Page 65 of Gang of Roses: Dice

“Sorry ‘bout that,” Ritz said as he swaggered through the door.

Lord...

The way this man carried himself ought to be illegal. His broad shoulders filled the doorway, and those eyes found mine the second he stepped into the room. He walked over and stopped in front of me, studying my face like he was waiting for my eyes to tell him something my mouth wouldn’t. I held his stare, hoping this good evening didn’t turn sour now that everybody had gone home.

“So... would they like a DNA test?”

“Huh?”

He leaned his head back.

“Come on, Ritz—or should I say Radar? I’m a mother. If Revv walked in here one day talking about how he had a baby, I’d be a whole mama bear.”

A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Oh, man. Not my little man got one of them on his hands.”

“Yes, he does. So... what’s the verdict?”

Instead of answering, he walked around the couch and reached for Revv. My baby went right to him, laid his head on his father’s shoulder, and settled like he’d been doing it all his life.

“We need to get going. It’s getting late.”

Ritz didn’t respond. He simply turned and started walking down the hallway.

I pushed myself off the couch and followed. As much as I was starting to trust him, there was still a little voice in the back of my mind whispering fears I’d carried for two years.

“Where you taking my baby?” I asked, closing the distance between us.

My words had him stopping so fast I almost planted my face in the middle of his brick wall of a chest.

“Listen, Global... or should I say, Dice?” his voice stayed calm. “Don’t play with me, love. Get used to saying ours. And if you must know, I’m taking our son to his room.”

His room?

“What you mean, room?”

“G-Baby, your eyes tell on you more than you realize if somebody’s paying attention. I watched you scan this house all day. You noticed the outlet covers, the baby gates, and the swing set outside. I made sure that when Revv came over, he’d feel at home. Now come on.”

He turned and continued down the hallway.

I guess he checked the hell out of my ass.

But where were we going?

Well... they were going.

My nosy ass had invited myself on this little field trip.

We made it to a door, and I looked back, wondering just how big this damn house was. Ritz opened it and spoke into the room.

“Lights on.”

The room instantly came to life.

“Night light.”

The overhead lights dimmed, leaving behind a warm glow.