Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(35)

I let him help me take it out of gear and put on the brake as we parallel parked on the street, and I told them to wait as I jumped out and headed around to the passenger side that butted the sidewalk.

By the time I was helping them out, Rex and Kale were already approaching, little Ryland taking a ride on his daddy’s shoulders.

“You finally made it,” I tossed out wryly.

“Whatever. I can walk faster than that old truck,” Rex badgered.

Frankie hopped out and bounced over to him. “That was so much fun!”

Rex shook his head. “Why doesn’t she go on about my truck?”

Frankie Leigh’s mouth twisted with distaste. “Daddy, your truck is a work truck and stinky and dirty. Look how pretty Uncle Ollie’s is.”

She waved her hand out like she was one of those The Price is Right models.

Rex latched on to that real quick. “Ah . . . it is pretty, isn’t it? Just like Uncle Ollie. Pretty Boy,” he taunted.

If his kid hadn’t been standing there nodding and agreeing like it was the truest thing he’d ever said, I would have given him a finger.

Pretty Boy, my ass.

“Come on, you two.” I stretched out my hands for Evan and Frankie. “I promised you ice cream, let’s get you some ice cream.”

“Yay!” Frankie yelled, skipping along at my side.

Evan and Frankie went right for the display, pushing up onto their toes so they could see the different flavors displayed behind the glass.

They ordered sundaes, and Rex ordered a cone for Ryland. We found a place in the corner where the kids dug right in.

Conversation easy, Rex, Ollie, and I chatted, catching up since we didn’t get to chill like this nearly enough anymore.

I froze when I felt the hairs at the base of my neck lift. A prickle of awareness. Not in fear.

Or hell.

Maybe that was exactly what it was.

Fear.

Because the weight of her presence was beginning to become terrifying. Affecting me more and more.

I slowly shifted in the hard booth so I could glance over my shoulder, wondering if my mind was just making shit up.

But no.

She was there.

Nikki.

Honeyed locks cascading down her back in a wild, erratic stream. Not curly in the least, but still all over the place.

Her back was to me, but she was sitting at a table sharing ice cream with this young girl who couldn’t be more than seventeen or eighteen. At the girl’s side, covered in chocolate ice cream, was a little boy who probably wasn’t much older than Ryland.

Shoveling the ice cream in like he’d just discovered the Holy Grail.

By the look on his face, he had.

That wasn’t what had my insides curling with a crazy sort of worry. Wasn’t what had disquiet sinking slow and sure in to that vat at the bowels of my spirit where all the bad shit lived.

Compounding and sharpening.

It was the way the girl’s expression held nothing but beaten-down fear.

Debased and degraded and disparaged.

Like she couldn’t take a single thing more or she would crack.

Nikki held her hand in the middle of the table, her head dropped low and tipped to the side. Even though she was facing away from me, I could tell just by her posture that she was speaking to her.

Her words low but fast.

Desperate encouragement.

Awareness seeped through me like a parched desert sucking up a summer rain.

The suspicion that whatever was going on with Nikki had everything to do with this girl.

With that little kid.

Like my spirit just got that Nikki was desperate to stand up and protect both of them the way I would protect her.

Fully.

Wholly.

Without question or fear or any consideration to the consequence.

Because that’s what it came down to.

I wanted to protect Nikki. Keep her safe. Not because I wanted a second chance at saving someone.

But because it was the only thing I had left to offer.

An eye and an ear and a ruthless heart that wouldn’t think twice about striking down anyone who thought to fuck with her.

And whatever was happening at that table?

That unease climbed my spirit. Clawed and expanded.

Fury flamed. Licks of agitation. Stirs of anxiety.

“Uncle Ollie, Uncle Ollie!” Frankie tugged at my shirt. “Isn’t that right?”

Damn it. I didn’t have a clue what she’d even said.

“That’s right, sweetheart,” I mumbled under my breath.

Rex cocked a brow. Gave me a look that said really?

Who knew what I’d agreed to. Probably had told her the world was made of cotton candy. For her? I’d give anything to make that statement true. Sunshine and rainbows and everything sweet.

I rocked in the hard booth, rubbed my fingertips over my lips, trying to sit still.

Nope.

Couldn’t do it.

“Give me a minute,” I told the guys.

No one really even responded when I pushed out of the booth and stalked across the small parlor.

Coming to a stop at the edge of their table, I glowered, hands in fists as I stared at Nikki, who still clutched the girl’s hand as she frantically whispered something to her.

My guts that were screaming cried out.

Nikki, what are you doing? What exactly have you gotten yourself into?