Page 41 of The Family Pet

“Boy, you and our pup should stay somewhere else for a few days.” I sounded gruff, and I hated saying it, especially when they both glanced at me with hurt.

“Why?” Ridge’s eyes narrowed and the defiance in his stare had my cock stirring. As tempted as I was to take him home and spank the obstinance out of his system, it was too dangerous. I knew Johnny well and he wouldn’t back down. We’d embarrassed him, and he would find a way to get Saint, even if it meant hiring criminals. It wasn’t a secret that the Kings of Men were allies with the Harlots, so I doubted he would go to one of the motorcycle clubs, but he would find someone else. Maybe I needed to make a call to Ms. Winters to let her know that he was back in town.

I stalked to the desk and grabbed my phone. With a sigh, I unlocked the screen and typed a message.

Bowie: Johnny is in town. Planning something. Wants his son back.

I stared and a few seconds later, she responded.

Ms. Winters: Thank you. I’ll send some friends to look for him.

I set my phone back on the desk. “Johnny isn’t done. He wants Saint.”

Saint shuddered and gave me a hopeful smile. “But that is good, isn’t it? He’s my dad.”

I went to my knees in front of the chair and petted his thigh. Grabbing his hand, I gave him the sweetest stare I could. “Pup, your father didn’t come back for you because he loves you. He doesn’t care about you like Ridge and I do. He only wants to give Gwennie what she’s demanding. Your sister has always come first these past few years, hasn’t she?”

He hesitated and pursed his lips, finally nodding. Tears welled in his brown eyes again and he rubbed at them angrily. “I hate him.”

I shushed him and kept caressing his knee. “I need you and Ridge to find somewhere else that’s safe. Just until I know he has been handled, okay? I won’t lose you. I spent too much money on you.” It was more than that. He was ours. But it was easier to use the cash excuse, even if it made me feel guilty.

“I could call Jury Daughtler.” Ridge raised his chin. He clearly wasn’t happy about the situation, but with Saint in danger, he was finally doing what I was asking without a fight. That had to be a first. “His parents love me, and they’ll let us stay for a while.”

“Do it.” I dragged Saint off Ridge’s lap and helped him stand as Ridge tugged his phone from his pocket. I stroked Saint’s cheek and gathered some of the tears with my thumb before licking it. He watched, mesmerized, and tilted his head forward, asking for a kiss, which I happily gave him. He moaned into my mouth, and I ate at him hungrily, grasping his face between my hands like the treasure he was. There was no fucking way Johnny was getting him back. He would have to kill me first.

Ridge’s phone buzzed and he cleared his throat. “Uh. . . so, here’s the thing.”

I stopped kissing Saint to look at him. “What?”

He dropped his head in his hands and groaned. “Fuck. Um. Jury’s dad or papa or whatever. I don’t know who’s who, but one of them had a heart attack. He’s dead.”

“What?” I’d met Jury’s parents and they were good men. Smart, civilized, and dangerous in court. I’d even hired one of them—Roger—to represent me in a frivolous lawsuit, and he’d smashed it. “Who was it?”

“I think he said his dad?” He scrunched up his nose. “Is that Roger?”

I massaged my forehead. Fuck. This wasn’t good, either.

“But he said we were welcome to come stay. He. . . . Uh, he wouldn’t mind the company to keep his thoughts away from how he feels. Not sure if that is good, especially if he’s asking me to comfort him or some shit. I don’t know jack shit about that sort of stuff. Mom could die and I wouldn’t give a damn.” Ridge shrugged, and I held back the urge to laugh. I shouldn’t find his indifference amusing, but I’d never cared about Gracelyn the way I should’ve.

I held up my hand to him. “No, go. It’ll be good. You can keep him distracted while keeping you and Saint safe. You’ll still be on Vert Island, close to me, but in a secure house. I know Benny and Roger. Their home has the top security measures because they’ve made themselves enemies.”

“Should we be intruding at a time like this?” Saint asked in a small voice. “Benny and Roger are. . . were. . . are decent people. Jury needs to grieve.”

“I know Jury, and he won’t grieve in any healthy way possible, trust me. It’s better if we’re there.” Ridge shoved to his feet and held out his arm, and Saint cuddled up under it, sighing. Ridge stared at me, clearly begging me with his eyes to take care of this shit, but he didn’t need to talk for me to understand.

I swept toward them and hugged them close, which earned me a surprised gasp from them. I kissed Ridge on the mouth, biting his lower lip hard enough to make him groan in pain, before I laid a gentle, short kiss on Saint’s cheek. “Be good. Pup, don’t leave the house without Ridge. I mean it. And Ridge, don’t take him anywhere unless you absolutely must. We want to keep our pup safe, don’t we?”

“Yes, Daddy.” He raised his chin.

I smiled proudly. “I’ll drive you there.”

For once, Ridge didn’t argue.

* * *

I’d only spent one full day and night without my boy and pet, and I fucking missed them, which was a strange feeling that I couldn’t come to terms with. The house was too quiet, and even though I’d been texting Ridge throughout the night to see how they were doing, I didn’t enjoy not having them here. It was the second evening since I’d sent them away and I was beginning to regret that I’d chosen to do it. I could’ve found other ways to keep them safe, like build my own fortress, but it would’ve taken time to set up.

Ridge had messaged me almost immediately to tell me it had been Roger who had a heart attack, and I’d called Benny right away to offer my condolences. He hadn’t spoken to me long, but I didn’t blame him. He and Roger had been together for half a lifetime, and he had his own grief to handle. Now that I’d decided Ridge and Saint were mine in more ways than one, I was beginning to understand. The thought of having them taken away from me made my blood boil.