Page 19 of Ravaged By the Dark

Renee took a deep breath.

“Fine, we can go.” She shook her head. “I must be crazy,” she mumbled.

“Yay!” J.J. yelled and then surprised her as he held his arms open for Arek to take him. Arek paused, obviously just as stunned as she was, but then smiled and took J.J. from her arms. J.J. had always been naturally social, but this was different.

She hadn’t seen him take to a man like this since Cody had left. She didn’t want him getting attached to Arek when this wasn’t likely to lead anywhere, and yet she’d do anything to make sure J.J. had a semblance of a normal childhood. She’d grown up way too fast, and all she wanted was to save J.J. from the same fate.

I mean, what was the harm with one fun day at the park?

Arek opened the back door of the Hummer, and before she could object to the obvious issue, she was shocked to see a car seat already installed.

“Do you have kids?” She held her breath while she waited for the answer. Maybe he had a whole family or a girlfriend with a kid, or—

“No, I don’t,” Arek answered as he buckled J.J. into the expensive seat. She’d taken care of almost all of J.J.’s shopping needs since the day his father took off, and her mother withered into a useless twit. So she had gone shopping enough and wandered the store aisles so many times that she knew this model was almost a thousand bucks.

She took a long, steadying breath as she pushed down the building anger that threatened to overwhelm her. Her grief seemed to want to fluctuate between a raging inferno and balling like a baby.

Arek straightened and closed the door before looking down at her.

“I bought it for J.J. If I’m going to take the two of you places, I figured I’d need one. I got the sales guy to show me how to install it and properly buckle J.J. in.” He smiled and walked to the driver’s side, leaving her standing there reeling.

Who the hell was this guy?

Renee laughed as she watched J.J. driving the kiddie bumper car. His smile was infectious. It was like a small ball of light in a dark world, and she couldn’t take her eyes off him. He still had a little ice cream on his face, and even that made her heart melt. As the cars came to a stop, J.J. ran out of the exit over to where she was standing.

“Can I go again?” J.J. jumped around, pulling on her shirt.

He’d already been through three times.

“Why don’t we do something else, let another kid have a go?” His lip pushed out in a pout, but then he spotted a shooting game and ran over. She laughed and followed.

“Here you go,” Arek said, handing her a bottle of water and a bag of caramel corn.

“Thanks.” She took the offering feeling a little guilty that she was taking advantage of his generosity. But he did say whatever they wanted he would pay for on this apology trip. She popped a few pieces of the delectable treat in her mouth and softly sighed. Small things had always made her happy, and right now, her senses were on happy overload.

J.J. had been on a high since the moment they arrived, his unbridled joy and million questions making her and Arek laugh. For the first time in a very long ass time, she didn’t feel like the weight of the world was crushing her.

“Sorry little man, but you’re too young to play this game,” the guy operating the booth said. J.J.’s shoulders slumped, but once more, Arek surprised her and squatted down to J.J.’s height.

“If you could pick any prize, what would you want,” Arek asked.

J.J.’s face made her giggle as he rubbed his chin, his brow furrowing as he thought.

“That one!” he said with conviction and pointed to the large, bright orange tiger.

“Alright then.” She watched as Arek handed over the money and picked up the BB gun. He looked comfortable with the toy gun. No, he looked downright lethal as he drew it up to his shoulder, face suddenly void of all emotion as he looked right through the target area.

She stared at his profile, her heart pounding and butterflies fluttering in her stomach. The game’s guy stepped behind the protective wall, and the music of the game started.

Red and white targets appeared from either direction. They started out slow, but soon they sped up so fast she could barely keep track. Her mouth fell open as each one was hit squarely in the center. No matter how fast they came, they fell just as quickly as they appeared. Renee’s overly active imagination pictured Arek in those sexy camo pants and no top. She licked her lips and needed to avert her gaze as her body warmed all over.

“Wow, man, no one has been able to get them all before,” the guy said as Arek handed the gun over.

“I have good hand-eye coordination. Does he get to pick any prize now?”

“Yeah, for sure. What does he want?”

Arek picked J.J. up, and his short arms reached for the tiger he had pointed at earlier. Renee had to turn away and wipe away the tears that were threatening to choke her. These were the things her mother should have been doing, making memories with her son. Instead, she chose a bottle and a man over her own children.