Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Roman turned back to Beck as though considering the problem. “Someone’s after my mom. Are you going to help us? You said you were mean to her. Are you going to be mean to her again?”
“I promise that I have spent the last seven years learning how to not be mean to her ever again.” There was a suspicious sheen to Beck’s eyes. “I promise that I will do my best to be nice to her. And I promise you that I will protect you and your mom. I’ve spent the last several years working for a firm that specializes in protecting people. I’m good at it. Protecting you and your mom will be the most important job I ever do.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed. “Were you trying to kiss my mom?”
She felt a flush go through her system. “He was only hugging me. Like I said. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”
“No, I was totally going to kiss your mom,” Beck countered. “Your mom is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I was a fool to push her away. Don’t tell her this, but I came back because I want another chance with her.”
“She probably heard that,” Roman pointed out.
Beck shrugged. “Sometimes it’s easier to say things when we’re not directly saying them.”
Roman turned his little head up. “Mom, I think Dad likes you.”
Before she could say anything to that, Beck got to his feet. “He’s a smart kid. You hungry, son?” When Roman nodded, Beck put a hand on his shoulder. “All right. I’m going to introduce you to the joys of MREs, and by joys I mean they are not awesome but they will fill your belly. I hope I’ve got some mac and cheese. Otherwise, it’s all goulash. I promise when we get someplace safe, I’ll make you my famous barbecue.”
Roman’s mouth curved down. He wasn’t big on trying new food. “What’s barbecue?”
Beck put a hand over his heart and tossed a horrified glance her way. “What have you done to him?”
She was so confused. “We don’t have a lot of barbecue on Malta.”
“Also, what’s mac and cheese?” Roman asked.
“Jeez, Kim, what do you feed the kid?” Beck asked.
“Healthy things,” she replied.
Beck shook his head. “That stops here.” He winked her way. “Come on. Let’s feed you and get you back in bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
Father and son were chatting happily as Beck looked through his pack and found the MREs.
She sat back and wondered what he was doing. Because he hadn’t come back for a second chance with her. He’d had a second chance, and she couldn’t risk giving him a third.
No matter how much she wanted to.
* * * *
Beck stared at the tiny couch where Kim was asleep, her arms wrapped around their son. Roman had eaten his beef goulash with minimal wincing, and luckily Beck always kept an emergency supply of candy in his go-bag. He had a bit of a sweet tooth, and it looked like his kid did, too.
His kid. God, he had a freaking kid, and he was weird and smart and had Kim’s nose and his eyes.
Those eyes were Beck’s dad’s eyes, too, and for most of his life that would have bothered him. His old man had been cruel. He hadn’t minded using his fists on anyone who irritated him. But what he’d come to realize was DNA didn’t have to be the only path a man could take. He didn’t have to walk around with anger in his gut all the time. Especially not when he’d realized what the anger truly was.
Fear. Anxiety. Self-loathing put there by past events that had made him feel small.
In the beginning he’d made the choice to be better for her, for the woman he’d always loved. In the end, he’d come to realize he deserved to have a better life. He was worth more than his father had given him.
How the hell had the man not loved him? There was something deeply wrong with his dad because he’d only known Roman for a few hours and he would already give his life for the kid.
Love welled up hard and fast, an emotion that was different from what he felt for Kim. It was different but no less strong.
He should be angry with her. She’d kept their son from him for six fucking years, but he couldn’t find it. There was a little ember that had flared for a few hours, but it had died as he’d stood there and talked to his son. He was lying. It had died when she’d told him why she’d changed her path, why she’d gone from running away from Roman to running to him.
I ran back to the fort because you were there and I had hope again.
She wasn’t completely lost to him. Not if he could bring her hope.