I stood to my feet. “She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved. The only woman who has ever seen me for me. We were together for a while. The longest I’ve ever been with a woman. And I fucked her over, big time. She might not love me anymore, but the absolute least I owe her is protection after abandoning her during my deployment days.”
Stone searched my eyes before he nodded. “Let’s get it done, then. West?”
“Yep?
He looked over at the only guy who knew the full story between me and Lexi. “Do your thing. I want to know every move the cartel makes in that area. I want to know if they’re stalking out that hospital, I want to know where this Lexi lives, and I want to know if she’s got anyone in her familial circle that will become targets simply because they live together.”
West nodded. “On it.”
Then, Stone walked over to me. “And in the meantime, you and I can go back to the hospital to make sure Lexi’s all right. I think it’ll do you some good to see her on a fresh day without the cartel hovering about.”
I puffed my cheeks out with a sigh. “Yes, good. I think that’s a great idea.”
And as church finally wrapped up, I had a feeling things were about to get worse for everyone involved.
Including Lexi, who didn’t deserve any of this shit in the first place.
Six
Lexi
After getting home from a balls-to-the-wall first shift at work, I couldn’t sleep. I dumped to Chloe and cried until I couldn't breathe, and that ran me until my alarm went off to get Natty up for school. She needed to get dressed and eat. She needed to double-check her backpack to make sure she had everything for her little presentation in class.
So, I made some coffee, chugged it back, and got back to work.
“Morning, Mommy,” Natty said groggily as she wobbled out of her room.
I smiled. “Morning, honey. You ready for school today?”
She rubbed her eyes. “Is there anything to eat?”
I slid a plate of peanut butter toast in her direction. “Yes, there is.”
She pulled it toward her. “Milk, please?”
I reached for the glass I had already poured and handed it to her. “There you go, honey.”
She yawned. “We got our science field trip today, remember?”
I paused. “I thought you were doing your presentation today.”
She giggled. “No, silly. We’re going to the zoo!”
“I’m so sorry for forgetting, honey. You took your permission slip to school, right?”
She nodded. “And the money for the trip. I’m all set.”
“Good, good. Do you need me to pack you a lunch?”
She took a big bite of peanut butter toast. “They’ll have bagged lunches there.”
“Wonderful. Okay. So, are you excited to see any specific animal?”
That set off a tirade of peanut-butter-muddled words, and the only thing I deduced were “puffins,” “elephants,” and “ice cream.” I smiled as I listened, pouring myself another cup of coffee just to keep myself awake long enough to drive her to school.
Usually, I’d put her on the bus. But, this morning? I wanted to take her myself.
“Mom?”
