Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 93698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93698 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Why was he here?
On the black and white video, she could see Zeke take a deep breath before planting his hands on his hips and staring directly into the camera. “Wanna see my son.”
She sighed. He was not in a position to make demands.
She needed to stay in control of this whole situation and she shouldn’t be surprised that Zeke was trying to be in charge. He was a stubborn biker after all.
“Go away. He’s sleeping right now. I’ll let you know when it’s a better time.”
“Fuck that.”
She dismissed him with, “Have a good night.”
If he responded, she didn’t hear what he said since she had closed the app. She smiled. It was almost as good as hanging up on someone.
When the doorbell remained quiet after a few moments, she picked up her tablet and continued to read her ebook, starting once again from the top of the page.
Once she finished the chapter, she checked the app to make sure he had left. She closed her eyes in relief when her small porch appeared empty.
At least Zeke had listened.
For once.
She wanted Zeke’s relationship with Ledger to develop slowly so she could determine if he could handle being a father before jumping in with both feet. Or both biker boots.
A few pages later, she heard a strange noise coming from the back of her first floor apartment in the two-story home. It most likely came from her neighbors upstairs. The young guys could be noisy when they drank too much.
The furnished two-bedroom rental might not be large, or the quietest, but it had to work until she could save more money to either buy or rent a house with a fenced backyard.
She tilted her head and listened carefully, but the only thing she heard next was a growl and some frantic barking. And what sounded like a loud curse.
With a pounding heart, she shot to her feet, tossed her tablet aside, and rushed toward the back of the house.
Thunder slept in Ledger’s bed with him and something had set her off.
Before she could reach Ledger’s room, she heard another crash and even louder growl, then a high-pitched, “For fuck’s sake!”
Since the door wasn’t completely closed, she shoved it open further to see Zeke backed into a corner with his hands up in surrender.
Like Thunder understood that. Instead, the German Shepherd was standing guard between father and son with her teeth bared.
Good girl, Thunder.
She switched on the light. “Thunder, it’s…” She was about to say “okay” but it wasn’t. Zeke just broke into Ledger’s room. Idiot! “Settle, girl.”
Thunder looked back and forth between Zeke, still frozen in place, and Kyra. Amazingly enough, she could read the dog’s face, which said, “You sure?”
No, she wasn’t sure.
She’d been gone for four years. She had no idea if Zeke was any better or worse than when she had left.
She’d grown up a lot in the past four years. Becoming a mother helped her see the truth: hooking up with bad boys might be exciting for a hot minute, but in the end, it was a bad decision.
“Mommy!” Ledger was sitting up in bed with his blanket pulled up to his chin and his blue eyes wide.
She rushed over to him. “It’s fine, buddy.” She brushed the hair off his forehead and kissed it before shooting a glare toward the unwanted intruder, at the same time asking her son, “Remember Zeke?”
Ledger nodded. “Yeah.”
“He really liked spending time with you the other day at the diner so he wanted to spend more time with you.”
Yikes. That made Zeke sound like some sort of deviant when it came to her son.
Their son.
But the truth was, he was more of a bonehead than a deviant for breaking into Ledger’s room and scaring him.
She glanced at the open window. Did she forget to lock it? She went over and slammed the window shut and latched it before turning to Zeke, who still hadn’t moved a muscle.
Most likely due to Thunder’s murderous stare.
“Thunder,” she called out and patted Ledger’s bed. The dog immediately jumped on it and curled up next to her son.
Their son. Grr!
But she sure didn’t take her eyes off Zeke.
Good girl.
“Go back to sleep, buddy. Zeke will have to visit with you another time.”
After tonight, she was tempted not to let that happen at all. She’d be fuming for a while over him having the balls to break into her home. And wake up her kid after she told him Ledger was asleep.
She jerked her head toward the door.
Keeping his eyes glued on Thunder, Zeke side-stepped out, keeping his palms out and up at chest level, and slipped through the door.
“All right, you and Thunder go back to sleep. I’ll make you waffles with blueberries tomorrow, if you want.”
“Yay! Waaffffles!” He settled further under the covers. “Will Zeke be havin’ waffles, too, Mommy?”