“Is he with the council now?”
“Yes,” Dillon replied to Dorothy’s question.
“He’s lucky,” Dorothy said. “I wouldn’t be as merciful as you were, Dillon. If I had been in your position earlier, I would have torn that motherfucker into shredded, bloody meat with my claws and blunt teeth. He almost killed my son.”
Darby hugged his mother tightly. “But he didn’t. I’m still here, Mom.”
Dorothy inhaled deeply before expelling the breath loudly through her mouth. “I know. I still don’t like it, though.”
Darby smiled. “Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Then Riordan observed as Oscar huddled closer to Dorothy and Darby before embracing them. He pulled Dillon toward him and kissed the top of his boyfriend’s head.
“Don’t be sad.”
Dillon shook his head. “I’m not.”