Page 30 of CurVy Forever

I can’t.

“You have to tell the truth,” I blurt out.

He shakes his head slowly. “No, baby girl. I’ll do time even if they believe me. Kidnapping is kidnapping, but that’s not why I can’t. She’ll end up in the system and have no parent at all if I tell the entire story. Parents are important. Even shitty ones are better than none.”

I don’t know about that…

His childhood is warping his perspective.

“So, you’re just what?” The injustice of it all heats my veins. The justice system doesn’t play in the grey. But humanity exists in it. This is not black and white! “What are you planning then? You said you had people looking into it.”

Trees through the front windscreen rustle. He leans back and grips the wheel in both hands, sighing roughly. “My colleagues were trying to find the mother. Pay her off. But she’s been relocated. Court-ordered, I imagine. For her safety.”

“This is so unfair,” I mutter like a petulant child.

He laughs, and it’s rough and genuine and, ugh, yummy. The sound moves warmth through me. “You’re rather adorable when you sulk, Baby Girl. Life is unfair. Does this mean you no longer think I’m sick, vile, a monster with a vast catalogue of vulgar personality traits?”

I can’t hide a small smile, pink blooms across my cheeks. The word adorable has never sounded so damn sweet. Why Dexter Vaughn calling me adorable has affected me so much, I don’t know.

I’ve had this attraction to him all this time, but I hated it, suppressed it, ignored it, yet it’s been building and building, and now I’m feeling it intensely. It’s like pouring rain. Soaking me with affection towards him.

I was wrong about him. “Your personality catalogue has been updated. Though, I do enjoy our game of push and pull. So, I’ll happily keep monster in the catalogue so you can chase me through the trees again.”

His expression softens, and he nods to the house. “You should go inside before I become completely infatuated with you. That can’t be good. And if Ty wakes up and you’re not there, he may take that poorly.”

“You really love him.”

“More than anything.”

My heart feels strange.

Grabbing my supplies, I leave Dexter in the car, not looking back to see what he does next, not trusting my feet or heart to behave.

So, I race to Donnie’s room but stop when I see a cigarette smashed into the carpet. It’s disrespectful. I frown at it. That’s Donnie’s message to Dexter. If only he knew that his big brother is trying, he’s changing.

Sighing, I go inside and throw my clothes to the bed. I fish out my comfortable sleeping dress from in my luggage and quickly crawl back into the cage with Tyler.

I cocoon myself into the curve of his long body. And in his slumber, he pulls me against him.

This is special; this thing between us all.

I stare at the bars, unable to sleep, unable to get that story and its sense of helplessness from my mind.

Is that little girl better in the system?

Maybe she’ll get a loving foster family?

Would my sweet Tyler have been better off?

I inhale Ty’s minty scent and close my eyes to hone the feeling of his warmth, to focus on the strength in his muscles. He’s strong. Intelligent. Gifted. I think he can heal. Maybe in this house, they can all heal together.

Maybe I can help.

CHAPTER 13

TYLER

As I turn the corner, I catch sight of her and almost forget what room she is walking into. For a moment, my senses only catch the flow of a pretty nightgown, the pattering of her feet—a quick tapping of the keys—the round arse that moves beneath pink silk.