Unholy Blue by Darby Kaye Read Free Book Online Page A

“sneaking up on us like that!”
    â€œHey, take it easy, Bann. Cor didn’t know—” Shay curled her fingers around his knife arm.
    Bann jerked free. “I could have taken yer fokking head off!” He shook his knife at Cor.
    â€œThat’s enough!” Shay slapped his hand down, then edged past. “Jeez, give the kid nightmares, why don’t you?” she muttered under her breath before speaking louder. “You okay, Cor? Did the coyotes wake you up?”Even as she spoke, she was guiding the boy back down the hall, one hand on his shoulder.
    Bann sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, then shook out his arms, trying to rid his body of the adrenaline humming through it. On legs that were more unsteady than he cared to admit, he followed them into the guest room.
No
, Cor’s
room. Whether he likes it or no
.
    â€œI-I woke up and Dad was gone.” The boy was explaining to Shay as he stood beside his bed, shifting from foot to foot. He shook his head when she pulled back the covers and gestured at him, then glanced over at the other bed, empty except for the two duffle bags. “When are you coming to bed?” he asked Bann.
    The man and woman looked at each other. Bann shrugged. “We might as well tell him now.”
    â€œDo you want me to…” Shay nodded toward the door. “You know.”
    â€œNo, of course not.” He stepped around them and clicked on the bedside lamp. “Cor. To bed with you.” He waited until the boy reluctantly slid under the covers, then motioned for Shay to have a seat on the edge of the mattress before squatting down next to Cor’s head. “We’ve something to tell you.”
    â€œIs it something bad?” Cor whispered, eyes wide.
    â€œNot at all. In fact, it’s something that I think you’ll be happy about.” He took Shay’s hand in his. “Shay and I will be getting married.”
    â€œTonight?”
    Bann smiled. “No, not tonight. But soon.”
    â€œAre we going to live here?”
    â€œUm…” He looked at Shay.
    â€œFor now, yes,” she said. “Would you like that?”
    Cor nodded, a smile starting. “Are you going to be like my mom?”
    â€œIn a way.” She laid a hand on the boy’s blanketed knee. “But, Cor, your mom will always be your mom and nothing will ever change that. Nothing. And
no one
. Okay?”
    Bann marveled at the way Shay maneuvered across that thin ice.
Elizabeth would never have been this gracious
. Guilt immediately followed that train of thought.
Here I am, belittling the mother of my son
. He made a vow to never speak negatively about Elizabeth in front of Cor.
    â€œSo,” Shay continued. “As you go back to sleep, I want you to think about how you want to fix up your room, okay?”
    â€œâ€™Kay.”
    â€œAnd, since a certain someone has a birthday coming up next week, you need to let us know what you’d like to do for it. Be thinking of presents and cake and helium balloons so we can hear your dad talk like Donald Duck.”
    When his son’s face lit up at the mention of his birthday, Bann nodded to himself.
Oh, she is the clever one
. Cor started to ask a question, but was foiled by a yawn, his eyes beginning to droop.
    â€œGo to sleep, short stuff. We’ll talk more in the morning.”
    With a murmur of protest, the boy rolled over. Shay patted his leg, then rose and stepped aside. Pulling the covers higher, Bann pressed his forehead against Cor’s in their nightly ritual. He turned off the lamp and followed Shay out of the room, making sure to leave the door ajar.
    â€œYe’re a marvel, ye know that, Shay Doyle?”
    â€œI know I am. And I’ve gotten pretty good at handling you Boru men.” She took his hand and tugged him back toward their room. “Although I think I need some more practice.”
    â€œPractice handling