Strength & Courage (The Night Horde SoCal Book 1) by Susan Fanetti Read Free Book Online Page A

she’d spoken dispassionately, as if she were making a curious observation. So he nodded. “Yeah, that sounds bad. And he fucked up. No question. He went off the rails—the thought of Tucker in the system is making him nuts. He loves that little boy—and he’d never hurt him. Never has, never will.”
     
    “I can’t talk to you about Tucker’s file. I figure you know that. I shouldn’t have said what I’ve already said. All I can say is that yesterday was my first day on his case. I read the file and the recommendations in it from his previous caseworker, I went to the home on a scheduled visit, and I saw what I saw. I did what was right for a helpless little boy. The rest of it, all I know about his father besides what’s in the file is what you’ve seen him do around me. And you’re saying, what…that I should recommend a placement with him? Seriously?”
     
    “He would never hurt him. He would take good care of him.”
     
    “And I should believe that because you say so? Who the fuck are you? What did he call you? ‘Muse’? ‘Demon’ and ‘Muse’—these are the strangers I’m supposed to trust?”
     
    She was getting excited again, and he wanted a calm discussion, so he kept his voice low and reasonable. “They’re just names.”
     
    “Yeah? And how did you come by those names? Did your parents give them to you?”
     
    “I got mine because my last name’s Musinski. My parents gave me the name Darren. I like Muse a whole lot better.” He’d leave Demon’s road name unexplained—she’d already gotten the Technicolor presentation, anyway.
     
    His explanation slowed her down a little. “Oh. I thought it was something like you were the thinker of the group or whatever.”
     
    Compared to Demon, everybody was a thinker. “Maybe a little of that, too. I don’t know. I’m not usually much of a talker.” He wanted to get back on point. “Why not let Tucker go with Bibi? Not with strangers. With family.”
     
    “Bibi—that’s the woman from today. If I could have, I would have, but she’s not family, and she’s not licensed for foster care. You can’t just walk in off the street and take a child home with you! Jesus, how am I the bad guy here?”
     
    She’d been taking a couple of mugs off a stand on the counter, and she slammed them down as she spoke the last sentence. One broke in her hand, slicing her palm. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, motherfucker fuck!”
     
    Her mouth was certainly not dainty.
     
    She shoved her hand into the sink and turned the faucet on. Without thinking about it, Muse jumped up and went to her, grabbing a dishtowel off a drawer pull as he came up to the sink. She was really bleeding. He took her hand in his and pulled it out of the stream of water to get a good look. When she tried to pull her hand away, he held on.
     
    “I’m fine. I don’t need—”
     
    “Shut up and let me see.” He flattened her hand gently, ignoring her hiss. “I don’t think it needs stitches, but a cut on your palm is gonna want to open up if you’re not careful. You have a first aid kit?” He wrapped the towel around her hand.
     
    Again, she tried to snatch back, and again he held on. “Yes. And I’m capable of putting a Band-Aid on my own hand.”
     
    “Don’t think a Band-Aid will do it, hon. Let me help.”
     
    “Why?”
     
    “Because you’re bleeding and I’m here. I’m good with first aid. Had some practice.”
     
    “Jesus, you’re pushy.”
     
    He laughed and looked down at her. Her eyes were almond-shaped and deep brown, set off by high cheekbones. Still not doing much thinking, with her towel-wrapped hand still firmly in his, he bent down, not quite realizing he intended to kiss her until she gasped and leaned back.
     
    “What are you doing?” Her tone was breathy, not outraged. Just curious.
     
    “Well, it looks like I’m gonna kiss you. ‘Less you stop me.”
     
    She didn’t.
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    Sidonie had no idea why she let