Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(36)

Reckless girl.

Because the girl across from her, who was little more than a child, all out shook when she jerked her attention my way and saw me standing there.

Fear.

So much fear.

I recognized it, written all over her.

When Nikki followed the girl’s attention and her eyes landed on me, it was horror I saw all over that perfect face. “Ollie,” she whispered through her shock.

Those indigo eyes went round, and her teeth clamped down on her lower lip. Behind her, the sun streaked through the window, glowing around her head, circling her like one of those rainbows I’d just been talking about.

Motherfucking sunshine.

“Nikki,” I said, voice so hard it basically had to be pried off my tongue.

Energy lashed, something alive and painful between us.

“Give me a minute,” she asked me, repeating the exact thing I’d just told my crew.

Both of us asking for time.

But time was something we’d never had.

None of it. Too much of it.

Forever lost.

I glanced at the girl and the little boy, who was still shoveling ice cream into his mouth, and scrubbed a hand over my face. “Yeah. Of course.”

I stepped back.

But I refused to walk away.





13





Nikki





I remained locked in a stare with Ollie, my hand still clutching Brenna’s while I begged him with my eyes to give us space.

Questions billowed from him as if they were written in the rough, choppy air, concern and this knowing kind of anger that twisted my belly with a rush of anxiety.

My worry wasn’t for him or what he would think.

It was fully for Brenna, the girl who was so completely terrified she was shaking and cowering in her seat as she wrapped a protective arm around her son’s waist.

Ollie towered there. Appearing hard and intimidating.

Menacing.

A beast ready to charge.

What she didn’t know was that, even though the man didn’t know her, he would go down in a blaze to protect her. He’d never lift a vicious hand toward her. Not ever.

Or me.

It was his gentle hand that put me in danger.

Reluctantly, Ollie backed away. For a beat, my gaze followed him, my heart leaping into my throat when I spotted who he was there with, with those precious kids.

This was the problem of living in a small city. Their idea of a fun outing for kids was basically mine, too, thinking this would be a great place to keep Kyle entertained while I talked with Brenna.

I swiveled my attention back to her. “I’m sorry about that.”

Her eyes warily followed the hulking man as he moved back through the little ice cream shop. “Who was that?” Her voice trembled.

“One of my oldest friends. I grew up with him.” I gave her hand a squeeze. “He’s a good guy. A great guy, actually. You don’t need to be nervous.”

Funny how it was too easy to sing Ollie’s praises because they were true. The man just came with all kinds of other warnings.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, disgrace clouding her expression. She fiddled with a napkin on the table, looking away when she said, “God, I’m such a mess. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I reacted that way. I think I’m losing my mind.”

“You aren’t.”

It was the vile asshole trying to make her think she was insane. Filling her head with lies, making her believe she was responsible for the way he treated her.

She’d called me this morning, telling me Caleb had been bothering her again. Sending her texts. Demanding to see Kyle.

I’d suggested we meet.

I just needed to see her face-to-face.

Needing the validation that she was really okay.

I was sure Caleb was unstable.

I hadn’t told her the information I’d shared with Seth, my suspicion that it was Caleb who’d broken into my apartment and had left the two notes.

He’d advised I not. That I allow him to investigate a bit so we could find some proof to pin him to.

And . . . he’d told me to stay close to Ollie.

That was probably the hardest part of what he’d asked me to do.

“I promise you’re not,” I told her. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. Nothing to be ashamed about. Heck, I’m pretty sure grown men cower when they see Ollie coming their way.” I let the lightness weave into my tone, hoping it would allow her to relax.

“He’s . . . big.”

Light laughter filtered free. “Yeah, the man is a bear. A big ol’ teddy bear.”

So maybe that was a tiny white lie.

The man would tear someone to pieces with his teeth, but that side of him was not something she needed to worry about.

“Is he . . .” I heard the suggestion in her question, the pink that touched her cheeks.

Is he yours?

I was sure there was no way she hadn’t sensed that intensity that blazed and burned between us. Heavy and fierce.

Combustible.

Ours was not a pretty sort of chemistry.

I forced a smile. “No. We’re just friends.”

She frowned as if she didn’t believe me. “Doesn’t seem that way to me, Miss Nikki.”