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“Ma’am, I’m going to take the boy from you n—”
“No!” Bobby wailed. I didn’t think it was possible, but he clung to me tighter.
I finally tore my stare from the police station door—Lucas was inside. So was Bobby’s father—and looked at the cop talking to me. “I’m not letting Bobby go until his mom is here. And only if Bobby says I can.”
The cop blinked.
“Now find my dog and let me call my veterinarian in peace.”
* * * *
I called Lila Winchester and told her what was going on. By the time she told me—in that poised, take-no-shit voice of hers—not to worry, the cop (who looked like a baby-faced Bernie Sanders) was walking towards me with a squirming Groot in his arms.
“I’ll try not to,” I replied, before ending the call.
Groot saw me and wriggled out of Officer Bernie’s arms. I couldn’t help but smile. My dog was clearly okay. I took it as a good omen.
Forty-five minutes later, sitting in the police station with Bobby asleep on my lap and Groot asleep on my foot, I watched Lucas walk out of a room to the right. Un-cuffed.
Rubbing at his wrists, he scanned his surroundings, saw me, and strode away from the cop who had walked with him out of the room.
As much as I wanted to leap up and throw myself into his arms and kiss him stupid, I stayed still. I didn’t want to disturb Bobby. Or Groot, for that matter.
“Are you okay?” Lucas crouched down onto his haunches in front of me, hands on my knees. As always, a tingle of happiness and something so much more carnal shot through me at his touch.
I nodded. “Better, now you’re out of cuffs.”
He chuckled, the sound low and relaxed, and gave Groot a quick pat. “Lila works her magic quick, even when she’s on the other side of the country.”
“What did she do?”
He shook his head. “Don’t know. But I’m out without any further questions, so I’m okay with that.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Me too.”
He gazed into my eyes for a long moment before touching my bruised cheek with gentle fingers. “How’s your face?”
“Sore.” No point in lying. “But I’ll live. Are you allowed to go?”
He nodded, and then looked down at Bobby. “But not until you do. Which I suspect won’t be until this little guy is ready to let you?”
Warmth flooded through me. I loved him for so many reasons; that he understood me and the way my mind worked was up there at the top.
Officer Bernie quietly approached, cleared his throat just as quietly, and flicked Lucas an uneasy glance. Damn, what had Lila said or done to get Lucas released so quickly?
“Sorry to interrupt,” he looked back at me, “but Bobby’s mother has arrived.”
My chest tightened. I’d given my statement to Officer Bernie upon entering the station. Bobby had fallen asleep in the middle of it. Even though the little boy was sleeping, I kept my word. I didn’t let him go.
And I wouldn’t. Not until he said I could.
“Bobby?” I said softly, giving him a little squeeze. “Bobby, your mommy is here.”
He shifted on my lap, limbs and eyes heavy with sleep.
“Bobby,” I said again, my focused now on the woman rushing towards us from the other side of the station’s bullpen. “Your mommy is here.”
He looked up at me, face confused with sleep, and then, at the sound of a woman’s voice calling Bobby, his eyes grew wide and he twisted on my lap.
