Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(40)

“Me too,” Sam said. “Everyone should have a daddy who takes care of them.”

Emotion clogged Jenna’s throat at her son’s words. They walked back to Zach, who had filled the cart even higher. She glanced down at the panties and bras…in just her size.

She flushed slightly. “You were…thorough.”

“Is everything all right?”

She pushed Sam forward.

He scuffed his shoe on the floor. “I’m sorry, Dark Avenger, sir. I didn’t mean to be bad.”

“We all have our days, Sam. You’re due yours.”

Her son’s brow furrowed, but Zach smiled and handed him the mitt.

“I can still have it?” Sam’s eyes widened with surprise and joy.

“Every kid needs a baseball glove.”

“Did you have one?”

Jenna studied the change on Zach’s face, the flash of pain he couldn’t hide. He sighed. “I wasn’t the baseball type.”

“’Cause of your daddy being gone?” Sam asked.

Zach stared at the boy, stunned. “What do you mean?”

“The Dark Avenger didn’t have anyone to teach him to play baseball. Not a daddy anyway.”

“Right.” Zach cleared his throat. “Something like that.”

Muscles throbbed in Zach’s jaw. Jenna distracted Sam with his mitt, but kept her gaze on Zach. For only the second time, she saw him lose that glint in his eyes. Whatever his relationship with his father, Zach hurt, and missed him.

Once they were in the checkout line, though, he acted as if nothing had happened. He teased Sam and winked at her when he threw her unmentionables on the conveyer belt. Finally, the last item crossed the scanner. Zach pulled out a wad of cash.

Jenna grabbed the receipt from him and stared at the number. “Oh my goodness.” She stared up at him. “I don’t know when I can pay you back.”

“Do I look worried?”

She stuffed the receipt in her pocket. “Well, I am,” she said as they left the store.

Jenna walked beside him. He pushed the overflowing cart toward the Range Rover. Sam skipped behind them.

A fast clicking noise sounded off to the side. “Hey, Zach. Why are you hiding out in the middle of nowhere? Is that your kid?”





* * *





Chapter Eight




* * *





THE PARKING LOT was an obstacle course of cars, shoppers, and carts. A paparazzo moved in closer. The clicking spree started again. Zach rounded on the photographer. With a surprisingly quick sidestep, the guy weaved between a plethora of parked cars toward Sam, camera pointed at the boy’s face.

The guy cleared the hurdles between him and Jenna’s son. He had a clear shot. Zach lunged toward Sam just as the little guy darted his way. Zach couldn’t stop fast enough. He ran over his Junior Avenger and knocked him into the pavement.

The kid held his hand against the back of his head, tears stinging his eyes, shock on his face. One more way Zach had hurt the boy.

The photographer dove behind a vehicle, snapping pictures as if he’d won the lottery.

“Get your son in the car,” Zach growled, careful not to use their names in front of the paparazzo. He shoved Sam into Jenna’s arms, forcing himself not to think about the boy’s tearstained face.

The clicking rolled on like a machine gun.

Jenna snagged her son, flung open the car’s door, and pushed him inside. Zach could hardly stand the fearful expression on the boy’s face.

Zach pivoted toward the man now hiding behind a Jeep, snapping pictures of all of them. With one smooth move, he slid across the trunk and swiped his leg along the photographer’s lower body. The man hurled into the hot asphalt. His camera skidded out of his hands. Zach scooped up the equipment and popped the SD card from its slot.

“You can’t do that!” the paparazzo screamed.

“I just did,” Zach said. “Now get out of here before I knock you out for invading my privacy.”

“You’re public property. Don’t complain about getting what you wanted.”

Jenna and Sam hadn’t signed up to be on display, though.

“I object now.” Zach tossed the camera across the parking lot, and it shattered into pieces. He let some bills fly at the man. “Clear out of here before I really get pissed.”

The man ran to his broken equipment. “You’ll pay for this,” he shouted.

“Not if you don’t find me.” Zach glanced past Jenna into the Range Rover. Sam’s eyes remained wide and terrified. Zach let out a slow rush of air. “Is he all right?”

Jenna flung open the door and Sam threw himself at his mother. She hugged him close. He whimpered when she explored the back of his head. “A bump,” Jenna said, her voice soothing, “but you’re tough, aren’t you, baby.”

Sam nodded and gave her a tremulous smile. She kissed his cheek, then turned.

Zach winced at the accusation in her eyes.

She closed the door on her son. “I promised him a movie while we pack. He’s a little freaked out. So am I. That guy took our picture. What if Brad—”

Zach raised the SD card. “I got the pictures.”

She kneaded the muscles at the base of her neck and met his gaze. “We can’t stay here, Zach. Not with you.”