Page 37 (1/2)

I gritted h the burning in my eyes, determined not to cry Buto back to court I need to get estured to the house with a hand "He’s here He’s withthat up"

Confusion swept across Deacon’s face, and so close to panic filled his eyes when my voice broke on the last word He reached out forto say "Charliewhat are you talking about?"

With how close he was to Grey, with how often they saw each other, I was sure he would have already known "Keith I don’t have custody of him, I never have"

"What do you mean? Who does?"

My head slanted to the side as I tried to understand the frustration and deterh Deacon’s words "You really don’t know? Grey never told you?"

"Why would she have? If it had to do with Keith she probably knew I didn’t want to know It’s not really a secret I don’t like kids" When I flinched, he hurried to say, "You know he’s different"

I blinked quickly and mentally shook away the quick stab of pain from his declaration Like he’d said, it wasn’t a secret "Uan, and looked back up into his eyes "Before I had Keith, she kept telling me that I wouldn’t be able to handle it, that I wasn’t ready, that I would ruin the baby’s life, that the baby would one day resent me It was justendless, and repeated every day until I believed her Until I finally signed custody over to her When Keith o and Moe custody over to h proof that e said that he wasn’t sure that I was either"

"What the hell?" Deacon growled in a dangerous tone

"I was living in the back room of otten one because I needed to be there to take care of Keith since ht I needed to finish school and get et custody of Keith, and granted Jagger and Grey temporary custody until then"

"Charlie Girl," he whispered; his head shook subtly "Fuck, Charlie, I’er felt like the judge helped his arguet me to leave So I left and finished school I have a job, thanks to your grandma And thanks to Graham, Keith and I now have our own place I did exactly what the judge said, and I’ out of line, he’ll stop ain Keith is three and a half, Deacon I want ently as his face dipped closer to ainst my lips, then pressed a feather-soft kiss there "So daainst the force of his next kiss, and clung to his muscled forearms as he walked us toward the house My back had barely touched the door before it was falling open and Deacon wasthe door shut behind him

Heat pooled low in my stoles spread acrosscombination made me feel more alive than I had in years

His lips replaced his teeth, but instead of continuing, he paused for a few seconds His low laugh and voice ruainst my throat "Who are you today, kid?"

I blinked my eyes open, and tried to orient ister in my mind, a soft, anxious voice came from beside us Ice filled rassy place?"

Keith, no!