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“Oh, thank God.” She began to kiss my cheek gratefully, only to pause and pull back enough to send me a curious blink. “You didn’t flinch from me today. You reallyarehealing.”
I smiled and nodded, then let her lead me to the chairs, where they had a round table of sorts set up, though it was more of a rectangle made from about a dozen tables. She seated me between her and Dad, and he immediately glanced over and smiled warmly, reaching for my hand and squeezing it as soon as I was beside him.
“I think Noel’s suggestion has merit,” Trick spoke up. “I mean, we’ve all driven by his house at least once already, am I right?” He lifted his brows and glanced around the room before settling his gaze on Dad. “Hmm?”
Next to me, Dad huffed out an exaggerated sound. “Fine. Okay, I drove by on the way here. And he was just getting home from somewhere; he was carrying a couple of grocery sacks inside.”
“See.” Trick motioned his way. “So what’s the problem with working out a schedule, since we’re all going to check on him anyway? This way, we won’t overlap with anyone else, and we can keep a better eye on him.”
“I’ll take the first watch,” Beau volunteered, lifting his hand. “That little prick’s not getting near my sister or niece again.”
“And I really don’t think I’m a target,” Lucy spoke up from beside Vaughn. “I was just in his way that night. Chloe’s the one we should be worrying about the most.”
“Which brings us to the topic of protection,” Julian spoke up. “We need to work out another schedule for who’s going to stay with whom because I don’t want either of these ladies left alone while he’s free.”
“I say we just blow the bastard’s house up with a little C-4,” Teagan’s dad spoke up and spread his arms. “Problem solved.”
Meanwhile, from the entrance of the room, Luke silently entered and found his dad and brother not far away, standing on the outer fringes of the conversation, not joining in the discussion but ready to do their part once the decision was made.
As he settled his back against the wall next to JB, JB leaned over and started whispering to him, probably catching him up to speed. Luke tipped his face closer to his brother’s to listen, even as his gaze shifted around the room until he found me.
As soon as we made eye contact, he paused and lifted his eyebrows briefly in greeting. And then he just kept looking at me, his stare glittering with a possessive kind of warmth as if to say,yeah, I know what your panties smell like right now.
Speaking of which, my panties grew a little damp under his heated gaze.
I shifted in my chair and forced my attention back to the conversation as Teagan said, “Don’t be ridiculous, Dad. Really. Where are we going to find any freaking C-4? We should just make one of those homemade bomb things. They show you how to do that shit online.”
“We’re not blowing anyone up,” Dad stated firmly. “We’re not breaking the law at all.”
“Except the fact of the matter is,” Bella’s mom said. “That this guy wasn’t afraid to breakhisrestraining order. He has no qualms about hurting women. Or children. No law or moral code has kept him from attacking already, and he didn’t reach his main objective the first time. So speaking from experience, I say… He’s not going to stop.”
I shuddered, remembering the look in Dax’s eyes as he sprayed me down with that hose. No, he hadn’t accomplished what he’d set out to do that night. And it made me feel suddenly sick because…
“He’s going to try to get to Chloe again.”
I pushed my seat back as if I was going to stand, but all I did was set a shaking hand on my knee and press the back of my other hand to my mouth, trying not to fall apart on the spot.
“Chloe?” Mom said, reaching for me, but I flinched away from her, shaking my head.
A few chairs down, Skylar stood up and passed her daughter to her husband, Dominic, before hurrying to me. “How about we go into the bar and find you a drink? You don’t need to listen to this.”
“No!” I cried, lifting my voice a little too high. “I will not leave you all to decide this for me. It’smyproblem. I brought that man into our lives, and I already got Lucy hurt and Ava Grace damn near killed. No one else gets hurt because of me.” My chin trembled and I jabbed my finger toward the floor. “No one.”
The room was quiet for a moment, making sure I was done saying my piece, and then it exploded with ideas, everyone saying what they thought needed to get done. I threw up my hands, completely exasperated.
“Hello?” I called, unable to be heard above the commotion. “Did anyone evenlistento me?”
“We all listened, Chloe Girl,” Dad assured, patting my hand. “But it’s too late. Everyone in this room loves you and is already invested. We’re willing to take on any risk to keep you safe, just asyouwould if it were Skylar or Nia or your mother, or anyone else in this room. Wouldn’t you?”
I made a face because he was right. If it were anyone else in my position, I wouldn’t care about my own safety; I’d want to do my part to keep my loved ones safe.
“Baby, please, let Skylar take you out of here for some fresh air,” my mom begged. “We’re going to come up with a plan to help no matter how much you protest.”
I sighed and rubbed my forehead before mumbling, “Okay. Fine.”
As soon as I pushed to my feet, my sister was there, taking my hand and squeezing it. She led me toward the door, where Luke was still leaning against the wall with his family. We made eye contact again, and he winked at me before reaching out to run the backs of his fingers along my arm as I passed by him.
Just as I stepped through the doorway, my dad called, “Luke. You haven’t said anything yet. What do you suggest?”
