| BOOK FIVE | THE LONDON CRIME KING | A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE NOVEL |
This book contains adult language and subject matter, including graphic violence, drugs and explicit sex that may be disturbing to some readers.
This series is NOT a typical romance...
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My son devoured two cereal bars, a small carton of full-fat milk and a waxy red apple for breakfast. Licking crumbs off his lips, he stuffed the rubbish into a carrier bag, kicked his feet onto the dashboard and gazed out of the window to watch the world pass on by in a murkily coloured blur.
"Carter," I said, driving toward the school. "Do you like Brad?"
His brows joined in the middle. "Why?"
Your opinion is relevant. "Just wondering."
"I guess." His frown held firmly in place. "What's not to like? He gave me money to buy new wheels, and he paid for Chinese food. I think I like him. Dominic is cool, too."
I sensed his curious eyes on me.
He coughed. "Are you dating?"
I slid him a glance. "What do you know about dating?"
"I know that adults do it sometimes." He stared deadpan at me. "My friends' parents date every weekend."
A smile touched my lips. "Would it bother you if he and I dated?"
"I don't think so?" His uncertainty sounded like a question. "It's not like you can date my dad."
At the mention of his father, I felt a sickening twinge in my stomach.
"You can date him if you want to." His feet dropped from the dashboard as he reached for the backpack on the floor. "Does this mean Dominic is my brother now? Will I have to share my bedroom? My cars?"
I parked by the curbside. "It's early days."
He sat there, waiting in unbreathable dread.
"It's too soon for serious changes. In the future, if everything works out for the best, we can have this conversation. In the meantime, I'd be happy if the two of you bonded over your love for disorderliness."
"Disorderliness?" His face twisted in bafflement. "What the heck?"
"You are both equally messy and destructive."
"That's a lie. I clean all the time." He spoke with such passion. "Plus, he makes a mess for no reason. I don't throw books on the floor just for the sake of it."
"No, you lunge dirty socks across the room for the cleaning fairy." I pointed out, rising from the car to steal a moment with him outside. "Come on. You're going to be late."
"Who is picking me up later?" He rounded the bonnet to meet me halfway for a hug. "You or Uncle Ben?"
"Me." Dropping a kiss on his head, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, holding him for a long squeeze. "We might go shopping this evening. With Brad," I added, and he peered up at me, the stark white ball cap shielding his eyes. "Is that okay? We can get a bite to eat afterwards."
"Sure." He pushed off his tip-toes to kiss my cheek. "I love you, mum."
"I love you, too." I drew an imaginary heart in the air between us, and his eyes rounded as if to say, do not embarrass me when there are people around. "Be good for your teacher."
