I swallowed, nodding. “Me too.”
He pursed his lips. “I’ve been looking for other people who could’ve had encounters with him.”
I shook my head. “You don’t have to do that for me.”
“I want to,” he said simply.
We drifted in silence for a moment.
“Thank you, Jay,” I said, looking down at my hands. For some reason, it made my eyes sting when he supported me like that.
For a minute or two, the only sound was the gentle lapping of the water on the sides of our kayaks, and then I felt a sudden tug on my boat.
“Wha—”
Jay’s hand clutched the edge of my kayak and dragged it over to him so they were side by side.
He reached for me, his hand coming up to cup my face.
“I’ll always protect you,Amapolita,” he said, taking my breath away for a moment.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“No one is ever going to hurt you again, okay?”
I nodded, swallowing back a lump in my throat. He didn’t know how much I needed that reassurance.
I was about to reply, about to lean in and kiss him because,gosh, this man was healing parts of me I didn’t even know could be healed.
But then there was movement in my periphery, and my attention was drawn to the dock again.
Confusion washed over me when I saw what looked like someone coming up the deck and across the dock toward us.
I squinted, and as they drew closer, I made out a tall figure with dark hair.
My stomach dropped and panic settled like a brick against my lungs.
“Jay,” I barely squeaked out, “Are you expecting someone?”
He followed my gaze. “No.”
I knew that posture, that walk. I would’ve recognized it anywhere.
Jay frowned, noticing my panicked expression now. “What is it?”
My hands tightened around the paddle in my hand.
“That’s my dad.”
CHAPTER 53
My heart was pounding so fast I thought I might actually have a heart attack. What was my dad doing here?
“Your dad?” Jay asked, looking over at the dock. I could’ve sworn I saw his face go a little pale.
“I don’t know how he found me,” I said, frantically paddling back toward the dock. If he’d come here to drag me back to Riverside, he was in for a rude awakening. Showing up like this, completely unannounced, was extremely rude and crossing a major line.
We made it back to the dock, and Jay jumped out first, helping me out as my father stood there waiting for us.
