging over your head. I also won’t have to talk to any more of your friends or family.
Other than some follow-up, in the future. So, I guess what I’m saying is I don’t have to darken your door anymore.”
“What if I like it when you darken my door, Posey?” he probed, with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
Jesus.
This man was potent.
Was he flirting with me? No, he couldn’t be. Why would he? It was bad enough that I thought I was going to combust, just
from him talking alone I wanted to use my hand to fan my face to cool off. He had to be teasing. Throwing me a bone since I’d
done him a favor.
Not having a clue what to say or how to react to his comment, I cleared my throat. “That’s more than slightly inappropriate,
Hunter. I’m Destiny’s caseworker.” Even if I told him the case was closed. Argh, he made me a jumbled mess.
He held up his hands. “How about having dinner with me, then?”
My eyes widen. Was he asking me out on a date? He couldn’t be. Instead, I shook my head to clear my wayward thoughts.
“That’s unseemly too!”
He snapped his fingers. “Got it. What if you had to come to do another inspection—”
“But I don’t, Hunter. Even with you rushing out of here for a family emergency. You hadn’t hampered my inspection. I’ve
been here all night.”
A cocky grin formed on his lips. “No one has to know, Posey. You can just tell your boss your inspection got cut short, and
you had to reschedule it so that you could finish it.”
Except I’d already told my boss I’d finished it in a text.
“Come on, Posey. It’s the least I could do after putting you out.” He grinned down at me. “What if you’d had a date tonight
—” I snorted at his assumption— “and I made you miss it? I’d feel fucking horrible about it.”
“Trust me, Hunter, I wouldn’t have said yes if I had plans,” I replied, instead of flat-out telling him I hadn’t been on a date
in years. He didn’t need to know about my dating life.
“Say yes,” he pushed, and I bit my lip as I fought to contain myself. I didn’t want to disturb Destiny, who then wouldn’t
allow her father to sleep. “I promise it’s purely professional—” Hunter used his pointer finger to cross his heart— “It’s just my
way of saying thank you for helping me out of a pickle.”
He was relentless.
“I guess I—”
“I’ll text you in a couple of days to set it up.” He reached around me, and a combo of his cologne mixed with his own scent
hit my nose. I fought back the groan building in my throat. Once he opened the door, the early morning coolness caused me to
shiver. “Anything you’re allergic to? Can’t eat or don’t like?”
I held up my hand. “Please don’t make a big deal out of it. Keep it simple.”
“Pfft. My parents didn’t raise a fool, Posey. I know how to cook, and I’m decent at it. So, stop arguing with me, and just
answer my questions.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m not a fan of pork, other than bacon.”
He smiled and agreed. “Bacon is the food of the Gods.”
I wouldn’t argue that.
“And I don’t like brussels sprouts.”
His face crunched up. “Yeah, me neither. I can work around those two.”
“Bye Hunter,” I said before stepping down off the porch and started for my car.
“Bye Posey.” He stood by the front door while I settled into my car. I finally saw the front door close in my rear-view
mirror when I clicked my seatbelt into place.
A glance at the clock on my phone showed it was a little after five. Going back to bed wasn’t an option. I needed to stop at
a fast-food restaurant, get some breakfast and a hot tea, then race home for a quick shower and change.
I’d eat after I showered and drink the tea as I got ready. I’d need the caffeine to figure out what the hell just happened, plus
stay awake. If I timed it right, it would leave me almost two hours to read.
Something I sorely missed doing the last couple of days.
 Chapter 5

Posey

ulling away from Hunter’s house, with a plan in place, I felt marginally better. Tea, breakfast, home, shower, get ready for
P work. Last night was crazy. Staying to help someone under investigation with their kid? I was breaking all the rules for
someone who still didn’t know he’d had a baby with a woman who was now dead. Even as I read last night on his couch
that smelled just like him, I couldn’t wrap my mind around not knowing about a child.
Obviously, they were both there for the conception. How could he not know about the pregnancy or the subsequent birth?
Then again, it could be like my biological donors. Neither of them cared if I was born or raised in a system filled with abuse,
drugs, starvation, and despair. My adoptive mom had been the single bright spot in my shitty life, and it took sixteen long years
to reach her.
While I was grateful Destiny would never know the harshness of being raised in the system, bouncing from house to house,
I couldn’t help but wonder if sooner, rather than later, Hunter would resent her. According to everything I learned about him
during the small investigation I’d done on him, he’d had everything he could want in his life. Raising a kid, especially one he
didn’t know about, well, how couldn’t Destiny throw a metaphorical wrench in his metaphorical chain?
I snorted.
(I liked that as an idiom, especially since Hunter rode a motorcycle.)
Still with knowing the truth about his situation, I couldn’t brush off my growing attraction to him, which pissed me off more.
He’d been inches from my face when he woke me. Not only was I embarrassed about my spicy morning breath, but there was
also the fact he could have been an intruder, and I’d been sleeping soundly without hearing him come in. What if Destiny had
gotten hurt? What then?
Then the delicate drift of his fingers over my shoulder, the carefulness he took when he sat back from me, allowing me a
second to compose myself. Even the sad glow in his gaze marred by exhaustion and worry. More had happened at the hospital,
I was sure of it, but I hadn’t wanted to keep watching the same footage or hear the same questions getting asked of the police,
detectives, or hostage negotiators. Everyone said the same thing, the worst outcome could be a breach and the person holding
everyone could kill them all.
I shuddered in my seat as I sat at the stoplight. When the light changed, I pulled away, putting on my blinker to stop at the
drive-thru for breakfast. In my head, I thought I only fell asleep for an hour. In reality, it was well on the way to five am, and the
sun was already peaking over the ridge for the start of the day. Which meant I offered Hunter dinner for breakfast. God, what
was I thinking? I laughed. I wasn’t. That’d been the problem. Had I been, I would have told everyone the truth. In that second,
Hunter had counted on me to help him, which was, technically, my job, but not watching his kid.
Certainly not lying to my boss.
I was sure I could use the food poisoning excuse. It wasn’t like I laid out all the time or anything. Or a sudden onset of the
worst cramps I’d ever experienced? God knows, the ones I had would cause most to pass out. My doctor had already
diagnosed me with the worst form of endometriosis she’d ever seen. The only way to cure my symptoms was a hysterectomy.
The surgeons who could do the surgery wouldn’t. Why? Because what if I wanted children? What if I got married and my
husband didn’t want me to have a hysterectomy? What if everyone stayed out of my body and let me decide what would fix me
and what wouldn’t?
Anyway, that didn’t matter now.
Using my health for a simple situation was going to end up biting me in the ass. I already knew it. Even as I sat in my car
waiting for my order, I worried someone would see me and report me to my boss, since I seemed fine now.
Ugh, I hated lying.
I shouldn’t have done it.
After receiving my order, I drove home to eat, read a little, and get ready for work. As I turned the corner onto my street,
my phone rang. I slid my thumb across the screen as soon as I saw Gail’s name and photo. She wouldn’t have called me this
early if there wasn’t an emergency. “Good morning, Gail.” I winced at how bright I sounded when I’d specifically told Jenna I
was sick. “You never call me this early in the morning.” I added a little strain to my voice.
 “You sound better than I expected after Jenna told me you weren’t feeling well yesterday,” Gail said.
Fuck. “Well, you know me. I’m going to push through with a smile on my face when I can. Wave the white flag when it gets
too bad. Hopefully, I’m over the worst of it, though.”
“What happened?” If this was a social call or trip-me-up call, I was going to be pissed.
“Food poisoning. Nothing like barfing in the non-offending parent’s bathroom because you tried truck food for the first
time. I know this is TMI, but I almost didn’t make it home either.” I gave a soft huffed laugh for effect. “Note to self: try that on
a day off, not when I’m in the field.” Hi, Bass Pro Shops, I’d like a pair of fishing waders, because this shit is getting deep.
“Oh no,” Gail said. “Not the truck on Baker and 5 th.”
Uh... Oh, fuck. Was there a truck over by the office? Shit. Think fast, girl. This is your lie. Know your story. “Oh, no. This
was closer to the parent than the office. This place advertised being the best street taco vendor in the south... Ha-ha, the best at
giving food poisoning.” Go me.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Gail said. “I told Darcy and Jenna to grab us all lunch from the Porky’s truck today, seeing how
we’re all running on less than five hours of sleep.”
Guilt ate at my gut. “Don’t tell me, the hospital?” I cringed so hard at myself and the situation I created by agreeing to care
for Hunter’s daughter. While I was sleeping semi-comfortably on Hunter’s sofa, they were in the middle of crisis mode. I was
ashamed of myself. I should have just told the truth. It appeared everyone else had been going through the same thing. I was for
the same reason.
I’d been so stupid.
“Yeah... It’s bad, Posey. Are you going to make it in today?” The exhaustion and hopefulness in her tone grated across my
already raw, guilty conscious.
“Yes. I will be there. I ran out of tea last night, hoping to settle my stomach. So, I made the trip to grab a cup. I’ll be in, in
less than an hour.” So much for reading and a shower.
“Great, when you get here, could you bring me some coffee? I feel like I haven’t slept a wink.” Either she was piling it on
thick and already knew I was lying, or I should have kept the television on longer. Then again, if the look in Hunter’s eyes was
any sign of what happened, whatever Gail had to tell me would not be good.
“Sure thing. Hey, tell you what. How about I buy everyone to a round of coffees, my treat?” My bank account would hate
me, but my conscious would feel better. Plus, I could use the money Hunter gave me, too. “I can call and let you know when
I’m there and order everything.”
“Got one even better for you,” she said, perking up slightly. “Hit the donut shop, grab two boxes of coffee and two dozen
donuts, and you’ve got yourself a deal. The sugar and caffeine are about to sustain us for the rest of the day.”
I winced as the grinding reality of my white lie settled within my gut, twisting to the point of real sickness this time. “Can
do. Mixed dozen?”
“Yeah,” she answered. “Then I also need to talk to you about a case when you get here.”
“Of course, whatever you need, I am here to serve.” Back it down, don’t want to sound too eager. “Ugh, I feel horrible
about being sick.”
“Girl, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve puked in the office and tried to push through. It is not pretty. It’s not healthy
to have perfect attendance. Food poisoning is the worst.”
“Well, it taught me a lesson.” I pulled into my driveway and rested my head against the steering wheel. “Okay, give me
forty minutes, and I’ll be there.”
“Sounds great,” Gail said. “See you when you arrive.”
I ended the call, then shut off my car and went into my house, needing to change and make myself look good, but like
warmed over shit, too. Which shouldn’t be hard to accomplish before heading back out. I’d have to wait until later to pick up
where I left off in that juicy paranormal book I was reading. By the time I looked at my appearance in the bathroom mirror, I
was happy with how my makeup turned out. At least you’re having a good hair day. Seemed I didn’t sleep as well as I thought
if the dark circles the size of craters under my eyes were any indication. Score one for me.
Grabbing my purse, keys, and my tea, I hurried back out the door and piled back into my car. On the drive to the donut shop,
I wondered what case Gail wanted to talk about. We all knew the general basics of all the families in our system, but we never
knew the specifics unless cases crossed, which would surprise people how often it occurred. As far as I knew, we all had the
same workload, so what had I missed?
Once I had secured breakfast for everyone, I headed into work. Right about now, I wished I would have turned talk radio
on for the metro area. Because the incident at the hospital was worse than I could ever imagine. The pit in my stomach
threatened to swallow me whole as I sat down at my desk after delivering the confectionary treats and pure caffeine.
“At a little after two am this morning, police officers, along with members of S.W.A.T. breached the labor and delivery
floor doors and apprehend the suspect. Currently, there are two victims. One has minor injuries while the other is in surgery
and listed in critical but stable condition. We are not releasing their names pending family notification. As for the suspect, they
have transported him to Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, where he is currently being booked.” I glanced up at the
screen as the scene switched back to the studio instead of the makeshift podium outside the hospital.
“You are a lifesaver,” Gail said as her features fell into a frown of concern, “and you look like death warmed over. Girl,
you should have stayed home.”
“I’m good. I promise.” I held up my tea. “Sticking with the soothing method. No food for this stomach.” I didn’t even have
to fake feeling pukey. My shame was doing the heavy lifting. “That sounded terrible.” I lifted my chin toward the flatscreen TV.
“What the hell did I miss?”
Gail sighed, shaking her head. “You’re right. It’s horrible, Posey. I’m not sure I’m the woman for this assignment.
According to what we’re being advised of this morning, the father is being charged with some hefty federal crimes, including
two counts of felony assault.”
Well, a person couldn’t hold hostages in a hospital and hope to make it out with just a slap on the wrist. I leaned closer,
lowering my voice. “Can you tell me anything?”
Gail pursed her lips. “Well, since I need your help, I should probably tell you something.” She took another sip of her
coffee, then ate a bit more of her glazed donut. “Did you hear about the wreck on I-24 yesterday afternoon?”
If I had, it was probably in passing. “Why am I already not liking where this is going?”
“Because it’s hellaciously tragic.” Gail dusted her hands off before going to her cubical beside mine then returned carrying
a folder.
“If this is another death case, I’m good,” I said. “I think I made my quota for the next ten years.”
“Haven’t we all,” she said, sitting beside me. “No, this is the case I need you to take over. Darcy already approved the
switch when the I-24 accident happened.” She tapped the top of the binder. “The Miller family. I’m not sure when I’ll be done
with baby Doe.”
The air rushed out of me. So, this wasn’t about the hospital case if she was calling the baby Doe? Did something else
happen while I slagged off work? This should be a lesson to you. Never lie to get out of work ever again. “Sure, not a
problem. I’ll take the file for you.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. I swear if you didn’t have the Veracruz/Banks case, I would have told Darcy this
was a better fit for you.” It wasn’t like Gail to feel overwhelmed or not feel as if she could handle the job. This was a different
side of her.
“Tell me what you can,” I prodded.
“The I-24 case connects with the hospital hostage situation. I can’t say much, but the father is the suspect, and the hospital
isn’t sure the baby will make it after his traumatic birth.” Just then, I glanced up at the news scrolling across the screen and saw
the footage from the day before. There was nothing left of the sedan that was hit head-on by a large truck. My heart sank in an
instant.
“Poor baby,” I whispered. “I’m assuming mother was the fatality?”
Gail nodded. “This little boy is going to need tons of support if he’s going to survive. Even pushing through the tar of
disquiet surrounding his birth, I’m not sure he’s going to make it. The odds aren’t in his favor. I think it’s why dad lost his
mind.”
“He hurt people, though,” I said. “One is in critical condition and the other had minor injuries. None of this makes sense.”
When I first saw the breaking news, I’d been so preoccupied with Hunter’s plea to help him and the fact a family member had
been in that hospital working, I never suspected the reason was because of an accident.
“I can’t say any more than I have,” Gail muttered while watching the footage from the night before. “It’ll all start coming
out in the next few days.”
“I’m sure. Can’t sweep this incident under the rug, that’s for sure.” I finished my tea and threw the cup away. “So, what do I
need to know about the Miller case?”
The Miller family were frequent fliers with us. Father was an abusive drunk. Mother was trying to get them out of a
dangerous situation, but good ol dad kept stealing the money Mom was making on the side. The last I’d heard, the three
youngest had gone into foster care while the eldest two went to their grandparents in South Carolina. I hadn’t heard about any
of the kids going back home, though.
“Vickie and Jeramiah went home six months ago,” Gail said. “Upon the first inspection back in the home, the husband
battered Mom and Vickie, Jeramiah, and a newborn baby who’d had their arm broken.”
I wanted to gag.
“There is a court hearing in a week’s time,” Gail said. “The judge will determine the termination of parental rights in an
upcoming hearing. We’re trying to make arrangements with grandma and grandpa in South Carolina. The newborn will go into
the system and will eventually go up for adoption, fingers crossed, by a loving family. If the grandparents can take the three
youngest.”
“What is Mom saying?” I pressed. I needed all the information; not just what Gail’s feelings were. I’d dealt with Tiffany
Miller. She was too soft. Too submissive and gullible. She wanted to believe the best in people, including her alcoholic
husband.
 “She said her husband has made it impossible to leave. He takes the keys to the home and her car keys with him when he
goes to work. She eats what he gives her. Same for the children. After the first attempt to break away from him, he’s become
more determined to hold her against her will. Unfortunately for Mom, this last time when baby girl was brought in for the
broken arm, police did a drug and urine test on Tiffany. She came back a few weeks pregnant and had meth in her system. She
claims she never took it, but...”
“Husband did it,” I said, without batting an eye. “He’s trapped her. When is this newest baby due?”
“Tiffany hasn’t had an ultrasound yet.”
“Probably because the husband made bail and has tightened the leash around her neck.” I hated that man more than words
could express. “Well, she’s in excellent hands with me. I’ll put in a change of caseworker and petition the courts for all the
pertinent records for this case. I’m also going to re-drug test Tiffany and bring the police with me to the house. We need to
show documentation on the father locking them in the house.” It wasn’t up to me whether Tiffany and her bastard of a husband
lost their parental rights. My job dictated I found the truth. In all the years the Miller family had been on the CPS radar, this
was the first time Tiffany came back positive for drugs.
“It would be better for all of us if she left his ass and went to her parents with the kids,” Gail said with a huff as she stood.
“Keep me posted on the kids. I have to head to the hospital for a meeting with the NICU Pediatric team to see how baby Doe is
doing this morning and if there’s been any changes.”
“Keep me posted,” I replied. “Again, I am so sorry for getting food poisoning and bailing on everyone.”
Gail waved me off. “Don’t even mention it.” She tipped her coffee mug in my direction. “This makes up for it.”
With the news playing in the background, I got to work on the Miller case to reorient myself with the family and everything
the children had been through. I thought for sure after the eldest two went to Tiffany’s parents and the youngest went to foster
care, she would have realized the situation she was in wasn’t sustainable. Obviously, it appeared I was wrong. Or I hadn’t
counted on the husband being so determined to control Tiffany.
By lunch, which I hardly ate because the knot of guilt in my stomach remained, I drove to the courthouse to hand in an
emergency petition to be added to the case as the new caseworker for the Miller Family. My stomach dropped when I saw
there was a hearing scheduled for Monday morning not later in the week, like I assumed. It was a preliminary hearing. More of
a formality.
The motion from the state to the judge was fairly simple. The state wanted mom drug tested, as did I. The state also wanted
custody of the baby she carried. As well... God, I dreaded this part. If something happened to the fetus, mom would be charged
with neglect for starters and if the unborn child died in utero, feticide. I could see why Gail needed help. Even I was
overwhelmed, and the Miller family used to be my case.
After leaving the courthouse, I went back to the office for a few more hours, then went home. As much as I kept telling
myself I could read to unwind and drink a little red wine, I was exhausted emotionally and physically. In some ways, I thought
maybe having food poisoning would have been easier.
The rest of the week went by in a flash of motions from Tiffany’s lawyer, and other issues pertaining to my caseload. The
easy one of all, Hunter and Destiny, didn’t even make a peep. Probably wouldn’t either. Hunter had tons on his plate right now.
Between his shop, Destiny, and now the family member in the hospital, I couldn’t imagine what was going on in his head.
Didn’t even want to try.
By the time I clocked out on Friday evening, I was ready to fall into bed and sleep the weekend away, but I knew I couldn’t.
Having court first thing Monday morning meant prepping. As much as I knew Tiffany’s case, there were things that happened
after I handed the file off to Gail. Those were the things I had to understand. Maybe not for her, but for her kids. Also, for
myself. I took failure personally. I’d spent so much time in the system myself, I knew what those kids would being go through,
and I didn’t want that for them. Tiffany needed to succeed. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted it to happen, it wasn’t up to me. I
could only report on the facts.
Instead of fooling with the case when I got home, I took a little me time to unwind. I scheduled a shift at the shelter before
my life imploded, and now I was grateful for my forethought. Nothing like small animal therapy for four hours to reset my mind
and soul. My ability to volunteer had drastically dropped over the last couple of years because of how busy I’d been with
work, but as I was driving home, I realized I had to break up the stress in my life. If I continued down the path I was on, surely,
I’d have a heart attack or worse, a stroke. I was no good to myself if I couldn’t function properly.
So, when my alarm went off the next morning, I got up and reminded myself I deserved a little me time too. I’d finish that
dang book this afternoon, then watch cheesy reality TV for the rest of the night. Sunday, I’d refresh myself with Tiffany’s case,
so come Monday morning, I’d be ready to go.
On my way to the shelter, I stopped to grab Kayan and July coffee and a treat. Relief flooded me. So far, no one questioned
my whereabouts or how I got food poisoning. I used the forty dollars Hunter gave me to pay for the coffee and donuts, then put
the rest on my card—that stuff wasn’t cheap. Since I did it that way, I also wouldn’t have to claim it on any of the forms, so it
was as if nothing happened.
But something had.
 I still couldn’t get that haunted look in Hunter’s eyes out of my mind. The turbulent swirl of his hazel-green eyes. His
features were tight. Sunken. Almost as though he’d been put through the ringer and, I guess, he had in a way. It’d taken all my
willpower to not call him and ask if he was okay. We weren’t friends. We were barely associates. In fact, we were caseworker
and non-offending parent. Professional. Not personal. Yet, my mind drifted to him often over the last few days, hoping
everything was okay.
When I pulled up to the shelter, the place was humming with activity. Today was an open house of sorts. An all hands-on
deck kind of thing. All the workers would be there and a few volunteers, like me. I parked in the employee lot, then went
inside, ready for whatever might come my way.
Stepping inside, the line of those filling out applications was the longest I’d ever seen. I rushed to the front desk, placed the
coffees, and treats down for both July and Kayan, then grabbed a few of the clipboards to help mitigate the wait in line. The
excited barks and yips from the shelter area were a balm for my nerves. Weird, right? How did a bunch of dogs barking calm
someone when most time the sound grated against the nerves? To me, it meant one of those dogs or even a cat was going home
with their family and the thought hit all my feels.
For three hours, a steady line of hopeful adopters came through the door looking for pets to join their family. When the
event ended, July and Kayan sat at the front desk, exhausted and limp. I understood. My feet were killing me. But they did it.
Seventeen dogs went to their fur-ever homes along with ten cats. That was worth celebrating.
“Coffee is cold, but it hits the spot,” Kayan said before popping a bite of muffin into her mouth. “Thanks for this, Posey.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied, sweeping up.
“So have you heard,” July murmured to Kayan. “Ireland didn’t know Hunter had a daughter.”
I jerked, torn between sweeping and standing there so I could eavesdrop. I’d interviewed Ireland a couple of days after I
brought Destiny to Hunter. The woman was... Interesting. Gorgeous, obviously. Stunning green eyes and vibrant red hair. She
was a no-nonsense type of person, so if she didn’t know about the baby either, I had tons more questions. Hadn’t she met
Hope?
“How do you not know about getting a girl pregnant? You were both there when it happened,” Kayan grumbled. “Doesn’t
put Hunter in a favorable light.”
No, it didn’t. I had to agree with Kayan’s assessment. Still, what if Hope never told him? From everything I’d read or seen
with Hunter’s case, it didn’t appear as if Hope had contacted him until I showed up at his door.
“Well, all I’m saying is, things may not be what they seem,” July added. “Right now, Mack and Ireland, hell, all of them
need our help.”
I perked up again. Was this about the hospital thing?
“Heard Waverly came out of the medical coma fighting again. Poor kid,” July said. “I can’t imagine the shit she saw on that
hospital floor.”
“Then the baby,” Kayan added. “Jackson’s not holding up well either. The whole thing smells like shit to me. Doesn’t it,
Posey?”
I squeezed my eyes closed. Shit, they had found me. They knew I was listening. “Sorry. I’ll take care of everything in the
back.”
“Girl, get over here and take a break. You’ve been running since the second you stepped through the door.” Kayan waved
me over.
July grinned and waved me over, then motioned to her half drank coffee and treat. “Thanks for the boost. We really needed
it.”
“You’re welcome.” I sat between them. If they asked me anything about Hunter or the baby, I couldn’t say a word. Not even
about the hospital case. However, I was concerned for Waverly. Sounded like she was victim number two. “So, how bad is
Waverly?”
I knew little about their lives. I was more like a periphery acquaintance, someone who was here at the shelter when their
husbands or friends would come in. I knew of Mack and Ireland when they came in to rescue a pit bull mix, and now I knew
them better-ish because of Hunter’s case.
“Pretty bad,” July said with a frown. “Broken ankle and severe concussion. From what Ireland said, they’re not worried
about Waverly’s ankle so much as the way she came out of sedation. They’re concerned it could be brain damage or trauma
from the incident. I know Jackson was supposed to go back today to see her with her mom.”
My heart sank for the family. It seemed like one thing after the other for them. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think Hunter
knew about Destiny.” When Kayan sat forward, ready to say something, I shook my head. “I can’t give details about the
situation. What I will say is, he’d been confused and shocked when I showed up at his door.”
“Probably growly and scowling, too. That man is a fucking God-like man with all his tattoos and bad attitude. Whoever
lands him is in for a rough ride.” Kayan chuckled. “That family is something else, too. Have you met all of them? They’re all
gorgeous. I’m jealous.”
July laughed. “All the wives call Hunter a Viking God in private. Can’t say he doesn’t look like one.”
 “Jackson is too adorable for words, too,” Kayan added. “What do you think, Posey? I’m sure you’ve met all four of them
by now.”
July and Kayan fixed me with their stare. The anticipation oozing off them as they waited for my answer crashed over me.
Was this what it was like to gossip with more than one best friend? “Uh, well...” I cleared my throat. “Hunter was abrasive
when we met.”
“Girrrl... I bet he was,” Kayan teased. “That man only knows one language, and that’s fuck off.”
I laughed. “True enough. Landon was quiet, as was Jackson. Ireland...” I shook my head. “I’d rather have her backing me up
than have to face her in a brawl.”
July grinned. “That about sums them all up in a nice little package.” She cut her gaze to Kayan. “You know, we should have
done this way sooner. That’s my fault. Sometimes our best volunteers become our best friends. We should hang out when you’re
not busy.”
Kayan snapped her fingers. “Don’t we have a party coming up?”
July nodded. “We do.” Her bright cheerfulness sucked me right in. I liked both Kayan and July. I realized even though I’d
only been sitting there for thirty minutes, I missed this when I was growing up in the system. “Want to come, Posey?”
I blinked. I licked my bottom lip and nodded. “Sure, why the hell not!”
By the time I got home, I was exhausted but happy. I learned more about the Banks family and the others. Spending the day
giving back to our community refilled my soul. I felt lighter walking back into my home and more focused on the tasks which
lay ahead of me come the beginning of the week. The only question that kept playing on repeat for me was, would Hunter be at
the party? If he was, how did I feel about the prospect of seeing him outside of business and after he'd asked me out already?
Guess we were about to find out.
 Chapter 6

Hunter

ome on, ladybug, eat for daddy.” I moved the spoon back to Destiny, who grinned at me, then swatted at the spoon as it
“C got closer to her mouth. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if any of the cereal Destiny’s pediatrician recommended made it
into her mouth. She was covered from head to toe, and so was I. The gruel mixture was like glue once it dried, and it got
everywhere.
“Morning,” Landon said from behind me before bopping Destiny on the nose. “You know, she kind of grows on you, and
she’s cute.”
He sauntered over to the coffeepot and reached into the cabinet above the machine to grab a cup. At least his attire was an
upgrade. Before Destiny was dropped on my doorstep, Landon would come in bare assed or wearing a pair of boxer briefs.
Now he wore a beach tank and basketball shorts.
Landon poured himself a cup of coffee, then strolled over to the highchair to give a kiss to the top of the baby’s head in a
proper greeting. “Morning, Stinkerbella.”
I rolled my eyes at him and huffed, “Stop calling my kid that freaking name. You’re going to give her a complex.”
Landon grinned at me before sitting in the chair next to Destiny’s highchair. A mistake on his part. She was a grabby little
kid, and I wasn’t telling him what she’d been doing. He’d get what he deserved.
“Until she stops shitting in her pants, she’s Stinkerbella. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.”
“Don’t curse in front of her either, fucker.” I snarled.
Landon chuckled. “Pot meet kettle. Just so you know, when your kid’s first words are swearing words, don’t be trying to
lay the blame at my feet.” He pointed at me. “You’re just as guilty.”
I was, but I didn’t acknowledge his assessment, instead I went back to attempting to feed her, but I could see Landon deep
in thought and knew at any moment we were going to get back on the Merri-go-round of questions.
“Still can’t believe she’s yours,” Landon muttered, but I didn’t take the bait. I ignored him. Just like our sister, he continued
to poke and prod the issue. “Apparently, all the ladies in town are a flutter. They’re all talking about Hunter Banks finally got
caught—” Landon gestured to Destiny with his coffee cup— “with his dick out. Believe it or not, they all can’t wait to see the
fruit of your loins. Bonus, they still want to bang you.”
Great.
I didn’t want the spotlight on either of us. Nor did I want to be the center of local gossip. Since Destiny had arrived, my life
had become two things. Going to work and coming home to take care of her. Ireland helped here and there when she could, and
I did the same for her. But she was also trying to help Waverly and Jackson.
Well, more Jackson since, like me, he was doing the rearing pretty much on his own.
At night, when the house was quiet, and the baby was asleep, my thoughts would drift to Posey. I knew who and what she
was. My Boom. I heard enough conversations between Ireland and Mack, and his family to understand my current
circumstances.
It just wasn’t a good time right now.
My priority and focus had to be on the baby in front of me. Once the trial was over. I could claim Posey and tell her the
truth. Until then, I needed to continue to lie to everyone.
“Got nothing to say?” Landon asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
I sat back in my chair. “What more is there to say? Y’all are beating a dead horse at this point. I’ve told you and Ireland all
I know.”
Landon snorted. “More like all you’re willing to tell.”
“That too,” I admitted before standing up to put Destiny’s bowl in the sink. I wanted to throw it in the sink in anger. I didn’t,
though, but only because I had no desire to freak Destiny out.
“Listen, Hunter. I know more—”
I turned, glaring at Landon, and barked out, “I’m done asking nicely, Landon. Leave it the fuck alone and let me take care of
my own fuckin’ business.” Destiny stilled; her face crumbled up to cry as the roar of my words hit her. “Shit.”
 “I got her,” Landon murmured as he plucked Destiny from her chair and began cleaning her up. “It’s okay, Stinkerbella, he’s
just a big ol meanie. Yes, he is.”
Asshole.
Old habits die hard as I exhaled and went to the fridge. “Do you want me to make you breakfast?”
“Nah. I’m going to stop and get something to eat on the way into the shop. Want me to grab you something?”
“Yeah. Let me give you some money.”
I didn’t need to tell him my order. Landon knew what I liked. Besides, I wasn’t picky. I ate anything and everything.
“I got it, Hunter. I have a job that pays me really fucking well, ya know?”
I snorted because I did know, since I did payroll. “You’re lucky Ireland isn’t here. She’d smack you upside the head for
talking like a neanderthal in front of Destiny.”
“I ain’t afraid of her,” Landon said, his chest puffed out like he was ready to take on his sister.
“Bullshit.”
Even if Landon wasn’t afraid of Ireland, I knew he was afraid of Mack. My brother-in-law had no problem with stepping in
and being the heavy with Ireland. He preferred it. Otherwise, according to him, he’d have to interfere in our family dynamics.
Mack didn’t want to have Ireland pissed at him because he came after one of her brothers.
I expected I’d be doing the same when the time came with Posey. Warmth bloomed in my chest, along with possessiveness.
The tingle shot through me, along with longing. Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to have her in my arms sooner rather than later.
The alarm on my phone dinged. I’d set it as a backup should Destiny not want her cereal. Plus, it meant we were running
out of time. Landon had to open the shop, and I had a couple of things to do before Destiny and I arrived.
We’d been short staffed since the birth of Mack Jr. and now because Jackson couldn’t come in to help with orders. I’d been
contemplating hiring another mechanic and someone to handle the office, along with all the paperwork I dealt with daily. We
were thriving now, and money was no longer an issue within the business. I’d yet to inform the others, because I suspected I
might just get push back from at least one of them. Arguing with my siblings was currently the last thing on my list of shit I
needed to do.
“Get your ass in gear. Shop is due to open in under forty-five minutes,” I reminded Landon.
He gave me a smug grin. “Aye, aye captain.” Landon stood with Destiny in his arms before putting his cup on the
countertop. On the way out of the kitchen, he deposited the little girl in my arms before bounding up the stairs.
Destiny rubbed at her eyes and laid her head on my chest. She’d woken up early this morning, fussing. Teething again. If I
planned this right, while she was napping, I could get my shower and get ready for work.
After pulling her bottle from the fridge, I took them upstairs to her room. The blinds were still closed, and the ceiling fan
rotated lazily. Just enough to circulate the air, but not make Destiny cold. After I laid her down in her crib, I gave her the bottle
and put on the white noise machine on to help block out the morning sounds on our street.
It had been another device Ireland swore I needed. Obviously, I’d never admit this to anyone, but I was pleased with how
well it worked.
Destiny finished half her bottle before it tumbled out of her hands and onto the mattress. I picked up her bottle before
leaving the room and brought it back to the kitchen. Before I grabbed my shower, I cleaned up the kitchen and made three more
bottles to take with us later.
Landon was in the hallway, dressed and ready to go by the time I started for my room. “She out?”
I nodded. “She’s exhausted. Teething.”
“Sucks. I heard her sobbing last night. Did you get the gel Ireland was talking about?” I had. About the only thing that
soothed Destiny, however, was my knuckle or something frozen on her gums. My knuckle would have to do for now, since I
didn’t feel comfortable giving her anything that could pop open while she used it and harm her.
“I did. I don’t think she likes it.” I frowned.
“She’ll figure it out.” He started for the door. “See you at the shop.”
“Landon.” He stopped and turned toward me. “Thanks.”
He smiled up at me and shrugged as if it was no skin off his back. Even though it meant the world to me, he was supporting
and helping me with the baby. “We’re family, Hunter. It’s what we do. Besides, you’d do the same for me.”
I so fuckin’ would.
“Not until you're married, Landon.” I sounded hypocritical and like a dick. “You make sure you remain gloved every time
you put your dick in a woman. You got me?”
Little pissant snickered at me. “Can you really tell me what to do after all this, Hunter? I mean, you got a girl pregnant, and
so did Jackson—” he shrugged his shoulders— “what hope is there for me?”
If I hadn’t already disposed of the bottle, I would’ve lobbed it at his damn head. “Get to work, asshole.”
Landon chuckled on his way out the door while I made my way into my room. When we moved into this house, my other
siblings took a vote, or so they told me. They decided I should have the master bedroom with the ensuite bathroom since I’d
taken on the role of head of the house. I didn’t argue and gladly took it.
 I stripped off my clothes and turned on the shower to let the water warm. While I brushed my teeth, I searched for a clean
towel and washcloth. Ireland had come by yesterday at some point and had thrown a load of clothes in the washer. I kept telling
her she didn’t have to take care of us. She had her own family to worry about. But did she listen? Of course, she fuckin’ didn’t.
I remembered right before going to bed last night, she’d reminded me through text to transfer the load to the dryer. It was late
when I put them to the dryer, so I hadn’t folded them or put them away.
After spitting out a mouth full of toothpaste, I located a ratty ass towel, and washcloth so thin, I could see through it. It
would do. I wasn’t walking back downstairs to get another one.
Once I was done with my toothbrush, I cleaned up the sink, because no matter what anyone said, it took zero fucking effort
to clean up after yourself. I made sure my younger brothers did the same. No way in hell was Landon or Jackson going to make
their wives do everything. My dad would’ve had their asses if they did, so I made sure they followed the example he’d set with
me at a very young age.
Steam filtered out over the top of the shower curtain, making the bathroom humid. I didn’t mind though, because in a second
the hot water would work the knots in my shoulders and arms out. I loved working on cars. It had been my passion from the
moment I got my first car toy. Ireland followed suit, as did Landon. Though I wasn’t sure about Landon. Seemed like his
passion revolved around his next sexual conquest.
Jackson was already breaking away. Which I was proud of him. He’d be a damn excellent chef once he graduated and, if
his culinary skills were anything like he’d shared with us already, Flame would be stupid to get rid of him.
Like Jackson’s love for cooking, I loved every second of being a mechanic and painter. Especially now that we had our
own shop and could run it our way. Although I wouldn’t mind being less achy or in pain. Figured some of the shit came with
getting older. I was no longer a boy of eighteen. I was pushing forty, and a father.
My Boom was waiting for me to get off my ass and claim her.
I stepped into the shower, groaning when the hot water hit my shoulders, easing the tension I’d been carrying. My dick,
however, was another story.
He was at attention and my balls were heavy. Of course, lately, my dick was always hard whenever Posey was around, or
when I thought about her. I’d convinced myself I had a perpetual case of blue balls thanks to her.
Although I was determined to wait until my life was less of a shit show. I was tiring of fucking my fist. Masturbation got
old fast but didn’t stop me from reaching down and wrapping my hand around my erection and giving myself a hearty squeeze. I
ran the pad of my thumb over the leaking pre-cum at the tip and hissed when I skimmed over the silver ball at the tip.
“Fuck.”
Closing my eyes, I imagined it was Posey who was kneeling in front of me. The top of her tits, flushed with desire, and her
slutty little tongue playing with the thick piercing bisecting my cock slit.
I’d gotten the piercing during a rare night out. I’d been young—all of twenty-one. Ended up drinking way too fucking much
and on a drunken dare got my dick pierced. Could’ve taken it out, but I didn’t, and now here we are. Bonus, I’d been the only
guy in the group to go through with the dare and I’d walked away that night with a cool grand in winnings.
Worth it.
I wanted Posey’s eyes on me while I fucked her face. Those pretty cornflower blue eyes focused on me as I slipped my
dick through her full lips and over her tongue. I wanted to see her expressions as they floated across her face. Needed to watch
her eyes widen when I pushed her limits with every thrust and broke down those barriers. Craved those tears in her eyes as she
gagged and swallowed around me.
I fisted myself tighter, enjoying the tightness and wondering if her pussy would squeeze me just as hard. My gut told me she
would. Up and down, I pumped my fist, paying attention to the nerve-filled glans. I’d always been a tits-and-ass kind of guy
and fuck if Posey didn’t have both in abundance. I wanted to mark both with my cum. Claim her in the most primitive ways.
Make sure everyone knew she belonged to me.
I’d always been a bit of a caveman, but I had a feeling being with Posey would cause my tendencies to be a hundred times
worse with her. Hopefully, she didn’t have an issue with my possessiveness or my need to dominate her in bed. Once I made
her mine, it’d be my job to protect her, and I’d take the responsibility seriously.
As much as I wanted to linger and enjoy the vision of Posey wet and naked in the shower with me, I was acutely aware of
the possibility of Destiny could wake up anytime from her nap. Unless I wanted to be caught with my dick in my hand, I needed
to move this along. I stroked my dick faster. Grunting, I kept up the pace until I felt my balls draw up and the familiar tingle at
the base of my spine. Between one breath and the next, cum shot from the tip of my cock, splashed against the tile wall before
washing down the drain.
My breathing labored, and the humid air made it a little difficult to catch my breath.
If imaginary Posey could make me cum so hard, I saw stars, I couldn’t wait to see how real-life Posey rocked my world.
Releasing my dick, I got to work washing my body and then my hair. Once I finished, I turned off the shower, then wrapped
a towel around my waist and walked back to my bedroom, uncaring about the water I was trailing across the floor.
Typically, I wore jeans and a plain grey t-shirt that had Banks Automotive scrolled on the back to work. A couple of years
ago, Ireland ordered shop overhauls with all our names on them and Bank’s Automotive scrolled across the back. At first, I
thought they were a waste. I quickly realized they were a lifesaver on my clothes, so I started wearing them. Didn’t tell Ireland
that, though. Didn’t stop Ireland from strutting around the shop for a week like her shit didn’t stink.
A quick check on Destiny showed she was still out, which meant Landon would be at the shop by himself for at least
another hour. Bounding down the stairs, my phone dings at me. I ignore it, figuring it was most likely Ireland raking my ass over
the coals again. Imagine my surprise when I saw it the cute little blonde I’ve been jacking off to.
I gotta smile out of her text, too.
There was nothing there. Just a quick check in to see how Destiny was doing. The last time we spoke, I asked her to dinner.
Like always, I pushed, and she hesitated, worrying about her job, and if it would be appropriate.
If we ended up in bed, it wasn’t like I was going to go to tattle-tale to her boss. I wasn’t that kind of guy. Clearly, she didn’t
know what kind of guy I truly was. All she had to go on was Hope and me being on Destiny’s birth certificate. Considering our
first meeting, I couldn’t blame her for thinking the worst of me.
Instead of telling her repeatedly I was a good guy, I’d do the opposite. I’d protect her at all costs. Because of Posey’s
hesitation, even though I wanted to see her every day since the night she helped me with Destiny, I eased back. I allowed her to
come to me when she felt comfortable.
Patience and I had never been good friends. I recognized I could be an asshole. I was already lying to Posey. I didn’t need
to compound that shit by being overly aggressive with her. The only running I wanted from Posey was straight into my arms.
Before I could type out a response, she texted me again, asking if we could meet up somewhere. I typed back, letting her know I
was at home, and Destiny was asleep if she wanted to swing by.
I watched the three dots appear and disappear over a dozen times before she responded with a simple okay. Chuckling to
myself, I replied with a simple, okay, too, just to fuck with her.
Posey stood at the front door only fifteen minutes later, dressed in a pair of black slacks and a light pink top. Her hair was
down, framing her face in a cascade of thick, curly hair. I bit back a groan, imagining what it would be like if I wrapped her
curls around my fist as I fucked her from behind.
“Hey,” she said when I said nothing. Silently, I hoped she wouldn’t look down or notice my raging hard-on. “Destiny still
asleep?”
The scent of crisp apples filled my nose as she strolled past me. “Yeah,” I grunted through clenched teeth. Even with the
orgasm I experienced not more than twenty minutes ago, my dick was hard again.
“Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today, Hunter,” she said as she took a seat on the couch.
“Not a problem. Is it about Destiny?” I asked before closing and locking the front door. I didn’t want my sister showing up
and interrupting whatever conversation we were about to have.
“What? No—” she shook her head— “this visit has nothing to do with her. I’m sorry if I worried you.”
I gave her a reassuring smile. “Wasn’t worried. Just wondering.” Posey had taken the couch where I’d found her sleeping
upon returning from the hospital. I sat my ass in my chair adjacent from her. “So, what’s up?”
Posey seemed to hesitate. Picking at a piece of lint on her pants that wasn’t there before she finally spoke. “Did you know I
sometimes help July and Kayan out?”
I shook my head. “No. That’s cool.” I hadn’t known that, otherwise I’d be making more frequent visits, or maybe even
adopting a dog.
She shrugged. “I was there this past weekend. Kayan and July were talking, and I put two and two together about the other
night. You went to the hospital because Jackson’s dating Waverly. It was also Waverly who’d been severely hurt, wasn’t it?”
The truth would eventually get around. Wasn’t like the girls weren’t notorious gossips. “Yeah. Only Waverly had broken
things off with Jackson when she found out she was pregnant. She kept her pregnancy and the birth of Jackson’s kid a secret. It
all came out when her floor was held hostage, though.” I glanced at Posey, watching her intently. The way her expressions
changed held a wealth of knowledge. There was a mixture of sadness and something akin to disappointment. Whether it was for
Jackson or Waverly, I couldn’t be sure.
Join the club, baby girl.
She smiled. “They invited me to Waverly’s birthday party. Through July. I missed the festivities because I’d been called to
the hospital because of a suspected child abuse case.” The switch up knocked me stupid. I thought she’d push for more
information or vent about the kids’ actions.
“Really?” Fate was a fickle bastard. If Posey had been there, no doubt in my mind we’d be married by now, and she’d be
round with our first child. I would’ve been able to tell her the truth about Hope and Destiny, because as my wife, Posey would
know I’d never cheat on her. Never tempted, either. Together, we’d have worked on a solution for Destiny.
“Yep,” she replied.
“Pity,” I muttered.
Lying to my family didn’t bother me a damn bit. Yet, lying to Posey tore me up inside. It didn’t sit right and ate at my gut
whenever she was around me. I repeatedly told myself I was doing the right thing. I’d been protecting Destiny from bad people.
Surely, in Posey’s line of work, she’d get that. Even be willing to forgive me when the truth eventually rolled out. I wasn’t
Destiny’s dad.
“The night I stayed over to watch Destiny, I never got to finish apologizing about my behavior. I had some preconceived
notions about you and your lifestyle. It was wrong of me. I know better. So, I’d like to apologize for my behavior.”
I sighed. “You don’t need to apologize, Posey. No doubt most, if not all, you’ve heard about me is based on some truths.”
Her cheeks flushed pink, causing her freckles to stand out across the bridge of her nose. I wasn’t even going to make excuses
for my behavior before Posey came into my life. I slept with who I slept with. I wasn’t married or engaged, nor had I ever
cheated while I had a girlfriend. Even if the girlfriends were far and few between. “You know that dinner invite still stands.”
“You never reached out to me,” she admitted.
“Only because you seemed uncomfortable with my request, and I wanted to give you time to think,” I stated. “Did you work
it all out?” I sure as hell hoped she did. I might not be able to offer her the world until this bullshit with Cobi ended, but it was
a start.
She sat up tall, a smile spread across her pretty little lips. “I did. And I’d love to do dinner with you.”
I clapped. “Fuckin’ A!” Her soft giggle shot right to my cock, which had softened a little when I sat down. Now, the
appendage ached like a sore fucking tooth bound up in my coveralls. “Can you do dinner tomorrow night, then?”
“I can.” She paused before doing a glance over her shoulder. “Is it alright if I go sneak a peek at Destiny before I leave?”
She held up her hand. “I promise I won’t wake her up.”
I chuckled. “You can.”
Posey stood, then scampered off up the stairs. Ten minutes later, Posey came down the steps and grinned with Destiny in
her arms. “I didn’t wake her.” As if I’d give a fuck. If she hadn’t had woken on her own, I’d have done it soon, anyway. “She
woke up as I was heading back out the door.”
“It’s not a problem, Posey. She needed to wake up because I’ve got to get to work.”
“Cool.” She kissed Destiny’s head. “I also changed her diaper for you.”
“Thank you,” I replied before taking a squealing Destiny from her arms. “Will 5:30 tomorrow work for you?”
Posey nodded. “Can I bring something?”
“No,” I said. “Just yourself.”
The blush on her cheeks snatched the breath from my lungs. Was she just as excited about spending time together as I was?
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Posey gave us one last wave before heading out the door.
It took me a second to compose myself. I wanted to stop Posey from leaving. Pull her into my arms, hold her, and ultimately
kiss her breathless. Even with the baby in my arms. However, it would have to wait until tomorrow. Fuck knows, I’d been a
patient man so far. I could wait another day to get her in my arms.
After tomorrow, though?
All bets were off.
 Chapter 7

Hunter

haos would have been better than silence. After a shit day at the shop, where it seemed nothing could go right, and we
C were all still worried about Jackson, Destiny was also dealing with growing pains and cutting her second set of bottom
teeth along with two more on top. Poor little girl couldn’t get comfortable, and everything hurt her.
She was a drooling, sobbing mess.
I texted Posey to change the time of our dinner, needing the extra hour and a half to get Destiny dosed up on pain medication
and some the oral numbing gel Ireland recommended, so she could have some dinner then sleep. Unfortunately, no one warned
me about the explosive diapers that came along with teething babies.
Or how sick they could get.
That might have been helpful.
Instead of taking two baths, I showered with Destiny cuddled to my chest while wearing swim shorts. It was the easiest
way to get us cleaned up after that mess. Thankfully, my good jeans weren’t a part of the casualty list. But my shirt, her outfit,
and the diaper in question were history. How she shit up her back and into her hair while also covering my torso I’d never
understand.
Couldn’t say I wasn’t proud, though.
By the time I got us both cleaned up and redressed, Destiny was losing her fight to stay awake. Didn’t blame her one bit.
She cleaned out her gut pipes for at least a few days while working hard to grow in them teeth of hers. Between the two of us,
her job was harder. At least I understood what was going on with her. She didn’t, and it had to be scary and excruciating.
Bussing a kiss across her cheek, I placed her in the crib and tip-toed out of the room.
I knew I told Posey I’d cook for her, but after the day I had, I didn’t have the energy. Plus, I was already behind schedule.
So, I called Mack. I’d explain everything when Posey got here. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be too angry about it. Food was food,
after all.
There was a quick knock at my door followed by a chime on my phone signaling the food had been delivered. Mack didn’t
use those fancy dining apps, though he stayed competitive in his own way with a few delivery drivers. However, most patrons
continued to come back to his restaurant for the full experience of Flame.
Once I brought the food in, I plated up our dinners and was just throwing away the to-go bags when a knock came again.
This time, I recognized the tapping. Posey didn’t have one of those authoritative demanding knocks. She was tentative.
Respectful—even when she didn’t have to be.
“Coming,” I said, crossing to the front entry. I pulled the door too and grinned. “You’re right on time.”
Posey stared up at me. Her lips parted in a soft gasp, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to hold back the groan
building in my throat. I’d realized, standing at the threshold of my house, work clothes did a disservice to Posey’s curvy as fuck
body.
Tonight, she wore some kind of silky wrap dress with a tie on the side, ballerina flats, and her curly hair had been piled up
on the top of her head in some kind of intricately beautiful bun, allowing some curls to frame her face. Her cheeks were rosy,
and her lips were a full and pouty pink, just like I imagined they were this morning, when I jerked off in the shower. Stupid
fucker, you’re supposed to be making her comfortable, not scaring her off with your monster cock and misogyny.
“Cat got your tongue?” I quirked a brow, tilting my head while staring at her.
“Sorry.” She chuckled under her breath. “This is all new to me.”
“Dating?”
She shook her head. “Having dinner with a parent.”
“Well, if it makes you feel better, I’m into role playing.” The joke landed about as well as expected, especially since she
looked at me like I’d grown a second head. “Never mind. Come on in. Dinner is ready.”
The confession sat on the tip of my tongue to tell her I’d ordered from Flame, but I held back. Didn’t want to give the
wrong impression on a first date. Though, I suppose, a better first date would have been going to Flame instead of ordering in.
Man, I was fucking this up.
 “Where’s Destiny?” Posey stepped past me, her head on a swivel as she searched for the little girl.
“Sleeping. Suffice to say, today has not been a good day for her. Hopefully, she’ll rest through the night.” I rubbed the back
of my neck as heat filled my cheeks. “Can you explain something to me?”
“I can try?” she said, the upward inflection of her tone matched the curious way her blue eyes ensnared me.
“How does a person that small shit all the way up her back and into her hair?” I’d been worried all day Destiny would do
it again or worse, I’d have to take her to the local urgent care. As it was, before I put her down, her gums were splitting open
and just the hint of a tooth was sticking out from both locations in her mouth. Fingers crossed, we were through the worst of it.
Posy laughed. The melodic sound tugged me from my thoughts and focused my attention on her where it should have been.
“I don’t envy you.” The tittering sound of her amusement tugged at my heart and gut, causing not only my dick to ache but also
my soul. She was so fucking perfect. Which made the whole situation of lying to her worse.
“That’s not an answer,” I teased.
“I’m assuming you have a strong gag reflex if you’re still alive to speak about it,” she said playfully.
“Thank fuck too,” I grumbled, motioning her to follow me into the kitchen where I’d set up our dinner in the breakfast nook.
The space was intimate. If I wanted to whisper to her, I could. Right about now, all I could think about was pushing her dress
up and fucking her on the table. “I have an assortment of drinks. Beer, hard alcohol, water, soda, juice. You tell me what you
want, and I’ll get it for you.”
“Water is fine,” she said, taking a seat at the table. “I’m not much of a drinker.”
There was more to that statement, but I let it lie for now. She didn’t know me from Adam, except what she thought she
knew, anyway. “Not a problem.” I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and a beer, then joined her, allowing her to open
her bottle.
“So, are you going to expand on your diaper adventures today?” She stared at me over the lip of the bottle, and I swore she
had the best fuck me gaze a man could ever want. Posey had done her makeup in what Ireland would call a smoky eye,
accentuating her dazzling topaz irises. I’d love to see all that kohl running down her cheeks while I—damn it, stop thinking
with your dick, asshole.
“Destiny is teething. I figured it out a couple of days ago when her bottom tooth started erupting. But she had no issues with
her stomach. I guess today was my FAFO day.” I snorted.
“I’m sorry? Your what?”
“FAFO,” I replied. “Fuck Around and Find Out.”
Posey giggled. She covered her mouth as her eyes grew wide. The sound was belly deep, warm, and rich as she continued
to snicker. “I shouldn’t laugh. This isn’t funny.”
“It is funny. Gross when it happened, though. I wish someone would have warned me.”
“The hazard of being a parent, I suppose,” she said, taking a sip of her water. “This looks fantastic. I’m glad you ordered
from Flame.”
Shocked, I sat there. I didn’t know what to say. How’d she figure it out? I thought I threw everything away that might give
away what I’d done. “Uh...”
“You missed a tin cover,” Posey said pointing to the island where the aforementioned lid sat with Flame written on it.
“Don’t worry though, I love their food.”
I relaxed into my chair. “Perks of being the brother-in-law of the owner and the brother to the sous chef.” That sounded
braggadocious. Was I laying it on way too thick? I cleared my throat. “Anyway, with everything that happened today, I wasn’t
even sure if I’d be able to pull this off. I thought for sure I was one diaper away from an all-night stay in the hospital, instead of
an adult dinner.”
Her gaze softened. “Must be hard jumping into the unknown with both feet.”
“You’d think because I was around for the birth of my siblings and now my nephew, I’d be better at this.” Who was I
kidding? I hadn’t done anything for Ireland or my parents except for being moral support and taking on big brother/uncle duty
when Ireland needed me or my parents. I’d probably be doing the same for Jackson sooner rather than later, too.
“It’s not the same as having a child,” she said, digging into her dinner with gusto. “Your child depends on you. With your
nephew and now your niece, you can give them back when things become too intense. Same for your siblings when you were
younger.”
Ain’t that the truth? As it was, the PI Mack recommended for me, had turned up shit. No one in New York or Mexico knew
a damn thing about Pedro or Hope. So, we were expanding to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, just to be on the safe
side. Hope and Pedro were ghosts with no families to miss them after their deaths. I didn’t know how to feel about the idea of
Destiny never knowing her biological family. However, I also understood as my daughter, she’d always have the Banks family.
“True,” I agreed.
“Must have been a shock for your families when you found out about Waverly and Jackson’s daughter,” Posey hedged,
cutting into her steak. “I can’t imagine how traumatic that was.
I don’t think traumatic was even the word for it. In fact, I don’t think there was a word for how any of us felt. “Confession
time. We kind of overreacted. I might have cold cocked my brother because of how he was acting, before any of us knew the
truth.” I winced at the memory. It wasn’t a finer moment in my life. I think I transferred some of my anger at Pedro and Hope
onto Jackson, and that wasn’t fair to him. “We all thought he left her because she got pregnant.”
“They got pregnant. She did nothing without him,” Posey corrected me.
“Right. You’re right. They’re kids, you know? We were all wrong when we learned what really happened.” Jackson had no
clue. Waverly ghosted him because she got scared. I was still scratching my head on that one. We might be a bunch of assholes,
but we’d have never turned Waverly away. Nor would Jackson. The kid was so in love with Waverly and his daughter
Alandria, it would’ve taken an act of God to separate them.
I was still worried about them. Waverly had gone and cut everyone out of her life because of her pregnancy and over the
last few days, I wondered if she’d had ever told Jackson the truth about Alandria. Jackson, the big doof he was, sometimes
loved Waverly way too much to be mad at her. Shouldn’t he have been? Shouldn’t he be pissed Waverly jetted out of his life
when things got too hard? Would she do it again if they had issues?
“Fear makes you do stupid things,” Posey said with a little lift of her shoulder. “Fear can make you hide from your life.”
“Lying can break people, though. For some, trust, once broken, can never be repaired,” I said, my confession sitting on the
tip of my tongue, burning a hole where the words sat. I swallowed them down, not ready to give her everything. Not really sure
I should or could, to be honest.
“Trust is one of those things you either know how to cultivate or you allow it to burn like a wildfire, destroying everything
in its path when it’s misused,” she replied.
“Sounds like you speak from experience.” As much as Posey appeared to be the happy, live, laugh, love-type, there were
shadows there, too. Like she’d seen shit that would probably throw another, weaker, person into a psych ward for a grippy
socks vacation. “Enough about me. How about we talk about you? Who is Posey Roberts?”
She chuckled softly. “A lady of mystery.”
Fuck.
She’d crawled under my skin like an invasive parasite I never wanted to get rid of. I wanted to know everything about her,
including what made her tick. What turned her on? What made Posey want to help children? I was almost sure I knew the
answer, but I yearned for the day she trusted me enough to tell me. I craved the moment she didn’t see me as some guy who
fucked a girl and got her pregnant.
Especially when I hadn’t.
I should tell her the truth right now and put both of us out of misery so we could move forward together as a couple.
Would it ruin everything?
Yes, I was putting my fucking cart before my horse, but damn it, the Boom was an insatiable bitch that needed regular
tending or else I’d go insane. I believed I already was half of the time. Nothing in my life had ever compared to this. If
someone would have told me five years ago, I’d be sitting across from the one woman who could tie me in knots. I’d have
laughed. I never saw myself as the “tied down-type.”
“Can I solve your puzzle?” I cocked a brow, tipping my beer to my lips. The line was pure cheese, and I’d layered it on
super thick.
“Maybe. Someday.” Posey wiped her mouth and pushed her plate back. “That was excellent. My compliments to the chef.”
I smirked. “I’m sure Sasha will approve of your praise.” I cocked my head to the living room. “Leave your plate. I’ll get
them later. Let’s move this to the living room, where we can be more comfortable.” I sounded like one of those creepers. I felt
slimy. From her expression, she felt it, too. “Fuck. I’m screwing this all up.” She discombobulated me.
Posey was an unattainable obsession. She was sending me all the subtle signals she wasn’t interested, and, like a
neanderthal caveman, I ignored them. I’d focused on winning her over with my charm.
“Like I said before, this is highly unusual.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, and I wanted to pull the abused flesh from
between her teeth. “Do you ever feel like you’re doing the right-wrong thing?”
I grunted. “All the time. Lately, mostly.”
She nodded. “Same. I wish I could tell you everything about me, but unfortunately, because of my job, there are tons of
holes.”
I shrugged as we stepped into the living room. “So, tell me what you can, and I’ll bore you to death with all the projects at
work I’ve been finishing up.”
“Your job is way cooler than mine,” she muttered, taking a seat on the couch before tucking her feet under her. Fuck, she
even fit comfortably in my home. Like she’d always been here with me. “Your family restores classic cars for a living.”
Warmth filled my cheeks, along with the center of my chest. We took pride in our work. Our dad showed us what hard work
and a job well done could create. Also, the fun that could be had by turning a wrench. “Some days are pretty hard, though,
especially where Oldsmobiles are concerned.” I don’t know why I showed her the scar on the palm of my hand. I’d been
eighteen and cocksure. I’d done enough work with my dad; I thought I could take apart the exhaust system on a sixty-seven
Oldsmobile by myself. Almost lost the ability to use my left hand. I’d never forget the horror on my mother’s face, or the way
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whenever the cage is cleaned, and in addition the pan should be
washed in hot water from time to time. Lime on the perches may be
removed by means of a scraper made of a bit of tin fastened to a
wire or tacked at right angles to a stick small enough to pass easily
between the wires of the cage. Cages with bottom attached should
be provided with a sand tray that slides in and out through a slot in
the front. This serves to catch droppings, seed hulls, and other
waste, and may be easily pulled out, cleaned, and refilled with fresh
sand.
 INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AVIARIES.

Those who keep birds for pleasure, and who do not care to breed
them for exhibition or to maintain any particular standard, may
receive much enjoyment from aviaries in which numbers of canaries
are kept in one inclosure. The size of the aviary or bird room will be
governed wholly by circumstances, as it may range from an entire
room to a small screened inclosure or part of a conservatory. A room
large enough for the owner to enter without unduly frightening the
occupants makes an ideal indoor aviary, and where space permits it
may be fitted up without great expense. The floor should be covered
to the depth of half an inch to an inch with clean sand or sawdust.
Small evergreen trees planted in large pots furnish suitable
decorations, and may be replaced from time to time as they are
destroyed by the inmates of the aviary. A branching dead tree and
one or two limbs nailed across corners at suitable heights furnish
more artistic perches than straight rods. In addition, pegs 4 or 5
inches long may be driven or nailed to the walls to furnish resting
places.
Seed should be supplied in self-regulating hoppers, preferably
attached to the wall, and water given in self-feeding fountain
containers. These become less dirty than open dishes placed on the
floor. Sand must be furnished in a box or dish where it is not used on
the floor. Soft foods and green foods may be supplied on little
shelves or a small table. At the proper season nesting boxes may be
hung on the walls, and nesting material supplied in racks or in open-
mesh bags hung to some support. A shallow pan of water may be
kept constantly on the floor or, better, may be inserted for an hour
each day for bathing. A screened flying cage may be built on the
outside of a window and the birds admitted to it in pleasant weather.
Perches, if of natural wood, should have smooth bark or should be
peeled, as crevices often harbor mites. Plants and other decorations
should not be placed so near the wall that birds may be trapped
behind them.
 Aviaries constructed out of doors, like bird rooms, may be made
simple or elaborate, large or small, according to circumstances.
Where there is sufficient ground available a small frame structure
may be built and covered with strong galvanized wire screen of
small-sized mesh. Part, at least, of the roof should be covered as a
protection against stormy weather, and two sides should be boarded
up to afford protection from cold winds. Where the winter climate is
severe it is necessary to build a closed addition with board or cement
floor and a connecting door, in which the birds may be protected
during the cold season. Canaries when acclimatized, however, can
withstand moderately cold weather as well as native birds.
The open portion of the aviary should have a board or cement
base sunk to a depth of 8 to 10 inches around the bottom to prevent
entrance of rats, mice, or larger animals. If a fence with an overhang
at the top is not constructed to keep out animals, it is best to make
the screen walls double by nailing screen wire to both sides of the
wooden frame, so that birds clinging to the wire may not be injured
by cats or dogs. Where space does not permit an elaborate structure
a lean-to may be built against another wall to make an inclosure
large enough for a number of birds. Where needed, the sides of the
aviary may be fitted with windows that can be put in place in winter.
The entrance to the outdoor aviary should be through a small porch
or anteroom that need be merely large enough to permit entrance
through an outside door, with a second door leading into the aviary
itself. The outside door should be closed before the inner one is
opened, so that none of the birds can escape.
The fittings of the outdoor aviary may be adapted from those
described for the indoor bird room. With an earth floor it is possible
to grow evergreen and deciduous shrubs for shelter and ornament.
Where space permits a hedge of privet along the open side of the
aviary furnishes a shelter in which birds delight to nest. To avoid
overheating in hot weather shade should be provided for part of the
structure.
In aviaries birds pair more or less at random. To avoid constant
bickering or even serious fighting in the breeding season it is usual
to regulate the number of males so that the females outnumber them
two to one.
 FOOD.

The food requirements of canaries are simple. Canary seed to

which have been added rape seed and a little hemp is a staple diet
that persons who keep only a few birds usually purchase ready
mixed. Canary seed alone does not furnish a balanced food, but
forms a good combination with hemp and summer rape. Much of the
rape seed in prepared seed sold in cartons is of a species that even
wild birds do not eat, as it is pungent and bitter in flavor, but all relish
the mild taste of true summer rape. Seed is given in little cups that
are fastened between the wires of the cage.
In addition to a seed supply lettuce or a bit of apple should be
placed between the wires of the cage frequently. And those properly
situated may, in season, vary this menu by the addition of
chickweed, dandelion heads, thistle and plantain seeds, and the
fruiting heads and tender leaves of senecio and shepherd’s purse.
Watercress, wild oats, knot grass, and other grasses are relished,
especially in spring and early in summer.
Bread moistened in scalded milk, given cold at intervals, is
beneficial. Soft foods must not be made too wet. With bread, enough
liquid to soften the food but not to run or render it a paste is
sufficient. Supplies of moist foods must be kept strictly fresh and
clean or sickness may result. Special dishes, known as food holders,
or slides that slip through the wires of the cage are often used in
giving softened bread and similar supplies. Cuttle bone should
always be available.
When canaries do not seem to thrive it is well to crack open a few
of the seeds to make certain that empty husks alone are not being
fed. Hemp, while a valuable addition to the diet, should not be given
in excess, as it is fattening and may make birds so lethargic that they
cease to sing, or in exceptional cases may even cause death. When
canaries cease to sing from the effects of overfeeding it is well to
supply some of the stimulating foods known as song restorers, or
other prepared foods that may be obtained from dealers.
 During the time of molt a few linseeds added to the seed supply
are believed to give gloss and sheen to the new feathers. Linseeds
should be given in small quantity, as they are injurious if eaten in
excess. Meal worms fed occasionally are beneficial for birds that are
not thriving. A craving for animal food may be satisfied by bits of raw
steak, but it is not well to continue feeding raw meat for any length of
time, as it may cause a foul odor about the cage. Delicate birds may
be fed canary, rape, and hemp seed soaked in cold water for 24
hours, rinsed, and then drained. Maw seed (poppy seed) is favored
by English canary fanciers as a stimulant, but its use must be
guarded, as it may be poisonous to other animals, including man.
During the breeding season egg food must be given daily as soon
as the birds are paired. This is prepared by mincing an entire hard-
boiled egg or passing it through a sieve, and adding to it an equal
quantity of bread or unsalted cracker crumbs. This may be given to
unmated birds as well at intervals of a week or so. When female
canaries begin to incubate, egg food may be fed every three or four
days or even less frequently. Addition of brown sugar in small
quantity to the egg food is supposed to prevent egg-binding in young
females. When the young hatch, egg food should be supplied at
once. Some recommend that the yolk of a hard-boiled egg be given
alone for the first day. Bread crumbs are added to this daily until on
the third day egg food as ordinarily prepared is supplied. Attempt
should be made to regulate the supply of egg food or other soft food
so that it will be eaten without waste. The actual quantity will vary in
individual cases. The usual seed supply should be present, no
matter what other food is given. Egg food must be given until the
young are fully grown and able to crack seed for themselves.
Cracked seed may be fed to lighten the labor of the parents, but it is
well to eliminate hemp from such a supply, as the hull of hemp seed
contains a poisonous substance that occasionally kills young birds.
Drinking water should be available to canaries at all times.
 BATHING.

Under normal conditions most birds probably bathe daily, and

canaries in captivity should be allowed the same opportunity. In open
wire cages in common use for singing birds the base is removed and
the cage placed over a small dish containing water. In open-front
cages in which the bottom is not detachable small bath cages which
fasten at the open door are used. These are only a few inches wide
but serve to hold a dish for water. Many birds are notional in bathing
and at times ignore the offered bath. Usually the process of cleaning
the cage and renewing the seed and water will excite in them a
desire for bathing, and often when a bath is not provided the bird will
do its best to perform its ablutions in the small supply of water in the
drinking cup. When individual birds obstinately refuse to enter the
water, if enough clean sand to cover the bottom is placed in the dish
they bathe more readily. After the bath the water may be drained
carefully and the sand left to dry in the dish for use another time.
Birds brought into strange quarters may refuse to bathe for the first
few days. When water is offered they either ignore it or sitting on a
perch go through the motions of bathing and drying, fluttering wings
and tail with a great whirring of feathers. The bath should be offered
whenever the cage is cleaned, and if left alone the birds will act
normally after a few days.
Small china or earthenware dishes that are not too deep make
good bathing pans. When a bird becomes accustomed to one dish it
will usually refuse to bathe in another of different shape or color. In
winter the water should be warmed until tepid. Even in warm weather
very cold water is not advisable. If the room, ordinarily warm,
becomes cold temporarily, birds should not be allowed to bathe. With
the plumage wet and bedraggled there is increased susceptibility to
cold drafts. During molt the bath should be given not more than twice
each week. If the bird is molting on color food, one bath each week
is sufficient. The female canary should not be allowed to bathe from
the time the eggs hatch until the young are 3 or 4 days old.
 MOLT.

Canaries renew their covering of feathers once each year. In

adults this molt occurs late in summer, and the first sign of it may be
the presence of a wing or tail feather on the bottom of the cage.
These large feathers are shed in pairs, so that one from either wing
or from either side of the tail is dropped at approximately the same
time. Never in ordinary circumstances does the canary have the
wing and tail entirely devoid of large feathers. This provision is of no
particular significance in a cage bird, but enables wild birds to
maintain their powers of flight. The bodily covering is renewed
piecemeal as well, so that except about the head there is normally
no extensive area wholly devoid of feathers at any time. Some birds
drop a few of the body feathers all through the year, a symptom that
need cause no anxiety.
With breeding birds the molt usually comes immediately after the
breeding season and may begin as early as the latter part of July.
Normally it comes during August, and on the average should be at
its height in September. Young birds molt the juvenal body plumage
after leaving the nest, but retain the first growth of wing and tail
feathers for a year. In healthy birds the entire molt requires about two
months.
Canaries usually need no special care during molt. Though in an
abnormal bodily state at this time, healthy individuals will come
through the period in good condition. Birds are somewhat dull and
stupid when molting and should be disturbed as little as possible.
Bathing may be permitted once or twice each week, but if birds do
not wish to bathe they should not be sprayed with water. It is well to
add egg food or moistened bread to the ordinary fare once or twice
each week during molt. For ailing birds a very slight quantity of
sulphur may be added to the egg food, or a weak saffron tea given
instead of pure drinking water. A few linseeds in the seed supply give
a gloss and sheen to the new feathers not otherwise obtainable.
 When canaries fail to molt at the proper season molt may
sometimes be induced by covering the cage with a dark cloth and
placing it in a warm protected place where the bird will not be
disturbed.
Old birds or those weak in physical vigor often fail to renew their
entire feather covering, a condition for which little remedy may be
offered. Usually this incomplete molt is a sign of extreme age or
breakdown, though if the bird lives, a supply of nutritious, easily
assimilated food and careful protection during the next molt may
result in improvement.
A great change in temperature or a sudden chill may check the
progress of molt and occasionally cause serious trouble. If a bird
shows signs of distress, it should be placed at once in a warm,
protected place. Ten drops of sweet spirits of niter and a few shreds
of saffron added to the drinking water are beneficial.
 COLOR FEEDING.

That the color of canaries may be deepened or intensified by

certain foods given during the molt is well known and has attracted
much interest. Turmeric, marigold flowers, saffron, cochineal,
annatto, mustard seed, and other agents rich in natural color are
often used for this purpose, ordinarily in combination with red pepper
as a base. For a long time methods of preparing and feeding color
foods were kept secret, but now they are outlined in many manuals
on canary feeding.
In selecting canaries for experiments in color feeding preference
should be given to strong, vigorous, male birds. During digestion and
assimilation the concentrated food used puts more or less of a strain
upon the system, and birds that are old or constitutionally weak may
not thrive, or may even succumb under the treatment. Color food
may be given young canaries at the age of 7 or 8 weeks to produce
a deep color at their first molt. Birds with color that is naturally full
and rich should be selected. Those having greenish markings or
those descended from a male parent well marked with green are
preferable. Pale birds seldom color well.
A standard color food may be prepared as follows: To the ordinary
egg food (one hard-boiled egg chopped fine with an equal bulk of
bread crumbs or unsalted cracker crumbs) add a teaspoonful of
ground sweet red pepper. Mix until the food shows an even reddish
tint throughout. Care should be taken to see that the supply of
ground sweet pepper used is fresh and clean and that it is not
artificially colored. Each bird to be experimented upon should receive
one small teaspoonful of the prepared food daily. The quantity of
pepper in the mixture is increased gradually, until two heaping
teaspoonfuls are used. Addition of a little brown sugar and a few
drops of pure olive oil is beneficial, and a small quantity of hot red
pepper gives a better flavor. The food should be prepared fresh each
day, and in mixing allowance must be made for variation in the size
of eggs used.
 Some breeders increase the proportion of sweet red pepper until 4
teaspoonfuls are added to the usual quantity of egg food. Half a
teaspoonful of this concentrated food is allowed each bird. This
method may be used during a short, quick molt. The usual supply of
seed must be kept in the cage, for canaries can not subsist on the
color food alone.
Those who do not care to use such an elaborate preparation in
color feeding may substitute pieces of the common sweet red
peppers sold in fresh vegetable markets for the bits of lettuce
ordinarily given as green food. Canaries eat these readily, and from
the effect of this food eaten during molt become noticeably deeper
and richer in color.
Color feeding to be successful must be started as soon as the
canaries are ready to molt, and feeding must be continued until no
more pin feathers can be found anywhere on the body when the
feathers are carefully blown aside. The color food actually supplies
an enriched color element that otherwise is lacking. Until the artificial
color is firmly fixed in the matured feather it fades easily when
exposed to strong light. The birds chosen for color feeding should be
kept in a dim light away from the windows and with the cages
shaded. Open-front cages are easily provided with a screen of paper
or cloth, but care must be taken to leave space for ventilation. Direct
sunlight must be avoided. Bathing must not be permitted more often
than once a week, and the birds should be disturbed as little as
possible.
Should a bird refuse the color food, the seed supply may be
removed for a short time morning and evening and the color food
substituted. Usually in a day or two the stimulating food will be eaten
eagerly. Linseeds should be given (as during the regular molt) to
impart a gloss to the new feathers. With proper care there will be
little trouble in producing fine, healthy birds with rich, highly colored
plumage. The enhanced color lasts only during the continuance of
the growth of feathers, and if color feeding is not resorted to at the
next molt the canary will again be plain.
 BREEDING.

The breeding season for canaries begins properly in March.

Though birds often show signs of its approach as early as January, it
is better, because of the effect of changing weather conditions upon
callow young, to postpone nesting activities until later, if possible.
Some canary fanciers keep canaries paired throughout the year, but
the more common practice is to separate the sexes except when
breeding. The beginning of the mating season is marked by ringing,
vigorous song among male birds, accompanied by much restless
activity. Females, indifferent until now, respond with loud call notes,
flit their wings, and otherwise evince their interest. Birds may be
paired without these preliminary signs, but usually this tends only to
lengthen the breeding season without material benefit. The instinct to
breed may be stimulated when necessary by the addition of egg food
and green stuff to the diet.
Canaries in captivity are polygamous when opportunity offers, and
many breeders place two or even three females with each male.
Others, however, keep canaries in pairs, as they are more readily
handled, and when the young are hatched the male is able to assist
in caring for them. Where two females are kept with one male the
birds should be placed in a cage divided by slides into three
compartments. The male is placed in the middle, and a female on
either side. During half the day the male is thrown with one female
and during the remainder with the other. This arrangement
necessitates the use of three sets of seed and water cups in each
cage. When the females begin to incubate the male is removed or
excluded from both.
A cage suitable for one pair of canaries should be equipped with a
sliding wire partition. The male and the female are placed one in
either compartment and the two left to make acquaintance. The male
will begin to feed the female through the wires in a day or two, or
perhaps at once, and when this is observed the slide may be
withdrawn and the birds kept together. If a cage is used that has no
slide, there is usually some bickering between the birds at first, but
birds are rarely found that do not in the end agree. A cage thus used
without a slide should be new to both birds, in order that neither may
resent the presence of an intruder in a cage which it has been
accustomed to consider its own.
Soon after pairing the female will be seen carrying feathers in her
bill or searching about the bottom of the cage. If a little nesting
material is given her she will be content to arrange and rearrange it
for a few days. As soon as she shows serious intention of building,
enough material for actual nest construction may be supplied. If a
considerable quantity is furnished at first it is merely wasted. The
material may be held in a small wire rack suspended on the outside
of the cage or placed inside. Bits of string, cotton, slender blades of
dried grass, dried moss, cow’s hair, or other soft material will serve
well. No long strings or long hairs should be given, as these may
cause trouble later by entangling the feet and legs of mother and
young. Everything furnished should be clean and free from dust.
Some canaries are expert nest builders, while others construct a
slovenly structure that barely serves to contain the eggs. Some
fanciers prefer to construct nests for their birds, and with certain
birds this is necessary as some females may refuse to build.
Canaries build in anything that offers support. A nest box of wood,
or, better, an earthenware nest pan, may be fastened to the side or
back of the cage midway between the two perches. The rush or
willow nests sold by many dealers, while serviceable, may harbor
vermin. The earthenware nest pan is best, as when the breeding
season is over it is readily cleaned and put away for another year.
Failing this, a box 1¼ inches or more deep made of thin wood may
be used. The nest box or pan should have a lining or bottom
covering of felt. This may be pasted in the earthenware pan, and
may be soaked loose without trouble when it is desired to renew it.
The nest receptacle, of whatever description, should be suspended
an inch above the level of the perches. This prevents the young from
leaving the nest too soon. The receptacle should not be near enough
to the top of the cage to interfere with the movements of the
occupants. If the nest is not too near the perches the male is not so
likely to be obtrusive during incubation.
The first egg will be deposited from a week to a month after the
birds are paired. Normally it is laid in about two weeks. The number
of eggs in a sitting may vary from three to six, with four or five as the
usual number. The eggs should be removed as soon as laid. This
may be done readily with a teaspoon, with care not to injure the
delicate shells. They should be kept in a cool place, slightly
embedded in fine corn meal or bran or cared for in some other
manner that does not allow them to roll about or touch each other.
On the evening of the day on which the third egg is laid all may be
returned to the nest.
Removing the eggs and then replacing them postpones incubation
and development in those first laid and makes the time of hatching
more even. The normal period of incubation is 14 days.
Egg binding sometimes causes trouble and may be dealt with as
follows: The vent may be oiled carefully with a drop or two of
warmed castor oil and the bird returned to the cage. If the egg is not
deposited within half an hour the canary should be held for a few
minutes with the vent over the steam of hot water. A good method is
to fill a narrow-necked jar or bottle with hot water and cover the
mouth of the receptacle with cheese cloth; the female is then held
carefully for a minute or two in the rising steam. Often the egg will
drop at once and be caught in the cheesecloth, or it may be
deposited in the normal manner after the bird is returned to the cage.
The male canary is ordinarily a model husband and parent, giving
no trouble, but if he should annoy the female during incubation or
attempt to injure the young he should be removed at once. It is the
natural instinct of an incubating bird to conceal itself as much as
possible, and though canaries are tame, this tendency should be
recognized and respected. This does not mean that they are to be
neglected. Each breeding cage should be equipped with a sand tray
which should be cleaned at least every other day. In no other way
can it be hoped to rear numbers of birds successfully. Except for this
necessary care and the provision of food, water, and bathing
facilities, the birds should be bothered as little as possible.
Sometimes trouble is caused by inability of the young to free
themselves from the shell or egg membrane, a condition for which
there is usually no remedy at the time. With succeeding settings the
difficulty may be obviated by sprinkling the eggs slightly with water
each evening. Some breeders when the young canaries are 8 days
old place them in a new nest, a practice that may be necessary
when the old nest is infested with parasites. In such instances a little
insect powder should be sprinkled over the body before the young
birds are placed in their new quarters.
The young birds leave the nest when 20 to 30 days old. They may
be left with the parents as long as they are fed and should never be
removed entirely until it is found that they are able to crack the seeds
upon which they must feed. It is advisable to continue the use of egg
food for a time and gradually to decrease the amount given to get
the birds accustomed to a diet of seed alone.
Canaries often rear two or three broods a season and the female
may be ready to breed again when the young are three weeks old. It
is only necessary to provide a second nest and nesting material and
let her proceed. The care of the young will then devolve on the male.
Nesting material should be provided at once or the female may pluck
the feathers from her growing young. If this can not be stopped the
young should be placed in a small nursery cage suspended from the
side of the breeding cage in a manner that will allow feeding
between the wires. When the young are finally removed they must
not be placed with birds older and stronger for a time. They should
be watched carefully the first day, and if any one does not feed it
must be returned to the parents at once. Though most of the losses
among canaries come at this time, with care in food and cleanliness
there should be little trouble.
 SEX AND AGE.

To determine sex and age in living canaries is difficult and is to be

attempted only by one who has had long experience as a canary
fancier. The external characters denoting sex are not easily
described. In nearly all cases a male may be recognized by his
proficiency as a songster, but occasionally female birds also possess
a clear, full song. When in breeding condition the sex may be
determined readily by examining the vent. In males it is protuberant,
while in females it does not project below the level of the abdomen.
By daily observation the canary breeder is generally able to
distinguish the sexes through slight differences in carriage and
mannerisms not apparent to one not familiar with them.
In judging age the feet offer the only characters easily seen, but
even these can not always be relied upon. Birds a year old or less
usually have the skin and scales covering the feet and tarsi smooth
and of fine texture. In older birds they appear coarser and
roughened. Very old birds usually have had the claws trimmed until
they appear blunt or rounded rather than sharp and pointed (see p.
19).
Canaries have lived many years when cared for regularly. Dr. C.
W. Richmond, Associate Curator of Birds in the United States
National Museum, relates that two birds, hatched in the same brood
and kept entirely separated after they left the nest, lived 18 years,
dying within a few weeks of each other. Another case is on record in
which a canary was known to be at least 34 years old when it died,
and even this advanced age may have been exceeded. Usually with
advancing years birds molt irregularly or lose part of the feathers
entirely. Often their eyesight is impaired. It is said that canaries that
have not been paired live much longer than those allowed to breed.
 VERMIN.

Canaries are affected by two forms of external parasites. The

larger of these, a bird louse[2] known usually as the gray louse, is an
insect with a slender, elongate body and a large head armed with
strong jaws. This pest feeds upon the feather structure of the bird’s
outer covering, and though it does not suck the blood of its host, its
sharp claws irritate the skin and cause discomfort to the bird. The
eggs of the gray louse are attached to the feathers by a gum and are
not easily removed. The young insects resemble the adults and in a
few weeks after hatching are fully grown. They are best combated by
blowing insect powder (pyrethrum) into the plumage of the affected
bird with a small bellows or blower. This treatment should be
repeated two or three times at intervals of a week to insure the
destruction of any young lice hatching in the meantime.
The other parasite of canaries is a small mite,[3] a minute
spiderlike creature that when fully grown is barely visible to the
unaided eye. Its natural color is whitish, but nearly always it is filled
with blood sucked from the body of the unfortunate bird harboring it,
so that it appears bright red. These mites are nocturnal, and except
in cases of severe infestation are seldom found upon the body of
their host during the day. They are often found in the slits at the ends
of the perches or in the round piece of metal forming the support at
the top of the ordinary wire cage. In wooden cages they hide in
cracks, nail holes, or crevices, and their presence is betrayed upon
close examination by minute white spottings. If unnoticed, they
multiply rapidly and sap the strength of the bird by sucking its blood.
When their presence is suspected a little coal oil, or kerosene,
applied freely to the cage with a brush may be sufficient to kill the
pests. Or the bird may be removed temporarily and the cage cleaned
thoroughly with a solution of 1 ounce of commercial carbolic acid in a
gallon of water, applied with a small brush, taking care to reach all
crevices. In severe infestations it may be necessary to immerse the
cage for several minutes in water that is boiling hot. Insect powder
may be used as for the gray louse.
 Where facilities for frequent bathing are offered and the cage is
kept clean, there is usually little trouble with either mites or bird lice.
When a bird is sick and neglects its customary bathing, cleaning,
and preening, it is surprising to see how rapidly these pests multiply.
With care, however, they may be completely eradicated, though
fresh outbreaks are likely to occur when new birds are obtained. In
wooden cages cracks in the boards that have harbored mites may
be closed with glue to prevent a return of the pests.

FOOTNOTES:

[2] Docophorns communis Nitzsch. Order Mallophaga.

[3] Dermanyssus avium De Geer, closely allied to the chicken
mite D. gallinae De Geer.
 CARE OF FEET AND BILL.

As a canary grows old it will be noticed that its claws become long
and catch on the perches and wires as it hops about the cage. In a
state of nature the activities of the bird as it moves about on the
ground or among twigs and limbs keep the claws properly worn
down. Confined in a cage the canary is less active, and while the
claws have the same rate of growth they are here subject to much
less abrasion. It is necessary, therefore, to trim them with a pair of
sharp scissors every few months. It is important to watch the
condition of the claws carefully, as by catching they may cause a
broken leg. In each claw a slender blood vessel extends well down
toward the tip. This is indicated in Figure 6 by the letter A, and may
be seen on close examination through the transparent sheath of the
bird’s claw. In trimming cut well beyond this canal (at the point B in
the figure) and take special care not to break the leg while handling
the bird.

Fig. 6.—Diagram of foot of canary with

overgrown claws. A, Terminal blood
vessel; B, point at which claw may
be trimmed without injury.
 In cage birds the horny covering of the bill, as well as the claws,
sometimes becomes distorted through growth without sufficient
wear. The tips of the mandibles may be pared down with a sharp
knife, but care must be taken not to cut deep enough to reach the
quick.