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“He’ll protect her. I’ll make sure he knows the truth once he’s old enough.”
Both men turned to look at us in the backseat. I wasn’t asleep but pretended to be. This conversation was important, but it didn’t make a lot of sense.
“They look pretty cute together, don’t they?” Mack asked, his eyes lingering on his son.
“They do. Maybe someday they’ll love each other, but we have a lot of long years before that happens. I’d be happy to know he was there for her in that way. Rae already trusts him.”
“Yes. Someday will be here before either of us know it, Ron. If we ever make it that far.”
“We will. We have to . . . for them.”
I yawned as Rae snuggled closer, falling asleep only a minute later.
TEARS FILLED MY EYES as I blinked them back. That was one of the last times I ever saw Ron. The last place he ever took his daughter. That’s why Rae loved the drive-in. That’s why she would have the exact same treats she had that night. I never had to ask what she wanted. I knew.
Inhaling a deep breath and releasing it, my thoughts settled on her instantly. I glanced at my watch. Twenty minutes. What were the girls doing? Could it take that long for popcorn and candy?
“Dude, they’ve been gone a long time.”
I opened my mouth to agree with Jake when I heard a screech of outrage, seconds after I felt intense anxiety and fear wash over me.
Rae needed me. Now. I felt her pull, her desire for me to protect.
She was reaching out, using our strange connection.
“Rae,” I nearly growled as I leaped over the side of the truck and dashed toward the concessions, dodging around the crowd to get inside the small building.
“Shove off!” I heard Hayley yell from the right.
I ran to Rae and stopped next to her, placing a possessive kiss on her lips, “Hey babe. Missed you.”
Several guys stood around the girls, entirely too close for my liking.
“Hay, baby, where did you run off to? Been waiting for you,” Jake slid his arm around Hayley’s waist and kissed her neck.
“I ran into a rat,” Rae fumed. “They tried to steal our treats.”
She was clutching at her Cherry Coke, Milk Duds, and butter popcorn like a life raft, “Hey love, everything is fine.” I turned to the guys who backed off a little when Jake, R.J., and I showed up. “Got a problem?”
Without being obvious, I gave them a look. I knew these guys, had seen them the same day Bryce showed up at the high school and knew if they were here . . . Bryce was probably close.
Shit.
One of the guys lifted his shirt, revealing the cool black frame of a Glock, “You packin’?”
I lifted my shirt at the same time as Jake and R.J.
“Always.”
Every shirt dropped as an employee walked past the aisle to an open register.
I was losing my patience. Rae seemed afraid, “What did you say to my girl?”
One of them stepped forward, “I know who you are, man. We got no problems.” He held up his hands a little too innocently, “My apologies.”
My eyes narrowed and I ticked my head at the guy, “Where’s Bryce?”
“Gone dude,” he spat with a laugh. “Just wanted to meet this little cutie here. She sure is sweet.”
