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“Then that’s where we’re going,” Lex stated. “Summer and I can go check out his place. Do some recon. Talk to some neighbors. We’ll let you guys know what we find out.”

“Roger that,” Brand replied. “If you run into any trouble, call us.”

“What about Flossie?” Summer asked, still stroking the sleeping Pom.

“We can watch her,” Julia offered brightly. “Right, Brand?”

“Sure. We’ve petsat Sera’s cat. They’re practically the same size. Sorry, Cor, we’re never watching Storm.”

“Storm?” Summer echoed.

“Corey’s wolf,” Lex said, and Summer’s brows shot up.

“You should see Loki and Storm,” Sera gushed. “When we left, they were curled up together, sleeping.”

Corey grinned. “They’re best friends.”

“That’s amazing,” Summer said. “I’ve always loved animals and had a soft spot for the less fortunate ones. The sick ones who needed care. People, too. I think that’s why I became a nurse.”

“A nurse? That’s fantastic,” Ellie said.

“Maybe it helps explain why I was originally attracted to Scott,” she murmured thoughtfully. “He was a hot mess who needed saving. Apparently, he still does.”

Lottie leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You’re not alone. My ex-boyfriend got in a lot of trouble, too. But if it wasn’t for all the crap he dragged me into, and Chaz stepping up to help me and my daughter, I’m not sure we would’ve ever gotten together. Even though he always liked me.” She sent her husband a flirty wink.

“Always, Sunshine,” he returned in a gruff voice, arm draping possessively over her slim shoulders.

Lottie quickly filled Summer in on the abridged version of her story, and it gave Summer hope. Just like Chaz had helped Lottie, Lex was now doing the same for her, and she couldn’t be more grateful. Maybe if she were as lucky as them, she, too, would wind up in a relationship—with a man who looked at her like Chaz looked at Lottie. Like Corey looked at Sera, Brand at Julia, Wes at Ellie, Jayson at Sabrina and Xander at Essie.

If fortune shined on her like it had on all of them, Summer would be the happiest woman in the world.

Chapter eleven

Once they finished up at Old Glory, Lex drove Summer back to her place. They needed to check in, make sure everything was okay, and securely lock up while they were out of town. They’d run away so fast, he couldn’t even be sure the doors were closed, and he wanted to double check for any damage the thugs might’ve caused. He also knew she needed some fresh clothes and toiletries for Vegas. Maybe having some of her own belongings rather than buying all new would help her feel a bit better.

As they pulled into her driveway, he glanced over. Without Flossie to cling to, Summer looked more on edge. He wasn’t sure if it was because she was worried about leaving the fluffball behind, because they were back at the scene of the crime, or concern over what came next.

Lex put the car in park, killed the engine, and turned to face her. “Brand and Julia will take good care of Flossie,” he assured her, searching her worried brown sugar eyes. “And I’m going to take good care of you.”

She stared at him, then blinked—once, twice—as though he were an illusion that might disappear. “Thank you, Lex,” she murmured softly. “I’m not sure what I’d do without you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.” He gave her hand a quick squeeze, then nodded toward the house. “Let’s get your stuff, lock up and head to the airport.”

Since he already had a go-bag stashed in the Yukon, there was no need to return to his place. Even though he was fairly sure the house would be empty, he did a quick sweep anyway. Once he was certain it was secure, Summer ran up to pack while he waited, keeping an eye on things outside in case anyone had been watching the house for her return. It didn’t take her long, and they were back on the road quicker than he’d anticipated.

They were both quiet on the drive to his Spitfire, and he couldn’t help but wonder how someone as amazing as Summer had gotten involved with a loser like her ex.

And why was she still using his last name? Even though it was none of his business, he wanted to know why she hadn’t gone back to her maiden name. It bothered the fuck out of him. Made him wonder if she truly was over Scott fucking Holt.

Burying his annoyance and shelving that particular discussion for later, he focused on getting to the airport as quickly as possible. Once they arrived, he grabbed both their bags, helped her inside the plane and prepared for their departure. After his pre-flight check, he climbed in, secured the door, and sat down in the pilot’s seat.

Every time he sat his ass in that seat, he was home. Flying comforted him like nothing else. Maybe because it was the one thing he knew how to do better than anything else. It had become as natural to him as breathing. And as necessary.

Summer sat next to him in the co-pilot chair, and he reached over and tugged on her harness, making sure it was secure.

“We’ll be there in a couple of hours,” he told her, and she nodded, watching closely as he did his flight controls check, also known as wiping out. Despite the fact he could fly anything with wings, he followed procedures to the letter, dutifully going down his checklist and physically marking off each step with an old pencil he kept tucked in his seat’s side pocket. After wiping out the controls, they were set.

Takeoff went seamlessly and clear blue skies guided them all the way to Vegas. After an equally uneventful landing, Lex rented an SUV while Summer called ahead to book them a room—only one room, he’d noticed—at the Avernus. Lex had never stayed there, but its reputation preceded it. The hotel was renowned for its class and elegance.