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Quinton let me go and I raced after Trenton and Romero. Catching up to them, I ran the palm of my hand up and down Romero's back soothingly. Once, twice, three times. Any more touching seemed inappropriate coming from me.
"Calm down, Romero Flynn. This is Trenton. He's one of my guardian's and he's here with Quinton to help get us safely out of here. Just go with it."
Remember when I told you I sucked at pep talks? Well, I hadn't been lying.
It was a lot to ask for and required a level of trust I didn't think we'd quite established yet. Neither of us really knew each other, yet I'd done more to secure his safe return home than I’d ever done for another human being. I hadn't done any of it for him though. Okay, so in the beginning that might have been true, but now after dragging his ass through the woods hand in hand, I now felt differently and knew that even if I didn’t love his son, I still would have come back for him. I might not have gone through all that I had, but eventually I would have figured out a way to get him out. Dead or alive.
At my words, Romero surprised me and actually relaxed over Trenton's shoulder. It was all very undignified, and for Trenton's sake, I really hoped Romero's junk rubbed all over him. Just because.
Trenton shot me a dirty look over his shoulder before running off with his burden.
I started to run after them, but Quinton stopped me. He swept me up in his arms, bride style, and ran after Trenton.
"They're going to follow us," I warned him.
Before he could respond, my father appeared directly in front of us. Quinton sidestepped Rain and spun around to a stop, slightly behind my father. He held me high up in his arms, tight against his chest, almost as if he'd never let me go.
Trenton and Romero disappeared from sight and my eyes went back to my father. His arms were spread out wide at his sides. His head was tipped back with his face aimed up at the sky. His lips moved, and words too quiet for me to hear came out of him.
The dark sky flashed with light and the flood gates opened. Rain poured down in heavy torrents, while a thick fog started rising from the cold ground.
Rain dropped his arms and turned toward us. "Hurry," he urged. His eyes trailed over me in Quinton's arms and his mouth pinched tight in unhappiness. "The spell will only hold them off for fifteen minutes. Tops. We need to get to the SUV. Now."
It hurt too much to look into his questioning eyes, so I took the coward’s way out and buried my face in Quinton's chest. I didn't think I'd ever be ready to answer the questions in Rain's gaze. I knew he'd voice them later, and I also knew I wouldn't be ready to answer them then either. He wasn't even supposed to be here.
I clung to Quinton like a freaking lifeline while he easily carried me through the woods.
It didn't take long for us to leave the woods and find a dirt road. Romero and I had been headed in the right direction. Thankfully, backup had shown, or we never would have made it here.
A black Escalade was parked on the dirt road. I recognized it was the one I'd bought for Trenton and Simon. It had all the bells and whistles, and had cost me a scary amount of money that I had almost pissed myself over when I'd been told the dollar amount. After the initial sticker shock had worn off, I'd paid for the stupid thing because my guardians deserved nothing but the best. And I planned on giving it to them.
They were my trusted companions and would be until my last breath. My coven could decide they no longer wanted me and go for a different female witch or to separately date normal, non-magical women. Not that I ever thought they'd do that, but my guardians were so very different. They were bound to me and only my death would set them free. They were stuck with me as much as I was them. They hadn't chosen me, their magic had. So I didn't go the cheap route with them when it came to anything. Only the best would do when your vows were stronger than the average marriage ones.
I was basically their wife without all the feelings or sex or any of the good stuff. They got some good benefits though. Like the tricked out SUV. I would have gotten them each their own if they hadn't protested and only agreed to accept the one.
Now that SUV was parked here on the dirt road with the back door all the way up and the front passenger and side door open and waiting for us.
Trenton loaded Romero into the way back and slammed the door down closed. Hurriedly, he came around the back and climbed into the front passenger seat. After looking to make sure I'd followed, Trenton closed the SUV door.
Quinton climbed in the open door with me still in his arms. He slid all the way over to the other side with me in his lap and held tightly to his chest. Rain climbed in after us and slammed the door shut.
"Let's go," Rain barked out harshly.
I looked up from Quinton's shoulder and met Simon's sharp gaze in the rearview mirror. He blatantly ignored Rain's command as he waited for the one that would really matter to him.
That command being from me. I jerked my head up in a nod. Once. "Let's go home."
Simon's eyes left mine in the mirror as he focused on the road. He shifted the SUV into drive and we started rolling down the road.
"Baby," Quinton murmured as his hand went into my hair. "What is this covering you and crusted into your skin?"
My body started shaking uncontrollably.
My bottom lip trembled.
I breathed deeply in an attempt to not cry again tonight. I knew I'd fail, but I tried anyways.
I sucked in a sharp, shaking breath, and a whimper escaped me. I cursed myself. I hadn't planned on ever falling apart about tonight, but if I needed to couldn't I at least do it at home where I could lock myself in a bathroom and actually be alone to fall apart in private?
