Gathering her dark hair into a messy knot atop her head, she slipped into a pair of loose cotton pajama bottoms and her fluffy winter slippers, then shuffled into the bathroom to brush her teeth and run a wet washcloth over her face. She groaned at her haggard reflection. It would take a hell of a lot more than toothpaste and cold water to fix the dark circles under her eyes and the sleep-deprived sag of her cheeks.
Maybe she could persuade Riley that their day of fun together should begin with a good, long nap. Yeah, not likely. His energy was about as tireless as his sharp little mind.
On a resigned sigh, she snatched a thick pink terry bathrobe from its hook near the door and pulled it around her as she headed downstairs to get her nephew’s morning started with some breakfast and her own with a giant mug of strong coffee.
A tiny race car and a scattered handful of plastic action figures lay on the rug at the bottom of the staircase, evidence of an unfortunate traffic incident and a nonstop child’s short attention span.
In the kitchen, she heard her nephew talking in between slurps and crunching while his spoon clicked against a hard plastic bowl. “Fred doesn’t like cereal ‘cause the milk gets warm too quick. Sometimes, Aunt Leni lets me put honey in my bowl when I share with him. Then he eats it all up, ‘cause honey’s his favorite thing ever.”
Fred being his cherished stuffed bear, who had recently informed Riley—and by extension, Leni—that he was too grown up to be called Freddy Bear anymore. Leni stooped to pick up the mess at the bottom of the stairs, smiling in spite of herself. She wondered which imaginary friend had decided to join them for breakfast today. Would it be Tyler the invisible T-Rex, or someone new?
With the collection of toys gathered in her hands, she headed for the kitchen, trying to look serious.
“Riley, what did I tell you the other day about leaving toys where someone might step—”
She stopped short, her words drying up as her gaze collided with Knox’s stormy blue eyes. He stood there as if he belonged, leaning casually against the sink across from her nephew who was seated at the small breakfast table, hunched over his cereal bowl.
Riley gave her a sheepish look. “I’m sorry, Aunt Leni. I forgot.”
“It’s um, it’s okay, sweetie.” She glanced away from him to stare incredulously at the Breed male in her kitchen. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s my new friend, Knox,” Riley said. His blond head tilted in question. “You mean, you can see him too, Aunt Leni?”
“Yes, I can see him,” she said, trying to keep the confusion—and the disapproval—out of her voice. “How long have you been here inside my house? And how did you get in? I locked all the doors and windows after you left last night, just like you told me to do.”
One dark brow arched in response. Of course, locks would be no use against him, against one of his kind. That probably should have given her more pause than it did.
At the moment, all she felt was surprise . . . and an annoying prickle of awareness as her eyes drank in his broad chest and shoulders under his dark shirt and the massive arms that were crossed casually under his pecs.
If Riley had seemed the least bit nervous around him or afraid, Leni would have already shown Knox to the door. But he seemed perfectly at ease, munching away on his cereal as if he and the immense Breed male were fast friends. Typical for her nephew. The boy had an uncanny openness, a trusting innocence, that Leni would do anything to preserve.
Railing in front of him at Knox for barging into their home might make her feel good, but it would only upset Riley.
She gave Knox a look she hoped would convey her feelings as she set her armful of toys on the table. An open box full of tools and bagged hardware supplies sat there too, dusty and faded with age. Leni recognized it immediately, and her chest squeezed at the reminder.
“What are you doing with these things?”
Knox took a step toward her. “I found them in the garage out back last night.”
“I know where you found them. I asked what you think you’re doing with them.”
“I’m going to install them for you. A box of new deadbolts and window locks isn’t doing anyone any good packed away in storage.”
His deep voice was level and calm, no doubt for Riley’s benefit, but she heard the gravity in his tone. She couldn’t miss the sober warning in his eyes.
Something happened after he left her last night.
Something involving the Parrishes.
A chill seeped into her veins as she held his grim stare.
Riley abandoned his empty cereal bowl, getting up on his knees in his chair to try to peek into the grit-coated box. “What is all that stuff?”
“Just some things from the hardware store,” Leni replied.
Shannon had purchased all of the tools and new locks only a few days before she disappeared. Leni hadn’t discovered the stash until afterward. By then she didn’t see the point of having it installed. She didn’t think new locks would prevent the Parrishes from coming after what they wanted.
There was only one thing that would do that. And as Knox had said last night, if she meant to go up against one of the Parrishes, she had better be prepared to fight them all.
