He turns to me and gives me a hard look. “You’ll be fine. I meant what I said about that oath. I’ll see you at dinner.”
My heart’s racing and my breathing picks up as anxiety floods my system. I don’t even know him but I desperately want him to stay. I watch him leave the room and then slowly turn back to the two men who are studying every inch of me.
Chloe turns shining eyes up to me and asks in her sweet voice, “Is this our new home, Mommy?”
I send darting glances at the two men who tower over us and manage a small nod.
“I guess it is, baby.”
Ryker
What the hell? The woman and child I haven’t been able to stop thinking about are standing in my kitchen. The little girl, Chloe, is all over Kanga with pets, hugs, and happy giggles and it tugs at my lips to see his tail helicoptering in glee. The mother, Avery, reminds me of a small timid mouse staring up at two hungry lions waiting to devour her.
For me, it’s the opposite. I want to wrap my arms around this small scared woman and promise to keep her safe from anything that could hurt her again and that’s what’s been pissing me off since I met her on the beach. As soon as her glasses dropped from her head and she hit me with those big, scared purple eyes of hers, my protective instincts kicked in and I was lost. I wanted to hunt down the fucker that put those bruises on her face and tear him limb from limb. My eyes track down to the tiny human at my feet and zero in on the bulky cast on her arm. I can only assume that whoever abused this woman did the breaking of her daughter’s bones as well and it makes so much rage boil up in me that a low growl slips out.
The noise causes the woman, Avery, to step back with a pale face but it also has the girl, Chloe swinging her head up to look at me with a giggle and smile.
Her voice is as sweet as spun sugar when she says, “Was your mommy a bear? Is that why you’re so big and growly?”
Zack barks out a laugh and then said in a deadpan tone, “Yes. We also think his father was a Sasquatch. His language skills are still being deciphered by scientists so don’t let all his grunting, growling, and long, drawn-out grumbles scare you off. You’ll learn what each one means eventually.” He holds out a hand to Avery with a grin. “Welcome, we are thrilled to have you here. We need you desperately!”
She reaches out a trembling hand to shake his making me frown even more.
“I, um, what, where should we go?” She asks in a timid voice.
He’s all charm and smiles as he gestures with a hand further into the house.
“Why don’t I show you the rooms in the west wing and you can pick out the ones that will best suit you and Chloe? After that, we can bring in your bags and leave you to get settled. Whenever you’re ready, we can give you a tour of the place. Sound good?”
Her eyes slide my way, dip down to my chest and then slide away just as quickly. I had been working out when East called us in on the intercom and now I’m worried that my size and tattoos on full display are scaring her so I grunt Zack’s way and duck into the laundry room to pull the cleanest shirt I can find from the piles to be washed. I make a note to run a few loads after and go back out to join them. I should just let Zack show her around but I’m intrigued by this little wounded pair. As I follow behind them all to the west wing my frown deepens as I try and examine what about them has caught my interest so hard.
I don’t like most people except for East and Zack. I mostly tolerate our clients and the men I train to work for them. I watch as Chloe keeps one hand on Kanga’s back as we walk down the hall and almost growl again when I catch sight of her cast. Maybe it’s because I miss being out in the theatre of war. Not the war part of it but the working toward protecting people and making their lives better. I don’t know Avery and Chloe’s story but from the little amount of time I’ve had with them, they seem to need a little bit of that.
“These are all single rooms but I think the suite at the end would be the best fit for you guys. It’s just ahead at the end of the hall.” Zack tells them and then falls back to walk next to me and starts miming at me. He points at his eye and lip with such anger radiating off of him and then makes a fist and mouths, “find the fucker and kill him.”
I nod in full agreement just as Avery glances back. Zack’s expression morphs from savage to charming so fast that I almost lose my balance from whiplash.
“Go ahead, open the door! This is yours now.” He calls out to her.
When she turns back to usher Chloe and the dog through the door, Zack hits me with another loaded look filled with promise and then we follow them inside.
“So, this is a living space you can use to relax, watch TV, that kind of thing. There’s a small but fully functioning kitchen tucked away behind that wall over there.” He points out, past the couch and love seat squared up to face the large television surrounded by bookshelves against one wall. “There’s a small dining nook over here that looks out on the gardens. Well, on snow right now but there’s gardens under all that white in the spring, summer, and fall. And then there are two bedrooms on either side, both with private washrooms. Only one of the bedrooms has a door leading back to the hallway so you might want to take that one for yourself.” He tells her, nodding in Chloe’s direction, who has curled up on the couch with Kanga’s head in her lap.
The beast has rolled on his back with all four paws in the air to give her better access to rub his belly. I cock my head at the fool dog but when he rolls his head my way and lets his tongue loll out to one side and hits me with big pleading eyes like he’s asking if we can keep the tiny human, a corner of my lips twitch into a smile and I nod in agreement.
“This is way more space than we need. It’s beautiful but surely there’s something smaller, more appropriate for a staff member?” She asks in a small voice bringing my attention back to her.
“No. This is perfect for you both.” I tell her gruffly. My rooms are on the other side of these and I like the idea of them being so close. I flatten my lips when she flinches back from my tone but Zack slides right in to soothe.
“Honestly, we have way more rooms than people and East said to put you here so…it’s yours.”
She looks around the room with wide eyes and I spot a fresh sheen of tears start to fill them and that makes my stomach flip so I bark out, “Keys! Uh, if you give us your keys, we’ll haul in all your bags so you can settle in.”
She twists her fingers against each other and drags in a shuddering breath.
“It’s…it’s not locked. The car, I mean, the car isn’t locked.”
I nod abruptly, turn and flee from possible tears. I can face down a suicidal Al-Qaeda jihadist without breaking a sweat but a beautiful woman’s tears? No fucking way!
