Free Trouble Rising (New Adult Rock Star Romance): Tyler and Katie's Story #3 by Emme Rollins

you were so adorable. All that blonde hair!”
     
    “I’d love to see them,” I said again, watching as Jay came down the stairs with Sabrina. The babies had obviously gone down easily for their nap.
     
    “Maybe you can come over for dinner this week, Mom,” Tyler suggested. “We’ve got Jay with us… but I don’t know for how long…”
     
    “Indefinitely,” I said, putting my hand in his and squeezing. I heard him sigh.
     
    “So this little morsel is staying with you?” Arnie interrupted, coming over just as Jay settled on the floor by the sofa. “Where in the world have you been hiding her, Katie? This face belongs on billboards and in magazines, I’m telling you.”
     
    “Arnie,” I warned, rolling my eyes. “She’s only fifteen.
     
    “Look at that face.” Arnie ignored me, smiling down at Jay. “That’s the face that could launch a thousand ships.”
     
    “Hey.” I snapped my fingers, getting Arnie’s attention. “Get the dollar signs out of your eyes. She’s not becoming a model.”
     
    “Why not?” Jay piped up.
     
    “Yeah, why not?” Arnie grinned at me.
     
    “Okay, Ty, I think we should go.” I stood, looking down at Jay. “We need to get her settled. And I’m still jetlagged.”
     
    Tyler didn’t argue with me, and we said our goodbyes, finding Jesse in the kitchen with Celeste and Daisy. Our luggage was still in the back of the Rolls. Leanne left with us, and so did Sarah and Anne, since they were her ride. I didn’t blame her for not wanting to stay, considering the babies were in bed, and Rob hadn’t been too keen on her being there in the first place.
     
    “I can’t wait to see those baby pictures,” I said, giving Leanne a hug.
     
    Leanne hugged Tyler, too, then she hugged Jay, who looked surprised.
     
    “You stay in school,” Leanne told Jay, holding her chin in her hand and looking into her eyes. “Trust me, hon—even if beauty isn’t stolen from you, like it was from me—it always fades. You can’t rely on it forever. Stay in school and find something you love to do. Okay?”
     
    “O—okay.” Jay nodded, blinking in surprise.
     
    We got into the Rolls and Jesse circled around and started up the long driveway toward the gate. Jay settled between us in the backseat, her backpack between her feet. It was the only thing she’d brought with her from home, the poor thing.
     
    I felt Tyler’s hand on my shoulder and glanced over at him, seeing the same exhaustion on his face. What a day it had been—what a freaking day.
     
    “I love you,” I mouthed over Jay’s head as she snuggled against me, closing her eyes. Tyler looked down at her, his gaze softening. The way he looked at her was sweet, concerned. Almost fatherly. It made my ovaries ache.
     
    “What happened to her face?” Jay asked, her eyes still closed. “Was she in a fire?”
     
    “My father burned it,” Tyler said, meeting Jay’s stare when her eyes flew open at his words. “He held her face to a stove—to ‘teach her a lesson,’ or so he said.”
     
    “Really?” Jay breathed, looking at me for confirmation. I nodded. It had been Dante who had done that, to terrorize all of them, to keep them from telling his dirty secrets.
     
    “Jeez.” Jay shuddered, pressing against me again. “And I thought I had it bad.”
     
    “I’m sorry,” Tyler said softly, but Jay was already drifting off.
     
    I didn’t even know what time it was, but I was exhausted, too. I saw the concern on Tyler’s face as he looked from Jay, up to me. He wanted to know— what are we going to do with her?
     
    What are we going to do? `
     
    But I didn’t know. We would have to figure it out, but right then, I just wanted to get my little family home and take a long, long nap.
     
    So that’s just what we did.
     
     
     

Chapter Five

     
    “But my mom lets me drink coffee all the time at home,” Jay protested as we got in line at Starbucks. “Lattes, mochachinos…”
     
    “Yeah,