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Chapter Twenty-four
The two walked out of the house, and on the porch, Charli felt a hand slip into hers, a smaller, softer, shaking hand. “Thank you.” She heard the tears and stopped to turn, to hug. She withdrew a tissue from her pocket and wiped the girl’s face.
“You are so welcome, little girl. You’re mine now, and I’ll never let anything bad happen to you again, you got that? Never. From now on you and me, we’re a team.”
“And Kayla?”
“Of course.”
Kayla!
Charli started toward the car, and her heart stopped. The vehicle sat empty. Kayla was gone. Shit, shit…To be sure, she ran forward and searched inside.
Oh no!Fuck!
Suddenly, when she thought her legs would give out, when the stress she’d controlled during the battle started to creep out of hiding and take over, she heard Angie say, “Kayla, where were you?”
Kayla?
Charli turned and took a long overdue breath. Suddenly angry, a reaction to her fear, she stomped over to Kayla and demanded, “Yeah. Where were you? I specifically warned you to stay in the car, and when I give you an order, girl, you follow it.” Harsh words spit out in a voice that meant them, she hovered over the two younger girls now hugging.
Kayla didn’t cower or appear intimidated. “Like you’d stay in the car if you heard the screams I heard. I had your weapon, not you. How did I know it wasn’t you screaming? How could I stay safe if you needed me?”
Hearing the truth ringing throughout Kayla’s words, she backed off and nodded, understanding that the girl had broken orders thinking to protect her. How in the hell could she stay mad at Kayla for doing exactly what she would have done in the same situation?
Before she could apologize, an approaching siren broke the silence, and she questioned Kayla with her stunned glare. “You didn’t…”
“I had to. I thought it was you screaming in pain or maybe Angie. It sounded like a war zone. What would you have had me do? Twiddle my thumbs, ho-hum, and ignore everything? Get real.”
“Yeah, okay. But I’m calling him off, and then we need to go home and set some new rules.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
As they battled, Angie’s head bobbed from Kayla to Charli and back again. Astonished glee that hadn’t faded, transformed her back to a fourteen-year-old for the first time. Hugging her teddy bear added to that impression.
Kayla stepped to meet Blake, who’d arrived just as she knew he would… since it was his number she’d called. The weight of the weapon, hanging from her hand, reminded her she still clutched it. She shoved it toward Charli who quickly hid it in the back waistband of her dark pants.
The SUV skidded to a stop in the middle of the road, gravel flying, and Blake erupted like he’d been shot from a cannon. “What’s up, Kayla?” As soon as he saw the three girls safe and together, his demeanor changed from a rescuing cop under a great deal of pressure to a man unsure of his welcome. “You sounded terrified, said Charli was in trouble.” Charli saw his eyes moving, taking in everything at once, the way he’d been trained.
“Yeah, I panicked. Charli and Angie are fine. Right?” She turned to face the other two.
Both nodded, and to be sure, Charli spoke to her new responsibility. “You okay, kiddo?”
Angie’s beatific smile broke out, belying the tear-streaked face. “I’m perfect.” No sooner had those words left her lips than she broke. This time her wails wouldn’t be hushed until Kayla wrapped her arms around her and led her to their car. “It’s okay, Angie. Whatever happened, everything will be fine.”
Angie started babbling like a tap with a broken valve. “You should have seen her. Charli flipped that big bastard, Hank, on his ass and then kicked him in the balls, had him crying like a baby. It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. He never knew what hit him.” Angie’s loud voice, overflowing with excitement, shock and tremendous joy, ensured that Blake heard her every word.
All the time the girl rambled on; he stared at Charli until his arms swept her into a bear hug she couldn’t break loose.
“What are you…? Stop it.” She struggled but he wouldn’t let her go.
“Were you hurt? You’re shaking. I can feel it.”
“It’s just a shitty stress thing I’m dealing with,” she hissed in his ear. “The girls are watching. Seriously, back off or I won’t be responsible for what’ll happen.”
Being nobody’s fool, he stepped back and held up his hands.
“Calm down sweetheart. Right now, they’re smiling, so don’t spoil the moment. By the way, Angie is crying happy tears, I can tell. And Kayla’s squeals are filled with pure joy. You need to share. I can use some good news too.”
Blake turned to Charli who now leaned against the rented car, her arms wrapped around herself, her legs weak at the thought of the responsibility she’d just taken on. She’d been so obsessed in her need to get Angie revenge; she’d forgotten a few rather important details.
She was in a witness protection program with a fourteen-year-old girl, hiding in fear for her life.
And she’d just committed herself to another fourteen-year-old… this time forever.
Jesus help me, what the hell was I thinking?
