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“Let the record state I don’t like this,” Scarlet glares around the room.
“Neither do I,” Ashlyn argues. “But it’s my best option. So please respect it. And while you’re all at it, please fill everyone else in for me because it looks like we’re going to have two extra bodies in the box for the game tomorrow.”
“Ashlyn,” I start to argue, but she presses her lips to mine. “I’m going to your game. I’m wearing my Dixon jersey and those black heels you like, and I’m cheering on my fiancé for the very first time since you put your ring on my finger. Because that’s what I want to do. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from that stadium tomorrow. So you better not even think about arguing with me, got it?”
I snake an arm around her waist and drag her closer. “I need you safe, baby.”
“I will be.”
A voice clears behind us. “I’ll make arrangements for the suite level to be clear of anyone who isn’t ticketed this weekend.”
“Thanks, Scarlet.” I dip my head her way.
“Take care of our girl, Dix,” she tells me.
“Your girl can hear you,” Ashlyn snarks back.
“Good. Because you’re one of us, and we take care of our own. Like Sam said, that includes all three of you.” Scarlet presses a kiss to Ashlyn’s cheek and squeezes my arm. “I’m going home. I’ll see you all at the game tomorrow.”
When we both look at Sam, he sorta smiles, if you can call it that. “I’m not going anywhere until Marco and Dean get here. Got anything to eat?”
“Sure. How do eggs sound?” Ashlyn moves into the kitchen. “Scrambled or over easy?”
He shrugs. “I’d have been happy with peanut butter and jelly. But scrambled eggs sound good.”
He waits until she’s busy, then jerks his head for me to follow him out front. “Listen to me. This is personal, Dix. This guy is someone she knows. Call it a gut instinct. And I’m telling you, man, my instincts are never fucking wrong. I’ve got my guys looking into the coach. I messaged them as soon as she gave his name. We’ll start there. Did you get anywhere with her thinking of anyone else?”
“No. Everybody loves Ashlyn. There’s nothing out of the ordinary.” I look around the front yard, not sure what else there is I can do.
“Okay. We’re going to find him.”
A car drives down the street slowly, and an uncomfortable feeling washes over me. “He better pray I’m not the one who finds him first.”
“Yeah well, if that happens, you call me before the police. Understand?”
“Yeah, man. I got ya.”
* * *
Ashlyn
Lindy plops down on the couch next to me later that night and rests her head on my shoulder. “I hate this, Mom.”
“I know, sweetheart. I do too.” I run my fingers through her hair as she picks up the remote. “It won’t be for long. But for now, we’ve got to do this for our own safety.”
“I don’t understand why I can’t spend the night at the twins’ house.”
“Because you just can’t right now. School. The rink. The ballet studio. That’s it for a little bit longer, okay?” My heart pangs as I tell her that, unsure if I’m lying. We have no idea how long this is going to take. I almost feel like I brought this on myself. Life wastoogood. I wastoohappy. Then this. And now we have bodyguards and both feel like prisoners in our own home. But I remind myself it’s for her own good and mine. “You’ll get to see them tomorrow at the game. They can come down to our box.”
“But I can’t go to theirs?” She lifts her head, pouting. “What about the sidelines? Can I go down to the sidelines during pregame?”
“We’ll see, honey. It depends on what Marco says.”
“Yeah. Marco. Ugh, Mom. Seriously... he’s cute, but couldn’t Sam at least have given me a bodyguard that’s not old?”
“Madeline Corrine Kingston. He’s younger than me,” I scold, and she sighs.
“Mom. That’s still old.”
