Page 43 of Property of Stone (Kings of Anarchy MC: Pennsylvania #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Taryn needed to decide what she was going to do next. The million dollar question was: should she stay or should she go?

If she stayed, could she live with what the Kings—and Stone—did to those other bikers?

If she left, could she live with herself if something happened to her that would take her away from her son, leaving him motherless? Or could she live with Vic kidnapping Wren and taking him somewhere Taryn couldn’t find them?

When it boiled down to it, the reality was she was in more danger from Vic than sticking around with Stone and his brothers. Vic had a personal vendetta against her. While the Kings, despite how dangerous they might be, had her back.

Her moral dilemma was likened to friending someone because they’d always been kind to her, then finding out they were a serial killer.

However, her only other option would be for her and her son to disappear to somewhere no one could ever find them. Unfortunately, that would take a lot of planning and money. It also meant they’d be leaving her mother, Wren’s only remaining grandparent, behind. And maybe never see her again.

Not only would they have to change their identities, she would need to find a new source of income. Not an easy thing to do. Plus, it would tank the career she’d worked so hard and spent so many years building.

Right now, her business was the only thing holding her life together. She couldn’t afford to give it up. While she wished she had enough equity in the house to be able to do that, the reality was, she didn’t.

She also didn’t want her and Wren to be forced into hiding or on the run like fugitives for the next few years, if not even longer. To always be looking over their shoulders.

Such an abrupt change in his life wouldn’t be fair to him, either. It would affect his education, his healthcare, his…everything.

She slapped a hand over her forehead and sighed. It was all too much but the reality was, Vic would be freed in less than forty-eight hours.

She was trying not to panic.

She was trying not to worry.

But the truth was, when Vic was released, he would be out for blood.

She knew that because he had said so at his trial. That threat in front of the judge was one reason he got more time than Stone for practically the same offense.

While he wouldn’t know where she and Wren were currently living at first, it might not take long for him to find out. If her ex was determined to find them, he’d pull out all the stops to do so.

He might want to steal Wren simply for revenge since doing it legally might now be out of his reach with his aggravated assault conviction. Especially since he was violent in front of his own son.

Even so, she did not trust the legal system to protect them. She couldn’t count on the useless Protection From Abuse order. She also couldn’t risk the judge handing even partial custody back to Vic. In the end, she had to rely on her own decisions to protect both of them.

That meant she needed to do whatever was needed to keep them both safe. Right now, that meant staying where she was. Even if it wasn’t the most ideal situation.

Damn it.

She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. That “rock” being Stone.

She liked him. She really, really did. More than she ever thought she would. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have been sharing more than the same roof.

That said, she didn’t like some of the things he did. What she knew of, anyway. Guaranteed, she didn’t know even a fraction of it.

He also wasn’t a great role model for Wren, even though that was supposed to be Vic’s job, not Stone’s. One that her ex failed miserably at.

Bottom line, if she was staying, she needed to accept the way Stone lived his life.

The Kings clearly lived by a code, even though it might not be one she agreed with.

The bikers were loyal, protective, and treated each other like family.

Proof that some shiny spots could be found on that tarnished lifestyle if you looked closely enough.

In addition, she needed to appreciate everything he had done for her, when he didn’t have to, and stop freezing him out .

And if she had to admit it, she missed him sleeping next to her.

She missed the intimacy. Missed the way he curled around her at night, making her feel secure. And wanted. Something that had been missing in her life for the last few years.

She also missed the way he’d shoot her a random smile when she least expected it.

Since Sunday, their shared meals had been uncomfortable. Every time they sat down to eat, Taryn had concentrated on her food. In contrast, Stone stared across the table, focusing on her, even as he ate.

Of course, Sunny’s eyeballs were permanently glued to the cell phone Stone returned to her a few days ago, ignoring everyone else at the table, while Wren chatted away about everything and also nothing, clueless to the uncomfortable undertones at the table.

Tonight’s “family” dinner hadn’t been any different.

As she pushed away from the table to start clearing the dirty dishes, Sunny was out of her seat and ready to bolt.

Stone’s words stopped her dead in her tracks. “Clear the table before you go anywhere.”

“Dad,” she grumped, her expression holding a whole lot of unhappy.

“She made dinner, you ate it, you help clean up.”

She stared daggers at her father. “You first.”

Taryn pinned her lips together to keep her mouth from gaping open. Even though she worried about Stone and his brothers being a bad influence, maybe she should worry about his daughter, too. She didn’t want that bad attitude rubbing off on her normally happy boy.

A muscle ticked in Stone’s jaw. “Planned on it, but now you’re gonna do it all. ”

Taryn stood in an attempt to defuse the situation. “It’s fine, I can?—”

Stone cut Taryn off. “Sit down. Let her clear the table.”

“It’s—”

“Nope. Sit down. Sunny’s gonna clear the table, scrape the plates, rinse them good, and stick ‘em all in the dishwasher.” He addressed his daughter next. “Just be glad you ain’t handwashin’ them in a fuckin’ river.”

Taryn mentally groaned.

“Dad,” his daughter started again.

He closed his eyes and released a sharp breath. “Don’t got the patience for this bullshit tonight, Sunny. Taryn made you a damn good meal and you practically licked your plate. Least you can do is help clean up.”

Okay, he wasn’t a completely horrible role model. He had some good points. But it would be better if he used a softer tone and didn’t liberally sprinkle his words with cursing.

She understood the whole “tough love” thing, but?—

“Why would anyone wash their dishes in a river, Mommy?” Wren whispered to her.

Taryn leaned closer and murmured, “That’s what they did before homes had running water. You had to go down to a creek or river and wash your things there, like dishes and clothes.”

His little eyebrows knitted together. “Why didn’t they have a dishwasher?”

“They hadn’t been invented yet.”

No surprise his next question didn’t have anything to do with the current topic. “Can I go play outside?”

Having him do that would be a great idea right now. He didn’t need to watch father and daughter butting heads. “Did Mrs. Landers give you any homework?”

“ Nooooo ,” he answered in a sing-song voice .

“Then yes. Just don’t leave the backyard.”

Stone added, “Stay away from the pool and make sure to stay where your mom can see you from the window, kid.”

“Okay!” he shouted with excitement. He quickly shoved his chair away from the table and raced outside. She grimaced when he let the screen door slam behind him.

She pulled in a deep breath and reluctantly turned her attention back to the current conflict.

Stone now sat back with his tattooed arms crossed over his chest while keeping a bead on his daughter. With her expression pinched like she was sucking on a lemon, Sunny carried a stack of dirty dishes over to the sink.

“Make sure to scrape ‘em first, daughter of mine, before rinsin’. If I gotta hire a plumber due to clogged pipes, gonna take it outta your allowance.”

Taryn stayed in her seat and downed the rest of her wine, then stared longingly at the bottom of the empty glass. She wasn’t a big drinker but now she regretted not buying another bottle.

“Sunny, you can leave the pots and pans. I’ll take care of those.” Especially since they were her top of the line set. As expensive as they were, Taryn took good care of them so they’d last since she couldn’t afford to replace them any time soon.

But telling her that didn’t stop Sunny from bashing the dishes around as she scraped and rinsed them before stacking them in the dishwasher.

Taryn figured it was best to stay out of it and let those two work it out. Riiiiight.

As soon as Sunny was done, she turned to her father. “Can I go now?”

“Yep. Thank you for helpin’. ”

“Thank you, Sunny,” Taryn quickly added, plastering on a smile.

Sunny rolled her eyes and in a flash, disappeared. Seconds later, they could hear her feet stomping up the stairs with each step louder than the next.

While that conflict was over, she waited for the next battle since it was now only the two of them in the kitchen. And she’d been avoiding him as much as possible.

With the way he had stared at her over his food, she had a suspicion that would be coming to an end within the next few minutes.

Taryn carried her empty glass over to the sink to finish cleaning up. After rinsing it out and putting it in the dishwasher, she grabbed the nearest pot to start scrubbing.

But before she could do that, she found herself caged in by two thick, tattooed arms. Stone’s heat seared her back and so did his breath against her ear when he growled, “Had enough of this bullshit. It ends tonight.”

Maybe she shouldn’t have wasted time over the dilemma to stay or go. Apparently, Stone decided for her. Even though she had nowhere else to go right now, she and Wren wouldn’t stay where they weren’t wanted. “I’ll pack our things and?—”

“That ain’t what I meant.”