My gut knotted up seeing both of them now within reach of Penn. Jude and I hurried over.
“Come here, princess,” I called, wanting her to come back to me, out of their grasp. “Let’s let your mom and Junior get back to their drinks.” I attempted to make my voice gentle for Penn, but it sounded too harsh to my ears. A flash of fear washed over me when Elise glared at me over Penn’s shoulder.
My whole body tensed, and I could almost feel Jude vibrating beside me. I could hear his knuckles crack, as if he were preparing for a fight.
“You need to let her see her daughter.” Junior’s voice was threatening.Asshole.
I barely gave him a glance, but I hoped he saw the warning in them. “Penn, come on. Let’s go get hot dogs, and then we can go see Lina.”
“Better go check on your slut before someone else does.” Junior’s words were like acid on my brain, burning and fueling my rising fury.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Jude fired at him.
At the same time, I said, “Shut your fucking mouth.”
“You heard me,” he pressed, his gaze turning to Jude.
“You have something to do with Lina being stalked?” Jude hissed through his gritted teeth.
I needed to get Penn out of here before this turned ugly. She didn’t need to see either one of us losing it in front of her. But hearing what Junior said—and then Jude’s question—made the alarm bells go off. How the fuck would he know Lina was being stalked unless he had something to do with it?
“Penn. Now,” I ordered sternly.
“Can Mama come sit with us?” she asked.
My heart fucking broke hearing her ask that. Of course she was missing her mom, but Elise had put in zero effort to show up for our daughter. As much as I hated the thought of hergrowing up without her, I needed to protect Penn from the really poor decisions Elise was making right now. She didn’t know or understand that.
“No, princess, you need to come with me now.” My hyper-vigilant dad radar was on high alert, bouncing between where Elise had her arms wrapped around our daughter and where Jude was mean-mugging Junior.
“The way she puts out, I’m not surprised she has unwanted attention. She probably gets off on it.”
My head swung to Junior. I couldn’t take this any longer. I took one big step, getting into his face. I was larger than him, and standing toe-to-toe, I forced him to look up at me.
“What? No gun this time?” he jeered, a snide grin spreading across his face.
“Who said I’m not packing?” I stared him down, right into his beady eyes, waiting for him to back down. He didn’t. Junior was a fucking idiot.
Junior scoffed. “Nothing’s going to happen in front of Penn.”
“Don’t you dare say my daughter’s name. I will fucking tear that tongue straight out of your mouth if I hear you speak her name again. You might be Elise’s fiancé, but you have no say in what I will or will not do in front of my daughter.Ever.”
I could feel Jude step up beside me, backing me up. Junior’s eyes flicked briefly to the side, seeing him. Jude had knocked him out with one punch before and could easily do it again with those prized hands of his. Junior’s bravery faltered before returning his narrowed gaze on me.
“Take your girl and leave—now!” Jude growled. “I don’t have a contract to worry about this time, and I’m pretty sure after what you tried to pull last summer, law enforcement will be on my side if you go whining that I knocked your sorry ass out again.”
“You fucking Larsens are all the same.”
“Same with you Matheuses, it would seem.”
“Fuck you, Jude. You don’t own this town.”
“Pretty close to it. I’m sure those two uniforms coming this way will appreciate knowing what you two have been consuming today. Not to mention what you two were into while a child was under your care.”
I turned my attention to Elise, whose face grew pale. She looked like she was about ready to throw up. “Come on, Penn,” I said calmly, even though I felt anything but.
“Please, Reed. Can I please see her?” Elise slurred her ‘pleases,’ tears choking her words. She was two seconds from causing a scene.
“Penn, give your mama one last hug. We need to go see Lina before she loads up Mushu.”
