Dark Guardian (Black Hoods MC #3) - Avelyn Paige Page 0,35

middle of the table. The smell is intoxicating. He’s obviously better in the kitchen than he lets on.

“Kevin!” he yells out. “Food!”

Kevin comes in from the front room and plops down into the seat at the farthest end of the table. Training his eyes on me, he watches my every move as Natalie yaps away next to me. Joining us, Eugene reaches out for my plate, fills it with servings from each dish, then hands it back to me. When I look at the food, it takes everything I have not to drool on it. Mashed potatoes, country gravy, green beans, and a steak that takes up over half the plate. I have a good appetite, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much food outside of the buffet line.

“Thank you. It looks great.”

I try to focus on the meal and the conversations at hand, but my gaze continues to shift over to Kevin. He’s not eating, just pushing the food around on his plate as if something’s on his mind.

“You okay, bud?” Eugene asks when he notices.

“Yeah,” Kevin replies. “I’m not hungry. Can I be excused?”

“Sure.”

Taking his plate to the refrigerator, he places it inside before leaving the room. I hear footsteps as he ascends to the second floor.

“He’s mad at you,” Natalie mutters. “He thinks you’re going to take us away from Mr. Judge. I tried to tell him you wouldn’t, but he doesn’t believe me.”

My heart sinks. Kevin’s been in the system so long, he understands what my job entails, and knows what I do 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