“I see,” he said, sounding serious. “I will accept his good intentions then.”
Jenna’s teeth dented her lower lip, her eyes alight with a mirth I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Linda looked up at Connor. “Does this mean you’re my uncle now?”
Jenna’s expression softened, her teasing fading as she smoothed Linda’s hair away from her face.
I sometimes forgot because of how good a mom Jenna was that Linda didn’t have a lot of positive male role models in her life. As a result, she tended to glom onto any man who came into her orbit.
It was one of the reasons Jenna had hesitated to introduce any of the men she’d dated to Linda. She didn’t want Linda getting attached only for the relationship to end.
It showed how much Connor’s actions had won Jenna’s approval if she wasn’t trying to head Linda off at the pass.
A warm feeling filled my center. It was kind of nice watching two important people in my life get along.
Connor gave Linda’s question serious thought. “I suppose that wouldn’t be wrong.”
I shook my head in amused resignation before herding the other three toward the exit. My dad would follow when he finished paying the bill.
Linda and Jenna were giggling together as Connor and I brought up the rear.
Their abrupt stop a second later caused me to nearly bump into their backs. It took several quick side shuffles to avoid running them over.
Only after that did I understand the reason for their sudden caution.
A black Escalade was parked in the no parking zone directly in front of the restaurant. By itself, that wouldn’t be alarming. It was the man leaning against its side like a grim specter of death that was the problem.
Dressed all in black and looking about as approachable as an assassin, he was obviously waiting for us.
“What are you doing here, Nathan?” I asked with a scowl.
An enforcer for the Master of the City, Nathan possessed an easy charisma that many found disarming. They never saw what lay beyond that deceptive charm.
As flirtatious as he seemed, Nathan was a stone-cold killer. A psycho, just like the rest of them. Even if he hid it better.
It was what made him so good at what he did; no one ever saw him coming.
His gaze sharpened as he pushed off the SUV and stalked toward me. Jenna pulled Linda behind her as he caught my chin and tilted it upward for a better look.
“What happened to you?”
I slapped his hand off my face. Nathan let me.
“Nothing.”
He set his hands on his hips, looking angry. “You had a bloody nose.”
I covered my face, feeling self-conscious. I thought I’d gotten all the blood off before we left the restaurant. Though I guess not well enough to fool a vampire.
“I’ll tell you about it later,” I said, waving away his concern. This wasn’t the place to get into it. Not with my sister and niece standing a few feet away.
Nathan let me dodge the question. For now, anyways. His steady gaze made it clear that wouldn’t last, though.
“Are you going to answer my earlier question?” I asked, changing the subject.
“To pick you up, of course. Did you forget what day it was?”
I searched my memory. Would it be bad if I said yes?
