It was so easy to forget this girl was only fourteen. She was a child who had been forced into adulthood way before her time. If he only did one other thing besides make sure Penny stayed with Alyssa, it would be to ensure the rest of her childhood was that of a regular kid, a typical teenage girl with no worries other than getting good grades and what to wear to prom.
She'd never again worry about where her next meal came from, where she'd live, or if she was safe. Jack would take care of all of that.
"Can we stop with the heavy talk now?" she asked, hopping off her stool. "I'd like to grab a shower before the food gets here."
"Sure. Let me check on Roark." Jack stood.
"I can do it. It's not like he's doing anything but giving us privacy." She grinned, tipping her chin toward where Roark had gone. "He's probably had his ear pressed to that door."
"Smartass." With a laugh, Jack wrapped an arm around Penny's head and ruffled her hair with his free hand.
A twist and elbow jab had her free and several feet away. "Don't do that." The color had drained from her face and her chest heaved with short, sharp breaths.
He put his hands up and stepped back, widening the distance between them. "Penny?"
"It's fine. I'm fine." She sucked in a deep breath, shook out her hands at her sides. "I might have fudged the truth a little."
Strangling was too good for Gina. "Penny," he choked out.
"Nothing happened. I promise." Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and she jumped sideways, her arms and legs moving to defensive positions, when the door behind her opened revealing Roark's imposing frame. "I promise," she repeated.
"Penny, I need to—"
"I'll tell you while we eat."
Before he or Roark could stop her, she fled into the bedroom and slammed the door.
"Fuck. What the hell, Jackson?"
He drew in a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly through his lips. "I don't know but I know I'm not going to like it. I need you to get Keaton, Dash, and Maryn here within the hour. I assume they already know I'm in town?"
"Yeah." Roark dragged a hand down his face. "Do we need to go hunting?"
"We're already searching for Gina. Penny will hand over both their phones when she comes back out."
"Is she coming back out?"
"Yes. She's not stupid. She already guessed what you do."
"Of course, she did." His friend eyed the closed door. "Her IQ is off the charts."
"You got that from a couple of hours with her?"
"Hell, yes. It's the way she looks at you, the way she asks questions. They aren't worded in the way of a typical teenager."
"No, they're not. And she's barely a teenager."
"I'm not into hurting women but fuck me if I don't want to hurt Gina Drummond."
Jack clapped Roark on the shoulder. "You and me both. Now I'm going to check on Lys and grab a quick shower. Get everyone here and make sure Penny eats when the food arrives if I'm not back."
"Take your time. I've got her."
"I know."
Alyssa was still asleep when Jack entered their room. He searched his bag for a clean pair of jeans and shirt then headed to the en suite. The bathroom was split in two—his and hers—with a whirlpool tub in one and a steam shower in the other. It was a shame they wouldn't be here long enough to take advantage of the amenities.
He showered quickly. If he wasn't going to share the luxurious space with Lys, he didn't want to waste time. Plus, he needed to put things in motion to make sure Penny and Alyssa stayed together and safe.
