Darin: The Pride of the Double Deuce - Erotic Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance by Kathi S. Barton Page B
Authors: Kathi S. Barton
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when she stared up at her, Mercedes cried too. “I’m sorry, baby. I really am, but we don’t want these people to get hurt because of my ex-husband, do we?”
Mercedes had never referred to Nash as Bonnie’s dad. Not that she didn’t know who he was, but there was a burden there, one that she tried not to attach to Bonnie if she didn’t have to. Nash Crosby was a fucking bastard, and she wished now that she’d killed him rather than just divorced him.
“He’s a monster.” She couldn’t disagree with Bonnie, so she didn’t. “But I don’t think that we’re going to have to leave here, ever. Darin and his brothers are going to take very good care of us. Even Mr. Landon said he’d do anything in the world for us to be able to stay here. He has a gun in his boots all the time, did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t. But it’s not very fair of us to bring our problems to our new friends.” Her daughter looked so crestfallen that Mercedes felt badly. “Show me this room you want to sleep in. And I guess there’s a pool too. Maybe this summer we can get you some lessons. But first we have to see about this school. Julia said it’s really nice.”
The room was exactly what she might have gotten Bonnie had she had the funds. There were posters on the wall of horses in races. Steeple jumps and other activities. Even the bedspread, one made just for a little girl, had ponies all over it and even a pony-shaped pillow. Boxes were set around the room, most of them empty of anything, but some had books in them, trophies as well that had Mr. Landon’s name on them, as well as Emma’s. As they were marveling over it all, there was a knock at the front door and they both went to answer it.
“My lady.” She didn’t know the man and backed from him when he bowed before her. “I am the cook, missus. Benson Fox. I usually go by simply Fox. I have worked in this household before, and have been asked to come in and help out.”
“I don’t know you.” He nodded and handed her a phone. “Who am I talking to? And why do I need a cook?”
“Hello?” The voice sounded like Katie McBride, but Mercedes wasn’t sure until she spoke again. “I’m so sorry, Mercedes, but I meant to tell you about Fox before now. He used to cook for us when...well, before. When we moved in with Emma and Mason he just hung around waiting for someone to beg him to come cook for them. He’s a doll and we love him to pieces. He wants to cook for you and your family.”
“I wasn’t aware that we’d need a cook.” She invited the man in, and he went to the kitchen with Bonnie. They were talking about cookies and such when she realized that Katie was talking.
“You have a huge family, child. Over two dozen of them now if you count Landon and I. Oh, and I so hope that you count us. But as I was saying, Fox doesn’t just cook. He runs the place too. I don’t know what I would have done without him most days. I’m telling you the man is a wizard at all he does. Laundry too, if you can believe it.” Mercedes started to ask again if she’d need a cook or even one that did laundry, but Katie seemed to be on a roll and she wasn’t slowing down. “He’s got training as a physical therapist as well. We thought it would be wonderful for your dad. As will the pool. Did I mention there is a lift for someone that is handicapped? It’s in the pool house.”
“There’s a pool house?” She went to the back of the house and got her first look at the pool, and the house that was set back from it. “This place is huge. I mean, how many bedrooms are there? I would like to talk to you about the little girl’s room too. I noticed that there are boxes there, as well as some personal things.”
“I’ll talk to Emma. But to be honest with you, child, I don’t think she’ll want any of it. We were in the process of packing her younger version up when...when things happened.” Mercedes had heard about their son and what had happened to
Mercedes had never referred to Nash as Bonnie’s dad. Not that she didn’t know who he was, but there was a burden there, one that she tried not to attach to Bonnie if she didn’t have to. Nash Crosby was a fucking bastard, and she wished now that she’d killed him rather than just divorced him.
“He’s a monster.” She couldn’t disagree with Bonnie, so she didn’t. “But I don’t think that we’re going to have to leave here, ever. Darin and his brothers are going to take very good care of us. Even Mr. Landon said he’d do anything in the world for us to be able to stay here. He has a gun in his boots all the time, did you know that?”
“No, I didn’t. But it’s not very fair of us to bring our problems to our new friends.” Her daughter looked so crestfallen that Mercedes felt badly. “Show me this room you want to sleep in. And I guess there’s a pool too. Maybe this summer we can get you some lessons. But first we have to see about this school. Julia said it’s really nice.”
The room was exactly what she might have gotten Bonnie had she had the funds. There were posters on the wall of horses in races. Steeple jumps and other activities. Even the bedspread, one made just for a little girl, had ponies all over it and even a pony-shaped pillow. Boxes were set around the room, most of them empty of anything, but some had books in them, trophies as well that had Mr. Landon’s name on them, as well as Emma’s. As they were marveling over it all, there was a knock at the front door and they both went to answer it.
“My lady.” She didn’t know the man and backed from him when he bowed before her. “I am the cook, missus. Benson Fox. I usually go by simply Fox. I have worked in this household before, and have been asked to come in and help out.”
“I don’t know you.” He nodded and handed her a phone. “Who am I talking to? And why do I need a cook?”
“Hello?” The voice sounded like Katie McBride, but Mercedes wasn’t sure until she spoke again. “I’m so sorry, Mercedes, but I meant to tell you about Fox before now. He used to cook for us when...well, before. When we moved in with Emma and Mason he just hung around waiting for someone to beg him to come cook for them. He’s a doll and we love him to pieces. He wants to cook for you and your family.”
“I wasn’t aware that we’d need a cook.” She invited the man in, and he went to the kitchen with Bonnie. They were talking about cookies and such when she realized that Katie was talking.
“You have a huge family, child. Over two dozen of them now if you count Landon and I. Oh, and I so hope that you count us. But as I was saying, Fox doesn’t just cook. He runs the place too. I don’t know what I would have done without him most days. I’m telling you the man is a wizard at all he does. Laundry too, if you can believe it.” Mercedes started to ask again if she’d need a cook or even one that did laundry, but Katie seemed to be on a roll and she wasn’t slowing down. “He’s got training as a physical therapist as well. We thought it would be wonderful for your dad. As will the pool. Did I mention there is a lift for someone that is handicapped? It’s in the pool house.”
“There’s a pool house?” She went to the back of the house and got her first look at the pool, and the house that was set back from it. “This place is huge. I mean, how many bedrooms are there? I would like to talk to you about the little girl’s room too. I noticed that there are boxes there, as well as some personal things.”
“I’ll talk to Emma. But to be honest with you, child, I don’t think she’ll want any of it. We were in the process of packing her younger version up when...when things happened.” Mercedes had heard about their son and what had happened to
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