Dark Guardian (Black Hoods MC #3) - Avelyn Paige Page 0,35
to families like this. I’m an outsider, someone who can ruin the good thing they’ve got going here. Am I capable of his worst fears? Am I really going to break up yet another happy family because Eugene doesn’t share an ounce of blood with these kids? I look over to Eugene, who stops chewing mid-bite. My lips thin as I try to think of a way to answer her.
We eat in silence a few minutes longer, until Natalie pushes her plate away with a satisfied smile on her face. “Do you know anything about make-up?” she asks, her question coming out of left field. “I’m trying to learn how to do that whole cat-eye thing, but I can’t figure it out.”
“Um, kinda? I’m no professional, but I know a thing or two.”
Judge shakes his head. “You have homework, kiddo.”
Her smile turns to a frown. “I know. Maybe later?”
“Tell you what. You get your homework done, and I’ll see what I can do.”
“Promise?”
“Of course.” I beam at her, marking an X over my chest. “Cross my heart.”
Happy with that, she shoves away from the table, gives us both a wave, and then follows the same path her brother took.
“Eugene—” I start, just as my cell phone rings. Retrieving it, I see my supervisor’s name on the screen.
“I’m sorry, but I have to take this.” Getting to my feet, I head back into the living room and answer the call.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Eric snaps. “I need an update on the Tucker case. It’s been days since they approved the removal order.”
“I’m taking some comp time, but I assure you, I’m still working on the case.” In a sense. If he knew where I was right now, he’d lose it.
“You’re still working on it? Grace, do your job.”
“I am doing my job, Eric. I couldn’t have predicted the kids would take off when we tried to execute the order. Had the police not been so hell-bent on escalating the situation with Mr. Grant, we would’ve had them by now.”
A white lie if I ever told one. Pushing the blame back on Aaron seems harsh, but it’s true. His insistence on stepping into the middle of their club caused a ruckus, but I can’t reveal that I know where the kids are just yet, especially with not having all the cards out on the table with their case. The real cards. Not the ones the courts have on paper.
“I want results, Halfpenny. Find them.” The line goes dead, and I turn to find a fuming Eugene behind me.
“How much did you hear?” I ask nervously.
“Enough,” he growls.
“It’s not what it seems.”
He takes a few steps toward me, the mom chic apron he had on earlier gone. His tight black shirt sticks to his torso like glue, highlighting his muscles. I look at the bulging vein at his temple as he stops short of crashing into me.
“After everything I’ve told you, what the kids have told you, you still want to take them away from me, don’t you?”
I’ve never been on this side of his rage, and it takes a mere two seconds to understand how he can command such a large motorcycle club with one glare. He’s intimidating, but my body responds unexpectedly as my core ignites.
“It’s my job, Eugene. You know that.”
He presses his index finger against my breastbone. “I had hoped that somewhere in this chest of yours, you had a heart.”
“My heart breaks every fucking time I have to take part in ripping a family to shreds,” I bite out. “I barely sleep at night because all I see are their faces when I close my eyes. I hear their screams as they cry out for their parents or guardians.”
“Break the cycle,” he challenges. “Walk away from the case and leave these kids with me.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. If I don’t, someone else will come.”
“These kids fucking belong to me. You can’t come into my house and make all these promises you know you can’t keep.” I can feel his hot, heavy breath cascade over me.
“I know that!” I scream, the truth finally spilling from my lips. “Don’t you think I know that? If I had a magic wand, I would just wave it and give you custody, but I don’t. Their criminal father has legal rights in the eyes of the court.”
That gets his attention. “Criminal?”
“When I called to talk to him about his missing persons report, I requested a background check on him. He has a