AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Josh did, too. But there were other scenarios churningthrough his head. “How about I have a couple of kids out there and I’mprotecting them from someone who wants to hurt them?”
“Well, I would hope she wants more because I would likethat, but I would accept whatever she is willing to give me, and I would loveher kids.” Grim seemed to relax.
This was how to relieve his stress. Grim needed to runthrough things. He needed plans. His world had been chaotic for so long. A lotlike Nicole’s. Josh knew how to be the calm center of things. His fathers hadtaught him. Even when the world seemed out of control, the key was to notpanic. Panic was the enemy. Not fear, and fear was what they were facing. Fearof the unknown. Fear of losing her. “If she’s done something and the law’safter her?”
“We fix it.” Grim sounded so much calmer now. “If we can’t,then we run with her.”
“Then we run with her.” His decision was made. Though he wasfairly certain he could deal with whatever was thrown his way without taking upthe hobo life. Money could solve a world of troubles. It could buy the bestlawyers. His connections afforded him the finest hackers who could build anidentity to protect her. “It’s not going to come to that.”
“Dad…your dad is going to be a problem.”
His dad was always a problem. Stubborn old man, but Grim waswrong about one thing. “Do you not want to call him Dad? It doesn’t dishonoryour biological father. I know Dad wouldn’t mind. You slip up a lot and callPops Pops, and you often refer to our mother as Mom.”
“I don’t know,” Grim said quietly. “I guess I worry with mybackground Jack might find it distasteful.”
“I’m going to beat some sense into you.”
A smile broke over Grim’s face. “I’d like to see you try.”He sobered. “I don’t know. Pops is easy. Mom is… She’s the best mom in theworld. It’s not like I don’t love the old man. I went to vet school to make himproud of me.”
Josh rolled his eyes because he remembered the time well.They’d been planning on taking classes together, and Grim chucked that rightout the window. “You went to vet school because he didn’t like the old vet andoffhandedly said you might think about it because he would love to have one inthe family. You did eight years of school for him.”
A wistful smile played on Grim’s lips. “I ended up lovingit.”
“And he loves you, so drop the whole your dad thing. He’sour dad. You just took your time getting to meet him. You were always meant tobe part of my family. Hell, sometimes I’m sure he loves you more than me.”
Grim frowned his way. “No, you’re just so like him you buttheads all the time, and you need to remember that when we have to tell himwhat’s happening with Nicole. He’ll handle the secret kids real well. I shouldknow. The man likes to take in strays. The running from the law thing could beanother story.”
Because Jack Barnes would try to protect his family, andNicole wasn’t part of that yet. “I’ll handle it. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
A plan was starting to form in his head. A plan to put hisruthlessly protective father in check. It was the kind of plan his dad wouldhave come up with if he’d found himself in this position. The key with JackBarnes was to show him there was no moving, no maneuvering at all. The king hadto be placed in check and then Josh would get what he needed—time.
Because if his father didn’t come to adore Nicole andembrace her like the family she was destined to be, then he didn’t know hisfather at all. Pops was the easy one, and his mom just wanted everyone to behappy.
Now that he thought about it secret kids would soften hisdad up. It had been a while since Lexi had popped out her last, and the old manloved a kid following him around.
“If something goes down with Dad, your job is to take careof Nic and make sure she stays out of it as much as possible,” Josh explained.“I’ll handle the parents.”
A gentle chiming went through the suite.
Josh turned for the door. “Are we missing anything?”
Grim looked around. “I don’t think so.”
Josh went to the door. “Well, get ready because it’s almosttime to go pick up Nicole. She should be done by now. It won’t take her long todress since I didn’t leave her underwear.”
Grim shrugged. “A sensible thing to do.”
It was good they were in synch.
Josh opened the door and Harlow stood there. She’d changedinto street clothes, jeans and a T-shirt and combat boots. Her uniform. Thoughshe didn’t usually look so freaked out.
“Josh, we have to talk.” She charged into the room afterhim, her cell phone in hand. She put it to her ear. “Dad, I need you to callme. Now. Before you do anything. This is my case, and you are going to fuckeverything up. I’m not joking.”
Josh’s gut tightened. “What’s happening?”
“Should I find Nicole?” Grim put down the beer he’d beenabout to open.
Harlow shoved her phone into her pocket. “Guys, I’m sosorry. I didn’t realize my dads were looking into Nicole, too. I gave thepicture you sent to my facial recognition guy. Well, girl. Ruby is an amazinginvestigator, but she didn’t know we were keeping this on the down-low so whenDad called her, she gave him the report first. Josh, it’s bad. I’m afraidthey’re going to call in the police. She’s wanted.”
