the post-mortem bruising to the coroner.”
Before turning away, Kent spat on the body at his feet. “What kind of father tries to kill his son?”
“One who didn’t earn the title of father.”
Kent nodded his head. With his anger beginning to dissipate, he turned his focus back to Marco. “I’m going to take Maria to the hospital.”
“I’ll have Angelo run by and pick up the boys.”
“Thanks.” Kent wasn’t big on handing out affection to his friends, but he couldn’t let the moment slip by without showing Moody his appreciation. He wrapped his arms around the big man and squeezed. “Thank you for saving my entire world. I owe you everything.”
He was surprised when Moody hugged him back. “You’re welcome. And if you’ll help me fix Angelo’s back porch, we’ll call it even.”
Kent chuckled as he stepped back. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
* * * *
Trey handed Kent another cup of coffee. “How is he?”
Kent took a tentative sip of the strong, bitter brew. Marco had been in surgery by the time Kent and Maria had arrived at the hospital so he hadn’t seen him before he’d been taken in. “The doctor just came by. He said they repaired the tendon damage. It’ll be a long healing process and he’ll have to go through intensive therapy, but they think he’ll regain the full use of his hand.”
“Have you seen him?” Trey sat down across from him.
“Not yet.” Kent’s eyes went to Maria, Nicky and Bruno who were huddled together in the corner of the waiting room. He’d tried to comfort them, but had retreated when Bruno informed him they were fine.
Although he knew the De La Santo children were a tight group, the dismissal stung. So like it had been most of his adult life, Kent sat across the room feeling alone and left out. Most of his friends were there with the exception of Eric and Jules who were on duty, but even they had been by several times in the previous couple of hours.
Trey, who had always been the most sensitive of the group, put his hand on Kent’s knee. “You can’t take it personally.”
“What?”
Trey gestured to the De La Santo children. “They aren’t used to depending on anyone but themselves. It’ll take them a while to open up to you.”
“I thought we were making great strides towards building a family.” Kent shook his head. “It hurts.”
Trey bumped his thin shoulder against Kent. “I’m going to play devil’s advocate here for a minute, so don’t beat me up, K?”
“I’ll try to control my rage,” Kent answered dryly.
“Trust will probably never come easy to those kids. I’m not trying to downplay your relationship with Marco, but you’ve only been in his brothers’ and sister’s lives for a short time. It’s natural for them not to trust you enough to let you in.”
“I’ve opened my home to them,” Kent tried to argue.
“Yes you have. And even though you and I know it shows you trust them, they’re kids. They wouldn’t see it that way. Their father just tried to kill the only truly stable person in their lives.”
“So where does that leave me?” Kent looked at the cooling coffee in his hand. He felt like throwing the damn paper cup across the room.
“In the perfect position to gain some of that trust you long for. You can’t force it on them though. Marco will probably be in here for a few days. Take them home later, make sure they eat, let them know you’re there if they need to talk. The important thing is that they’ll begin to see you care about them and not just their brother.”
Kent glanced at Trey. He knew his friend was right. Everything he said made sense. Although things had fallen into place with Marco so quickly, he really didn’t know the kids as much as he’d like. “Thanks.”
“Kent?” Jules called, walking into the waiting room. “They have him in room 312, but they only want two people at a time in there.”
Kent nodded. “Thanks.” He stood and walked over to
Before turning away, Kent spat on the body at his feet. “What kind of father tries to kill his son?”
“One who didn’t earn the title of father.”
Kent nodded his head. With his anger beginning to dissipate, he turned his focus back to Marco. “I’m going to take Maria to the hospital.”
“I’ll have Angelo run by and pick up the boys.”
“Thanks.” Kent wasn’t big on handing out affection to his friends, but he couldn’t let the moment slip by without showing Moody his appreciation. He wrapped his arms around the big man and squeezed. “Thank you for saving my entire world. I owe you everything.”
He was surprised when Moody hugged him back. “You’re welcome. And if you’ll help me fix Angelo’s back porch, we’ll call it even.”
Kent chuckled as he stepped back. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
* * * *
Trey handed Kent another cup of coffee. “How is he?”
Kent took a tentative sip of the strong, bitter brew. Marco had been in surgery by the time Kent and Maria had arrived at the hospital so he hadn’t seen him before he’d been taken in. “The doctor just came by. He said they repaired the tendon damage. It’ll be a long healing process and he’ll have to go through intensive therapy, but they think he’ll regain the full use of his hand.”
“Have you seen him?” Trey sat down across from him.
“Not yet.” Kent’s eyes went to Maria, Nicky and Bruno who were huddled together in the corner of the waiting room. He’d tried to comfort them, but had retreated when Bruno informed him they were fine.
Although he knew the De La Santo children were a tight group, the dismissal stung. So like it had been most of his adult life, Kent sat across the room feeling alone and left out. Most of his friends were there with the exception of Eric and Jules who were on duty, but even they had been by several times in the previous couple of hours.
Trey, who had always been the most sensitive of the group, put his hand on Kent’s knee. “You can’t take it personally.”
“What?”
Trey gestured to the De La Santo children. “They aren’t used to depending on anyone but themselves. It’ll take them a while to open up to you.”
“I thought we were making great strides towards building a family.” Kent shook his head. “It hurts.”
Trey bumped his thin shoulder against Kent. “I’m going to play devil’s advocate here for a minute, so don’t beat me up, K?”
“I’ll try to control my rage,” Kent answered dryly.
“Trust will probably never come easy to those kids. I’m not trying to downplay your relationship with Marco, but you’ve only been in his brothers’ and sister’s lives for a short time. It’s natural for them not to trust you enough to let you in.”
“I’ve opened my home to them,” Kent tried to argue.
“Yes you have. And even though you and I know it shows you trust them, they’re kids. They wouldn’t see it that way. Their father just tried to kill the only truly stable person in their lives.”
“So where does that leave me?” Kent looked at the cooling coffee in his hand. He felt like throwing the damn paper cup across the room.
“In the perfect position to gain some of that trust you long for. You can’t force it on them though. Marco will probably be in here for a few days. Take them home later, make sure they eat, let them know you’re there if they need to talk. The important thing is that they’ll begin to see you care about them and not just their brother.”
Kent glanced at Trey. He knew his friend was right. Everything he said made sense. Although things had fallen into place with Marco so quickly, he really didn’t know the kids as much as he’d like. “Thanks.”
“Kent?” Jules called, walking into the waiting room. “They have him in room 312, but they only want two people at a time in there.”
Kent nodded. “Thanks.” He stood and walked over to
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