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Chapter Forty-eight
“What do you mean, but? We have no choice. I won’t put her in danger. Jesus, Blake, she’s just a kid.”
“Don’t you think I know that? I love her too, Charli. She’s a sweetheart and nothing is going to happen to her, I swear. We’ve made plans.”
“Plans? I’m not sure I’m going to like this.”
“Prowler has talked to my superiors, and they’ve agreed that we need to stop that maniac here and now. As you’ve been told, no one has ever been able to get close to him. Christ, they’ve never had any real leads… until this situation.”
“They want to use her as bait? Is that what you’re telling me? I won’t be a part of that, Blake. Not for her. Besides, that would bring danger to everyone in this house. The man is resourceful, committed and kills indiscriminately. We not only have Kayla to protect, but Angie and my grandfather.”
“That’s why we’ve come up with a plan to secret you all away from the house without anyone knowing.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“We have jobs to do, Charli. Those kids, and John, need you. They trust you. I’ll have my men, and we’ll stage a set-up to lure him inside, and then we’ll nab the son of a bitch.”
“Is that before or after he puts a slug dead-center in your forehead too?” She stomped out of the room in search of her girls and her gramps, fury riding her hard. Before she stepped into the group around the kitchen island, she took a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders, and drew her curly hair up higher on her head, digging the combs into her scalp on purpose.
As soon as she showed herself, the laughter stopped, the girls circled the old man and the three stood as if awaiting their sentence.
“Really? It’s you three against the big bad ogre now? So, I’m sorry already. I acted like an ass yesterday. My excuse could be massive PMS, except it isn’t.”
Her grin accompanying the comment made all three relax and smile.
“You,” she pointed at Angie, “you scared the crap out of me, little girl, taking such dangerous chances with your safety.” She held up her hand to stop Angie’s retort. “Don’t. I know what you’re going to say, and you’re wrong. Even if my goofy gramps hadn’t been with you, I’d have still felt like my world was ending when I saw you put yourself in front of that maniac. Hell, kiddo, I don’t know how it happened, but the truth is this. You matter to me. Bigtime matter! I meant it when I said we’d be together from now on, so get used to it.”
Charli watched the metamorphosis taking place, hardness dissolving into hope. The girl believed her. Then Charli saw her grandfather slip his hand into Angie’s and squeeze.
Good.
Next, she swung to Kayla and spoke with conviction. “You’ve gone way past being my job. You’re mine now too. You have to know that. Right?” She waited for Kayla’s smiling nod, and she smiled in return, their eyes holding long enough for the message to be sent and received.
Then she attacked the old man wearing the goofy grin. “And you, Popsicle, you will be doing penance for a long time until I forgive you for taking chances with my precious grandfather.”
John moved closer, chuckling and playing along. Since she’d just used his own words back on him, he knew what to expect. “So, kiddo, what’s my punishment?”
“A big hug, and if you throw in a kiss, it’ll be a start.”
***
Blake arrived just as she had called out Angie, and standing in the background, he waited before interrupting the family scene. It struck him forcibly between the eyes. If he wanted Charli, she wouldn’t come to him unencumbered. He’d be taking on a rather large family.
After she had her say and was enclosed by all three in a laughing group hug, he waited to step forward for his share.
Searching his conscience, he looked hard at just how these latest circumstances made him feel. Other than he couldn’t wipe the dumb grin off his mug, or block the glow in his heart; for the first time in his life, he sensed he belonged to a loving family. He swallowed the sob, blinked rapidly and joined in.
