Page 24 of Her Devoted HERO

“He wants me to have a social life, and he liked that you came to the door.”

The kid was perceptive. “When was the last time you went on a date?”

Kenna’s gaze slid away from his. She looked over at the barista.

“Kenna?”

“It’s been awhile.”

“How long?”

“A date that was make-up worthy? Too damn long. I told you this was not a good idea. You met Rosalie, you met Austin. My life is complicated with a capital ‘C.’ Then I work four tens on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.”

“So? You have a life.” Dex shrugged. He was not going to be put off no matter how many obstacles she threw in his path.

“Let’s not forget my neurosis.”

“Why haven’t you been on a make-up worthy date if you’re signed up on CaliSingles? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Dex!” the barista attendant yelled out. Dex snagged their beverages and pastries. When he got back to Kenna, he could see that she was regretting what she had shared. A wall had gone down.

Damn.

“Wanna eat on the way to the mission?” he asked.

She gave a relieved nod. Even so, she didn’t balk when he put his hand on her lower back and guided her to his jeep and opened the door for her and helped her inside. She was flustered. Flustered was good, it was better than having a wall.

He drove to Encanto. Even during the early morning hours, it was a less than welcoming area. He was glad that she was not driving in her own car.

“This place looks like it could use the two million plus another ten,” Kenna said when they pulled up to the brick building. It was surrounded by a rusted chain link fence with plenty of holes in it.

She was not wrong.

“How many people did Reverend Langley say they served in a year?”

Kenna pulled out her smart phone. “Over twelve thousand. That’s crazy. It’s so small.”

“Let’s go inside.” He liked the fact that she allowed him to guide her into the building. He was fast becoming addicted to touching her. She fit him. She came up to his shoulder. Her hair looked good down around her shoulders. Kenna had been wrong, she looked even better than her picture on the dating site.

As soon as they opened the doors to the building, Dex could hear the yelling. There was a problem.

“Get back in the jeep, and lock the doors.”

“What is it?” Kenna asked.

“Just do what I say,” he commanded.

She gave him a questioning look as he shoved the keys at her.

“Do I need to call nine-one-one?”

“Yes.”

She grabbed the keys and headed back to the jeep. Dex carefully pushed open the interior double doors. Three men were beating a fourth man, it was brutal. He saw Reverend Langley holding back a woman who was trying to wade in. He shoved the doors open and rushed in.

“Do something. Somebody help!” she screamed.

There were at least thirty people standing around, nobody was doing anything.