Rome (Marked Men #3)(78)
Author: Jay Crownover

The small woman bristled in that way only someone who thought they were inherently better than you could do.

“I don’t owe you an explanation, Rule. I don’t owe any of you anything.” Her husband shoved past me and went to stand by her side. They both glared at us like we had something to do with this life-changing secret coming to light.

Cora came back over to me and curled back into my side.

“You’re wrong. Nash is ours, not yours. We love him, we take care of him, and we’re going to be the ones that help him through this. You didn’t want him, we do. I think you need to go. You are not wanted, or needed, here.”

The couple bristled and I could see they were going to put up a fight, when Cora’s father stepped around our motley crew and got between us and them.

“I know you don’t know me, but my name is Joe Lewis and Phil and I go way back.” They might not have known the sailor but they both had clearly heard of him. The fight visibly drained out of them. “I know all about you, Ruby, and you, too, Grant. I know your story, I know about the boy, and trust me, if you want any chance at making this right with your child, you will turn around and leave his family to take care of him. Am I making myself clear?”

Apparently he was, because with one last haughty look they turned and walked out of the waiting room without a backward glance.

Shaw let out a little whistle and fake-whispered, “Your dad is a serious badass.”

I snickered a little and dropped a kiss on top of Cora’s wild hair. “You come by it naturally.”

“So what now?” Shaw propped herself in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs and took out her phone.

“If Phil pulls through, they can work it out. If he doesn’t, I don’t know.” Rule’s voice sounded strained.

Cora kissed me on the cheek and wandered over to sit next to her friend. My brother arched one of his dark eyebrows and nudged me with his shoulder.

“So what was up with the hottie nurse? They know each other or something?”

“You guys went to school with her.”

“Ah … no, I didn’t. If I went to school with a chick that looked like that, I would’ve remembered … don’t tell Shaw I just said that.”

I snorted because that was typical Rule. “She’s Saint.”

He frowned in confusion. “She’s a saint?”

“No, her name is Saint, but she might be a saint as well.”

I sure hoped she was because it looked like Nash was going to need all the help he could get dealing with this particular mess. Sure, he had all of us in his corner and at his back, but there was no denying that a saint might come in handy.