Wild Rogues (third in lone wolf series)

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven:

                “I won!” Audrey exclaimed as she began a victory dance beside the air hockey table. Julian found himself laughing as the girl shook her butt and fist bumped the air.

                “Yes you did,” he agreed. Tanner joined in the dance and Julian clicked off the power to the table and rubbed his hands together, “Who’s hungry for some lunch?”

                “Me! Me! Me!” both kids exclaimed as they ran for the stairs. Julian jogged to catch up and the three of them skidded into the kitchen.

                Julian opened the refrigerator door and glanced at the contents while Tanner and Audrey clambered up onto stools, “What do you both want?”

                “Do you have macaroni and cheese?” Audrey asked hopefully.

                “Sure do,” Julian replied, happy that Marcus was such a junk food lover. He put a pot of water on to boil and then sat down across from the kids at the island.

                “Today is fun!” Tanner exclaimed as he kicked his dangling feet back and forth.

                Julian reached across and tweaked the boy’s nose, “I agree.”

                Tanner giggled and pulled away from him, “You had fun with us?” he asked with disbelief.

                “Of course I did. I still am. Why wouldn’t I?”

                “Because our real daddy never played with us,” Audrey stated as if she were simply relaying the weather outside.

                Julian felt his heart break for these two children. It wasn’t fair what they’d been through and seen already in their young lives. Julian was going to make sure they knew a better life from here on out. One where they never went hungry, always had something to play with and laughed every single day.

                “Well you never have to worry about that here. Marcus and I both will play with you every chance we get, okay? And we’ll make sure your mommy has more time to spend with you both as well.”  They had confided in him earlier that Abbey rarely had time to sit during the day and do anything other than cook and clean because if their bastard of a father caught her then he would get mad and be ‘very mean to mommy’.

                Julian enjoyed more easy banter with the kids as he finished cooking their lunch and sat it in front of them. They dug into it as if it were the last meal they might see for a while. Julian suspected it would take some time before they learned they were never again going to have to go without.

                As he watched them eat he heard Marcus’s truck pulling up outside which caused him to frown. His brother had made it clear he wanted to spend close to the entire day with Abbey. Why had he called it a day at barely after noon?