Page 21 of Ravaged By the Dark

“Sowwy Nae Nae.” He batted his big eyes at her before looking to Arek. “Sorry, Arek.” J.J. looked down at his hands. It was not lost on her that he pulled the big guns of cuteness on her.

“It’s all good little man, we can go to the arcade, just not tonight,” Arek rubbed J.J.’s head, and the kid beamed up at him.

She thought J.J. was going to jump out of the damn car with excitement. The small car started to rock, and she closed her eyes and covered her mouth as her other hand pressed against the wall of the car.

Arek laughed. “You better sit down. You’re making your mom sick.”

Renee internally groaned as J.J. once more furrowed his little brow. She tried to think of a way to distract J.J. before he could spill the truth, but her mind couldn’t come up with anything quick enough.

“Mama’s not here. Mama left. But she loves us, so she’ll come back,” J.J. said. He lifted his shoulders like it was business as usual. Their earlier talk sprang to mind, and she hoped that what she’d said had been the right thing. He turned around, distracted by the darkening sky and city lights as they glittered.

“Ohhh Nae Nae, look at that!” J.J. squealed and pointed at one of the tall buildings in the distance decorated with multi-colored lights.

Renee could feel Arek’s stare. Knowing the jig was up, she looked over at him.

He mouthed, “What does he mean?” and she looked to J.J. to make sure he was distracted and then back to Arek.

“I’m J.J.’s sister,” she whispered.

She could see the gears turning in his head, and before he could ask, she decided just to tell him.

“My mom, our mom, left with who I assume is her latest love interest a week ago. Took the furniture and all the money I had saved and poofed into thin air. No note, no goodbye, just gone.”

She looked away, not wanting to see any pity in his eyes. She didn’t need it, nor did she want it. He squeezed her hand, and she jerked, forgetting they were still touching. She glanced down to where their hands were connected, and then the ride came to a stop. The gentle swinging was once more making her ill, and she closed her eyes as she rationalized that jumping out would be a whole lot worse than staying put.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Renee mumbled, squeezing her eyes tighter.

Arek gave her hand a tug and pulled her into his side. At that moment, she didn’t care if she looked weak or even cared that she barely knew him. Renee buried her head into his muscular chest, wanting nothing more than to feel safe.

Where his body touched hers, she felt alive with a hum of electricity that left her breathing hard. A dark rich cologne mixed with an all-male scent permeated her senses. Unable to help herself, she took a deep breath, wishing she could bottle the aroma. Renee’s mind instantly went to images that were not conducive with a four-year-old in the vicinity.

Arek’s finger lifted her chin, and with each inch her chin ticked up, her heart galloped harder. She knew J.J. was talking and pointing at things, but what he was saying was lost as her eyes met Arek’s. Desire roared inside her, making her shiver, and goosebumps rose across her heated skin. He lifted his black-out sunglasses once more, and their eyes locked.

The world was nothing more than background noise, and before she knew it, his lips touched hers. It was but a moment, but she gasped with the powerful sensation that had her wanting to rip his shirt off and feel the skin underneath. She could almost feel her nails digging into his shoulders as she screamed with desire. She hated to admit it, but his words the first night they met rang loudly in her ears. I certainly wouldn’t say no to more, but I promise that is not my intention, at least not until you beg for it. She was pretty darn close to begging for it.

If J.J. hadn’t been right there, she had no idea what she would’ve done.

Arek made a deep noise in his throat and pulled away. When his eyes turned forward, he engaged with a very chatty J.J.

Renee, on the other hand, couldn’t stop her pounding pulse and the blissful light-headedness that accompanied being around this man. Not that she planned on telling him that. His head seemed big enough already.

By the time they left the park, she was so turned on she could barely think straight. She bit her fist discreetly to distract herself as they drove to her house, but the tension continued to build until she was choking on it. Arek grabbed her arm when the Hummer came to a stop.

“He’s asleep. I’ll grab him. You get the door.” Arek jumped out before she could argue.

Slipping from the vehicle, she watched as Arek scooped J.J. from the car seat, his thumb sticking out of his mouth as he slept soundly.

“Don’t forget the tiger,” Arek whispered.

She smiled and freed the massive stuffed animal from the seatbelt J.J. insisted on it wearing. When she stepped away from the vehicle, it locked, and she stared at it, confused.

What the hell…

But she shrugged it off and made her way to the front door.

Once she got there, she sat the ginormous stuffed toy down to dig in her backpack for the house keys while Arek held J.J. patiently behind her.

Keys, keys, come on keys…ah-hah!