DONOVAN (Gray Wolf Security, #1)(71)

Panic was creeping into her voice once again. I picked up her hand and pulled it into my lap, pressing it against my thigh to try to calm her with the pressure of my touch. She wouldn’t look at me. And her chin trembled like Libby’s often did right before she began to sob. I really didn’t want her to start crying. But I was at a loss for what to do to stop it.

“What about this Sean kid? Wasn’t he at his house on Friday night?”

“They’re best friends. But I already called over there and his mom insists JT’s not there.”

“Are you sure she would know if he was?”

Penelope hesitated before she answered. “She’s a single mom who works three jobs. I think she was on her way to her nurse’s aide job when I called her.”

“So Sean’s home alone?”

She nodded as she tugged her hand from my grip and put the car into gear. We were pulling to the curb in front of a duplex moments later. She pointed to one whose windows were ablaze with light.

“That’s Sean’s house.”

“Is there anyone living on the other side?”

She shook her head. “Not right now.”

I got out of the car and went up to the front of the building, peering through the sheer curtains on the front windows. I could see two heads hunched down on a cheap couch and the violent scene of a video game playing out on the television screen. One of the heads was blond, the other dark. If I had to guess, I would have said with ninety percent certainty that the dark head was JT, but I wanted to be sure.

I pounded on the front door and watched as the two boys jumped up off the couch, the light suddenly going out even though the television still flickered, illuminating the room as one boy ran to the back of the house and the other stood uncertainly in the living room.

“I know you’re in there, JT. Come out and tell your sister you’re still alive and well.”

Still the boy in the living room hesitated. Then he turned and I watched as a whispered argument took place between the two kids. Then, slowly, the second figure returned to the living room and approached the front door.

JT yanked over the door and stared at me like he had expected someone totally different.

“Mr. James?”

“Do you know how worried your sister’s been about you?” I asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him out the door before he had a chance to turn and disappear back inside. “She’s been searching all over town for you for hours.”

The boy was respectful enough to look a little shamed. He stared at the ground for a minute before his gaze shot out past me to the car sitting at the curb. He pulled free of my touch and walked out there, falling into Penelope’s embrace where she stood waiting against the front fender.

I stayed where I was, trying to give them a little space. I could hear a few words: sorry…didn’t mean it…I understand…

I was curious what else happened between them today. I understood that JT was hurt by what the coach had done and that he would blame Penelope, especially if he knew that she was the one who notified the school. But it seemed like there was more to it. Once again, I watched them standing together, saw the deep affection that existed between them, and wondered how much damage my presence in this town was already doing to their relationship, to my son’s peace of mind.

But he was my son. Didn’t that mean anything?

Penelope looked up, relief and gratefulness so clear in her eyes that it spoke to something deep inside of me that wanted to respond in some meaningful way. What was it about that woman that was getting under my skin?

I’d kissed her. I hadn’t planned on it. She was accusing me of dark and stupid things, and I was about to tell her the truth when she tried to push me away and I grabbed her wrists and…one thing led to another and it seemed perfectly natural to kiss her. Or to force myself on her. I guess that was what I’d done. And I don’t know why. I’ve never had to force myself on a woman once in my entire life. Women flocked to me. I never wanted for a date, never had to go searching for a woman when I wanted one. I have never done what I did today. There was just something about Penelope that drove all sense out of my head.

And, right now, right as she made amends with my biological child, all I could think about was going over there and pulling her into my arms all over again.

I had to physically turn away to keep from going to her.

They came walking up to the house a minute later, their arms around each other’s waist.

“JT’s going to spend the night here since it’s already so late.”

I looked up, aware of the defiance in her eyes that was so much like the expression that radiated from JT’s eyes. I shrugged, stepping out of the way so that JT could duck back into the house.

“But if you miss any of your classes tomorrow, or sleep through one, you’re grounded,” Penelope yelled in after him.

“Yes, ma’am,” JT called back.

“We were actually on the way to bed,” Sean said, poking his head out the door from an awkward angle. “Please don’t tell my mom what time you came over?”

I almost laughed, but caught myself just in time.

“As long as you make an appearance in homeroom.”

“Yes, sir,” Sean said.

We said our goodnights and waited until we heard the front door lock and saw the television go off before we turned back to her car. Penelope leaned against the front fender again, pressing both hands to her face.