Free Cormac by Kathi S. Barton

they’d been doing that when she
answered his unspoken question. “I don’t think he’s been doing it long. His
daddy comes with him sometimes, and when he can’t find things, he hits him. They
come a mite early, but that man will beat him too much for not finding things. And
when he does, he eats it all himself instead of giving any to that poor boy.
It’s why we do it for him. So he won’t get beaten.”
    So, here he was with a man in his house that
he knew nothing at all about. Who could, for all he knew, invite all kinds of
riff raff inside and kill them all in their sleep. He looked at the door when
Storm walked in and smiled at him.
    “I was just thinking about Jim and what
having him here can do.” She didn’t come any further in the room and he stood
up. “What is it?”
    “He’s in the kitchen right now, talking to
your mom and dad and sobbing like a little boy. I had to leave or show them
that I have a heart. I can’t let that get around, now can I? All she did was
hug him for telling her she smelled nice.” Riordan sat down, his knees weak
with the relief that he wasn’t going to have to kill someone. “I don’t think
that kid has been loved any more than Andi was. You think we can keep him?”
    “He’s not a pup.” She grinned at him then.
“I’m guessing from the look on your face that we have a son or something.”
    “We have a brother-in-law that needs us as
much as Andi does, so yeah, I guess we do.” She moved into the room. “The
president just called. He wants us to go to China for him. And he said that if
we want to stay an extra week, he’ll pick up the tab.”
    “I love the way that man thinks. When do we
leave? And what do we do about Jim?” She told him in the morning and nothing. He
was going to stay with his parents. “Oh good. Just what the boy needs, my
parents helping him out.”
    He knew that Jim would be fine now. He had no
idea why, but he had a feeling that Jim was going to turn out all right.

 
    Chapter 5
     
    Andi didn’t know what to do in the house, or
with herself for that matter. There were so many rooms in it, most of them
empty, that she was sure that she was going to need a map or something just to
find her way around. Mac had left her about an hour ago, telling her that he’d
be back before morning. He had to help Aedan with something.
    “I can stay here. I’d like to.” He nodded,
but she was sure that he was torn. “I can take a nice bubble bath and then take
a nap. I have to be at work in the morning at five, so this will be great.”
    “All right, but when I get home, I want you
to be naked and in the bed waiting for me.” He pulled her into his arms. “Are
you sure? Aedan has a report to file for a client and his computer is fucking
up. It’s due tomorrow.”
    “Yes, go and help him. I’ll be just fine
here.” After he left her, she had sat down on the floor and cried. Not that she
expected him to stay with her. She knew at best this was going to be temporary,
but the feeling of being overwhelmed took her breath away.
    “Mrs.?” She looked at the man standing there,
trying her best to remember his name when he smiled at her. “Rogers, ma’am. I’m
the new butler that Mrs. Harrison asked to come in and help out with the
household.”
    “Yes. That’s right. You’re married to the
cook, Bethany. She makes the best scones I’ve ever eaten.” He nodded and
flushed slightly. “What can I do for you?”
    “There is a problem with…the kitchen, miss.
It’s…perhaps you should come and see for yourself. I know that this house is
new to Mr. Mac, but I think we need to have some of the things repaired right
away.” She followed him and wondered aloud why he was asking her. “You’re the
new mistress of the house, we were told. Mr. Mac said that if we needed anything,
you could help us.”
    “I don’t know why he’d say that. I’m only
hanging out here for…well, let’s see what we can do about the kitchen first.” She
was