Travis's Gift (Riley's Pride #3)- Sandra R Neeley Page 0,81

said.

Roman started explaining that Talie was sitting in a jail cell, accused of murder, breaking and entering, and possession of stolen goods. He explained that her ex had used Darcie against her in order to coerce her into moving in with him and making her too afraid to leave because he’d take Darcie from her if she did. He explained that there was no doubt in her attorney’s mind, or his for that matter, that the ex was responsible for all the horrible things she was accused of, and that the ex’s mother was trying to get custody in order keep Darcie quiet and her son free.

“Do you think he set her up intentionally?” Constance asked.

“No. I think he wanted her back with him because he sees her as property. Then I think when it all happened, she was a convenient person to blame. The police looked at the circumstantial evidence and arrested her. According to Ms. Autry, he let her take the blame,” Roman explained.

“She’ll be here with us, Roman. No matter how long it takes, we won’t stop until she’s freed,” Richie said.

Roman nodded. “I refuse to accept anything less,” he agreed.

Chapter 25

After the tree was decorated, Maia pulled out the box that held all the stockings. There were so many in the Pride now, that she’d had Riley make her a custom shelf with pegs on it from which to hang the stockings. It sat to the right of the fireplace mantle, and was two tiered. Not all the pegs were occupied yet, but it wouldn’t be long until they were. Their family’s stockings hung from the mantle along with the single members of the Pride. Those with families and extended families hung from the stocking shelf.

“Okay, everybody hang their stockings!” Maia said, taking hers, Riley’s, Cristie’s, and Sebastian’s brand new one and hanging them from the mantle.

Everyone got up and began to hang their stockings.

Roman didn’t get up. Instead he remained where he was on the sofa with Darcie leaning against him as she ate her third cupcake.

“Roman? You didn’t hang your stocking,” Maia said, walking toward him with his stocking in one hand, and paint markers, glitter pens, and a small bag in the other.

Roman looked from Maia to Darcie and back at Maia. He didn’t want to hang one if she didn’t have one. He didn’t want her to feel left out — she’d already been through enough.

“Here you go, Darcie. Paint markers, glitter pens, all kinds of sparkle gems… anything you could think of to decorate your stocking,” Maia said.

“I don’t have a stocking to decorate,” she said quietly.

“Sure you do. I went to the store last week, and I bought everything I’d need to make one for Sebastian. While I was there, something told me to buy enough to have lots of extras. So, here’s one for you, and here’s another for your mom. It will be ready for whenever she gets here,” Maia said, laying all the things she held in her hands on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

Darcie looked up at Roman who was doing his best not to lose control so he could continue to give her the feeling that everything was fine. “Can I decorate one?” Darci asked.

“Yes, and we’re going to decorate one for your mom together. Okay?” Roman asked.

Darcie grinned and got to her knees beside the table, smiling as she reached for the glitter pens.

Fifteen minutes later, Roman’s, Darcie’s and even Talie’s stockings were hung on the stocking shelves beside the mantle.

As they sat enjoying everyone’s company, and trying to make it feel like any other holiday preparation, Roman noticed Darcie yawning quite a lot, and she got back into his lap. She was leaning against him, and her eyes were getting heavy.

“Are you sleepy?” Roman asked.

Darcie nodded. “I don’t sleep very much.”

“Why not?” Roman asked.

“Because I stay awake. I don’t like to sleep when I don’t know who’s in the room with me.”

“Who’s been in the room with you?” Roman asked, his voice becoming slightly growly.

“Just some kids I don’t know. Some of them are mean. And I didn’t like it,” Darcie answered.

“You just didn’t feel safe?” Yvette asked.

Darcie nodded.

“Well, now we have our own house. You have your own room, and you never have to worry about being safe again. Okay?” Roman assured her.

“Do we live here?” she asked.

“Nope. We live over there,” he said, turning and pointing out of the window at the trailer park that was completely draped