Royally Broken by Elle Boon Page 0,33
right?” Palmer pushed the stroller next to them, her question was asked in a calm manner like she was telling him the weather was mild, not that her kid was gonna ruin his jacket.
He pulled his head back, narrowed his eyes at the little boy. “Listen, Hoss, we gotta get something straight. You don’t toss your lunch on me and I won’t toss my lunch on you. Feel me?” he asked.
Jaxson blinked back at him, little baby gibberish coming from him.
“See, he said he ain’t gonna do nothing of the sort. We’re bros, sassy girl. You know the saying bros before hoes?” he asked, waiting to see what the mama bear in her would do or say as his words registered.
“Oh, my gawd. You are so bad. Gimme back my baby before you corrupt him.” She laughed, pushing past Keys. What she didn’t do was actually grab for the child.
“Listen, hoss baby, I’m gonna tell you some truths. Women are amazing. You treat them like they’re precious, especially your mama. However, you also gotta remember they’re batshit crazy and know they’re ruthless. Feel me?” He shifted the baby into one arm then did a little fist bump, making an explosion sound after they bumped knuckles.
“Don’t listen to him, Jaxson. He’s out on a weekend pass. I’m pretty sure he has a fancy jacket that they tell him is special so he can feel hugged all the time, but in reality, it’s a— “she leaned closer to her son— “a straitjacket. You know, what they give out in the looney bins.” She hurried down the aisle as Keys growled.
“Well, I do say, you sure are looking joyful, Mrs. Kincaid. I’d ask how you’re holding up after the untimely death of your late husband, but I can see you’re doing just fine. Why, it hasn’t even been long enough that women in my day would be out of their mourning clothes.”
Keys wasn’t two feet from where Palmer had stopped dead in her tracks. A short, heavyset woman in her late sixties or seventies stood staring down at her, clear disapproval radiating from the woman.
“Hello, Mrs. Smith. Thank you for the card you sent. It was a shame you couldn’t make it to the service. We had everyone who was anyone there.” Palmer pushed the stroller past the woman without another word.
He looked down at the old bitch he remembered from when he was a kid. She and her husband ran the only pharmacy in town. It had been her who’d followed him anytime he’d entered their store, making sure he wasn’t going to steal anything from them. Of course, he hadn’t had much money, so he understood her reasoning, but he also had never stolen a thing in all of his eighteen years, not even when he’d been half starved.
“Why I do declare, that dress looks a bit wrinkled. Did you not have time to iron it before you left your home today, Mrs. Smith? It’s very unseemly to be walking out in public for all to see you looking so...unkept.” He repeated the words she’d said to him every single time she’d seen him. Only he couldn’t help the state of his clothing. They were as clean as he could get them from washing in the stream off of the muddy river. When he went to their store, he always had money for what he needed, which he bought and left without sticking around for longer than needed.
“Why I never. Who do you think you are to speak to me that way?” She looked Keys up and down, her nose scrunching up as if she smelled something offensive.
Keys chuckled. “See these boots? They cost over three hundred dollars. This jacket?” he lifted one shoulder before she could interrupt him. “One hundred percent the finest leather and custom made for me. I won’t even tell you what it cost, but I can tell you it cost more than your entire wardrobe and probably more than your jewelry as well. And no, I didn’t steal or kill anyone to get it. You have a good day now, Mrs. Smith.”
He left the old bitch with her mouth gaping in the aisle of baby food to follow Palmer down another. Did he feel a little better after his little tirade? Absofuckinglutely. Was it childish? Absofuckinglutely, but he didn’t give two shits about anyone in this blink and you miss it town. Well, anyone but Palmer and the little tank of a boy in his arms.
“I’ve