“Good,” he said. “And when it’s time to fight—”
“We’re behind you, boss,” Hawk added, and everyone nodded in agreement, even Logan.
A few days ago, all Ransom wanted was for him and his crew to be left alone. But now, he was going to be knee-deep in trouble. Well, those damned mages made it all personal the moment they took Evan.
“All right then, if there’s nothing else …” Everyone shook their heads. “We’re adjourned.” He struck the gavel down to signify the end of their official meeting.
Bo glanced at him with a smile. “You did good,” he whispered in a low voice.
Acknowledging the older man with a nod, he got up from the chair. It felt good, somehow. If you’re watching me from wherever you are, Pops, he prayed silently, I hope I don’t disappoint you.
After sorting out a few more things with the men, Ransom headed back to his cabin. It was nearly lunchtime, and he was pretty sure Silke would have his head if he didn’t bring Isabelle and Evan to the lodge as she’d instructed. When he got inside his cabin, he was greeted with a sight that made his chest go all warm.
Isabelle had pushed the furniture aside and spread out some kind of play mat over the hardwood floor. She was sitting cross-legged, surrounded by toys as Evan held onto her hands and stood up, jumping up and down to a nursery rhyme she was singing. Sensing his presence, however, she glanced up at him and stopped singing, though Evan continued to bounce up and down.
“You’re back,” she said. “Sorry about the mess. The room upstairs is a little stuffy, so I thought it would be better to play with him down here.”
“No! I mean, not at all.” Padding toward them, he carefully got down on the mat. “Do you mind?”
“It’s your house,” she said with a shrug. “You can do what you want.”
“Yeah but …” Why the heck was he suddenly so tongue-tied around her? It was like he was afraid saying the wrong thing could make her and Evan disappear into thin air. “I want you to be comfortable while you’re here. Feel free to go into any room or use my stuff. Anything you want or need, just ask.” He’d give her and Evan the fucking world if they asked for it.
She sighed and eased Evan down to a sitting position, then gave him a toy. “You can’t really mean for us to stay here?”
“Of course I do,” he said.
“Won’t Joanie mind?” There was an acrid hint in her tone, and her nostrils flared. “I wouldn’t want to step on any toes.”
“Joanie? Why—” Clarity flashed in his brain. “Wait, are you jealous?”
“What?” Her face scrunched up distastefully. “I don’t know what you mean, and I don’t care. But if you have a girlfriend—”
“Princess,” he began. “Joanie is my mother.”
“I didn’t know you had a mother,” she blurted out. “I mean, obviously you do. But why did Silke call her by her first name?”
“Because Joanie’s not her biological mother,” he explained. “Her father married Joanie when Silke was a baby and I was about eight years old. Pops brought us to live here with them.”
“Oh. I see. And your dad? Your real one?”
“Pops was my real dad.” In every way but one. Pops had rescued them, given them a home, cared for Ransom like he was his own. He could still remember what it had been like before they came here, and he quickly shut the painful memories away.
“I mean your biological dad,” she clarified. “Where is he? Is he still around?”
“I don’t talk about him,” he growled.
Her mouth opened, and the fear that flashed across her face made him want to kick his own ass. Turning away, she busied herself with gathering the toys Evan had discarded, though the way she avoided his gaze made a pit in his stomach form. He didn’t want to discuss his biological father with her. But he didn’t want her scared of him either. “He’s dead. Died in prison,” he said.
Her head shot up, eyes filled with emotion. “Ransom … I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said automatically.
“I know, but … I can’t imagine …”
How could he even begin to tell her what it was like, growing up the way he did? Always moving, never staying in one place, relying on handouts and being kicked out of various rundown motels and ramshackle apartments. All because of a bad turn of events that he had no control over. His childhood had been a nightmare, that was, until Pops found him and Joanie at the bus stop in town, hungry and homeless for what seemed like the hundredth time in his short life. “Pops … he treated me like his own son,” he said quietly. “Wish you’d met him. He’d spoil Evan so much.”
“He sounded like a good man. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks, I—” He stopped when he felt a pair of small hands grab at his. Somehow, Evan had crawled all the way to him. Mismatched blue and green eyes looked up at him expectantly.
“He wants you to help him up,” she said. “I read that at this age, they’re starting to develop their legs and it’s good exercise to hold them up. Just let him hang on to you.”
Following her instructions, he let Evan wrap his tiny fists around his forefingers and then lift himself up. “That’s it,” he encouraged. “So strong.” He watched in fascination as Evan bounced up and down with his assistance. “I think he wants to go walk around.”
“Let him lead you,” she said. “You’ll know what to do.”
Getting up to his feet, Ransom pulled Evan up, much to the boy’s delight. He took a step forward, then another and another, until they had walked around most of the living room. When he tried to walk up the stairs, Isabelle swooped in and took him in her arms.
“We’re not ready for that yet, baby,” she
