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Everyone knew it was there and also knew she would use it. She had before, although she’d never actually shot a person. She’d fired off plenty of warning shots to make them get in line.
“Put that thing away,” Ant groaned, pointing at the gun. Bug and Hover snickered, shaking their heads.
“I’ll put it away but I meant what I said, Ant. Keep them off my property.” She narrowed her eyes his way and he mumbled something under his breath about her being a pain in his ass but then turned to me.
“I can escort you to your car if you want or just take you home myself. I can pull to the alley in the back right up to the door.”
I quickly shook my head. “No, it’s fine. I’m not talking to them so the most they can do is take pictures. My face is all over everywhere anyway so a few more pictures won’t make all that much of a difference.”
He looked visibly torn but agreed and walked to the end of the bar near Bug and Hover. “I’ll just hang out for a while just in case you change your mind.”
“Thanks, Ant,” I called behind him.
I moved to the corner of the bar and ducked under it to help Del service customers. Even after the announcement that there were reporters outside, no one seemed to bat an eye. These people were like family.
They also loved their routine and their routine was tossing back shots and beers until they were good, satisfied and tipsy. Those reporters hoping to get lucky and catch a glimpse of me weren’t going to stop anyone’s routine.
“What are you doing?” Del placed her hands over mine when I reached for two glass beer mugs to fill an order.
“Working.”
“Sweetheart…”
I shook my head to stop whatever she was going to say but Del wasn’t the type to be silenced.
“Cadee. Go home to Gracie.”
“Why, because they’re out there?”
“That’s not entirely why and before you try to spin this, I don’t give a damn about them being out there. These people in here don’t give a damn either. The orders haven’t stopped.”
“No, they haven’t which is why I should stay. You’re busy.”
“And I can handle things here. Go home.”
“They’re at the house too so what difference does it make where I am? Here or there?”
“A huge difference. At least you’re there with Gracie just in case.” Her warm eyes soothed me but that didn’t stop my hands from shaking.
Never in my life had I considered myself to be weak but that feeling of not having a voice and being backed into a corner was surfacing again.
“Okay.”
I turned to leave but she caught my arm and pulled me into a hug. “Remember who you are. Those people out there don’t know but everyone in here does. We’re all that matters. We know what an amazing person and mother you are. Don’t let them make you think otherwise. It’s gonna be okay, Cadee. We figured it out five years ago, we’ll figure it out now.”
I nodded against her chest and she hugged me tighter. “Thanks, Del. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby.”
When she released me, my heart began thundering against my ribs. My pulse raced and my blood heated making me intensely aware of it pulsing through my veins.
At the same time I protectively crossed my arms over my chest, I swung my head toward the door and there he was. He paused, eyes searching…
For me.
It only took a second for those liquid brown eyes to seal on me. I needed a minute to breathe so I moved to the edge of the bar and ducked under it, pausing once I was out of sight and low to suck in a deep breath, releasing it once I was upright again.
“What are you doing here?” I breathed out a haggard breath as my eyes moved past him, scanning for something to keep me grounded.
