Page 52 of Rowdy & Kat

“Yeah, and he’s scary,” Bebe said while Pax wrapped an arm around her shoulders and nodded.

Maria asked, “So are Farley’s moms scary like Rowdy’s scary?”

Pax shook his head. “No, you haven’t seen Rowdy act scary yet.”

“Stop freaking them out,” Bebe admonished and smiled at Maria. “Farley is always well-behaved. You have nothing to worry about.”

“They’re going to like you,” Pax said and scratched at his bearded jaw. “You’re not a lying bitch, are you?”

“No,” Maria said and glanced at me as if thinking they might be criticizing my secrets.

Pax ignored our reaction and explained, “Farley’s had a run of bad girlfriends. Liars, thieves, lots of drama queens looking to use him for his money.”

Maria looked a little horrified by this information and asked, “Is that what he wants in a woman?”

“No, he just wants to take care of women,” Bebe said, sensing my sister’s worry. “When bad women realize he’s sensitive, they take advantage of him. He has trouble seeing past their tears and sob stories. Clint had to get rid of the last one because she kept coming back.”

“Maybe he loved the woman.”

“Naw, nothing loveable about that twat,” Pax said. “I met her once at the clubhouse. She was a rude shit toward Vanessa. Oh, but when Farley showed up, she started batting her eyes and acting all sad and soft.”

Maria frowned at me. She wasn’t the kind of woman who put up with men’s bullshit. If a relationship wasn’t working, she walked away. I was the same way except when it came to Rowdy.

The boys broke the tension brewing in the kitchen by fussing in their nursery. Bebe hurried over to the fridge.

“Their tummies have settled from the trip. I’ll get their bottles ready.”

I smiled at Rowdy’s mom. She was so excited about every little thing the boys did. The way she instantly and completely loved them filled me with a sense of safety I hadn’t enjoyed since Lora died.

In the nursery, Maria and I each took a fussy baby. I sighed at the feel of Cavan in my arms.

In my mother’s journal, she stressed over her lack of maternal instinct. I wasn’t sure I had a talent for motherhood, either. I was loyal to my sister, and I always took care of our cats. But that didn’t mean I could be the mom that my boys deserved.

I mostly worried I wouldn’t love them enough. Or I’d stop loving them. People seemed to turn off their feelings so easily. I worried the only reason I was loyal to Maria was that we were twins.

Now, though, my heart was so full of love as I held my boy. I adored his brother and my sister. I was in love with Rowdy. I ached to get closer to his parents and sisters. My fears of being cold felt silly when I was surrounded by my favorite people.

ROWDY

Despite using Goblin as my excuse to bring Farley into the hallway, my little beast refused to go with us. He was absolutely fascinated by the black cats staring ominously at him from under the couch.

Once in the hallway, Farley asked, “What’s up?”

“Man, oh, man, you were coming on so strong that I thought I would need to beat the shit out of you,” I told Farley, who frowned darkly. “You seemed to be sending boner signals in Kat’s direction. But then, I realized you were horny for her sister.”

“Did you really think I’d flirt with your girlfriend?”

“I prefer the term unofficial wife or baby mama. Something more respectable than girlfriend.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Don’t clench your ass so tightly, man. I just got a little possessive of my unofficial wife and couldn’t see clearly.”

Farley eyed me like he might punch me in the face. “Is this what you wanted to talk about?”

“You’re pissed.”

“I wouldn’t flirt with your girlfriend,” Farley growled, reminding me that he might be soft-spoken and needy, but he was also the son of two stone-cold killers.