Page 42 of Meant for Mayhem

For the first time since we’d met, Shannon didn’t seem to know what to do with herself. She stood there looking almost strangely vulnerable, her shirt slipping off one shoulder to reveal the roses tattooed down her pale arm. I’d noticed them before, but somehow I’d missed the thorns woven through every stem.

Now they made perfect sense.

They were beautiful, sure, but those thorns were what made her different. And I’d watched those thorns come out for me.

When her storm-gray eyes finally lifted to mine through the curtain of dark hair framing her face, I knew I was staring, but I couldn’t make myself stop.

Mom chuckled when Leena climbed off her lap and tugged at Shannon’s leg, pointing at her backpack.

Shannon slipped it off her shoulder and crouched beside her, digging out the bag of princess dolls they’d been playing with all day before placing it in Leena’s eager hands.

I could feel Mom’s eyes shift from Shannon to me, full of far more understanding than I was comfortable with.

“I think she’s exactly what this family needed.”

Across the room, Dad said nothing. He only turned away with a muttered curse under his breath and disappeared down the hallway.

But for the first time in a long time, watching him walk away didn’t feel like losing.

10

Dinner was even more awkward than our introduction with Mikko’s dad sitting at the table completely silent. Helena had no such qualms, asking me everything from my job to my favorite color. With each answer, she smiled wider, radiating a friendliness that neither of the men in her family could match.

Meanwhile, Mikko sat in a staring match with his dad for most of the meal, only speaking when asked a direct question. That Helena seemed unphased by this odd behavior told me this wasn’t the first time they’d shared an awkward meal.

Despite his hostility toward me and whatever drama was between Mikko and him, it was hard not to notice how attentive Jari was to his wife. Mikko had mentioned his mom was in a wheelchair since he was young, so it made sense—this was a practiced dance they were all too familiar with. Still, the tender care he took to make sure she had everything she needed before sitting down at the table was so endearing, it didn’t match the personality I’d seen so far.

Maybe I should have regretted calling out Jari’s inferiority complex. I was so used to insults and words meant to hurt thrown my way, they bounced right off. But Mikko wasn’t the only one who could read body language—his father had hurt him far deeper than either of them wanted to admit.

And over my dead body would I let that stand.

By the time dinner was over, Leena slumped in her high chair, worn out from the day. I gathered the dishes and carried them to the sink while Mikko lifted his daughter up and carried her into the bathroom to begin her bedtime routine.

“This is her least favorite part of the day,” Helena said as she moved to my side by the sink.

I raised a brow, taking the dishes she had on her lap and putting them in the sink. “Any tips for me, then?”

“Remind him gently that babies can tell when you’re stressed and that boy of mine...” She frowned. “This has been hard on him. Moving here, we were dealing with a time change, then his training schedule, and also a baby trying to adjust to a new home. I’m not sure we’ve figured it out yet, but we’re getting there.”

Water splashed across the dishes as I rinsed them. “It’s a lot. It would be for anyone.”

Helena took the dish from my hand and placed it in the dishwasher. “Being a good parent isn’t about being perfect, though. I think Mikko feels like he’s already lost, and my boy isn’t used to losing at anything. You know this, I’m sure.”

An uneasy chuckle slipped from my mouth, finding that far too easy to believe, but not willing to admit how little I actually knew about her son. I walked a tightrope in my mind, feeling like I was one word away from tipping our hand. That they so willingly bought into this farce told me maybe they didn’t know him well, either.

When we finished the dishes, Helena moved to the living room and waved for me to follow her. Jari had disappeared a while ago, taking the elevator downstairs. I looked over my shoulder at where Mikko and Leena were still in the bathroom, then followed his mom to the couch, at a loss for what else to do.

“You leave tomorrow?” I asked, then realized how that sounded. “Sorry, that sounded like I’m trying to get rid of you.”

Helena’s eyes crinkled as she laughed. “Nonsense. You’re newlyweds and have been apart for months. I wouldn’t want my parents hovering either.”

My cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “That’s not⁠—”

She patted my leg, drawing my attention. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. My son has always been private, so I’m not as surprised by this turn of events as I probably should be. But I am so glad he has you. It makes a mother worry less, knowing he has someone to have his back when times are hard.”

“I do,” I said, mimicking the words I’d said earlier today. “Have his back, I mean.”

Maybe it was my turn to be not as surprised as I should have been, but I meant it when I’d stood in front of a judge, promising for better or worse, for the next few months at least.