Be With Me(42)

Sawyer bristled and opened his mouth to respond, but Regina gripped his arm in warning. Sawyer was already hanging on by a thread, and any outburst from him wouldn’t be pretty.

She pinned her father with al the disdain fueling her anger. “Fuck off,” she said before turning away.

Her mother gasped, and her father made a sound of outrage.

“Regina, don’t you walk away from me, young lady.

I didn’t raise you to talk to me like that.” She stopped dead, and despite Sawyer’s restraining hand, she broke away and rounded on her father.

“No, you self-righteous prick. You didn’t raise me at al . You were too busy ignoring me. Talk to you?

When was I ever encouraged to say anything at al ?

You and Lydia were too busy with your lives for something as inconsequential as a daughter. Be glad you’re my father, because if you weren’t, I’d knock the shit out of you like I would anyone else who spoke to me like that.”

She turned back around before he could see the tears of fury gathering in her eyes. Damn if he would ever see her cry.

Sawyer put a protective arm around her, and when she would have hurried into the station, he held her stil . He turned to pin her father with a cold stare.

“I’l only say this once. Stay the f**k away from Reggie. You’re not my father, and I have no compunction about laying your ass out.” He gathered Regina closer to him and guided her toward the entrance to the station.

“You can’t threaten me like that,” Peter blustered.

As Sawyer reached for the door, he turned back one last time. “It wasn’t a threat, Mr. Fal on.” He ushered Regina inside and closed the door.

Birdie was seated in the smal waiting area, flanked by Cam and Hutch. When they looked up and saw her, they al rose.

Cam crossed the room, and Sawyer relinquished his hold on her just as Cam swept her into his arms.

His hand tangled in her hair as he buried her face in his chest. His heart raced beneath her cheek, and his chest rose and fel with harsh breaths.

When he final y pulled away, he ran his hands over her head, her face and then her neck.

“Are you al right? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

She put her hands over his wrists as he cupped her neck. “I’m fine, Cam. I promise. Just a little banged up.”

“Regina dear, how are you feeling?” Birdie asked.

Regina looked to see Birdie standing beside Cam. He relinquished her, and Birdie enfolded her in a warm hug. This . . . this is what unconditional love felt like. She held on to Birdie for a long moment in an attempt to banish the image of her mother and father out in the parking lot.

“There, there, you’ve had quite a fright,” Birdie soothed as she rubbed her hand up and down Regina’s back. “You should be at home, resting, not here.”

Regina drew back and smiled. “I had to see you and make sure you were doing okay.”

“Oh yes, dear, I’m fine. The policeman whisked me straight here. Wouldn’t even let me go inside the house.” Her eyes grew troubled. “Is it bad?” Regina guided her to the side, back into the hal way leading to the door. The guys frowned at her, but she waved them back. They’d demand answers, but she wasn’t going to hash this out in front of them right now.

“How much have they told you?” Regina asked in a low voice.

“Nothing yet.” Birdie stared anxiously back at Regina. “What is it, Regina? What has happened?”

“The only room in your house that was disturbed was one of the bedrooms. Hutch’s old room.”

“But why on earth would someone want to mess up a bedroom? Was nothing stolen?”

Regina shook her head. “Not that I saw right off, but later you’l need to do a ful inventory for the police report. For now I think you should come back to the house with me and the guys. You shouldn’t stay there alone.”

“It’s sweet of you to offer, but my friend Virginia is here with me. You saw her. She was in the waiting area with me.”

Actual y Regina hadn’t noticed her. Her attention had been focused on Cam and then on Birdie.

“She’s offered to let me stay with her for as long as I need.”

Regina chewed the inside of her cheek and wondered how best to broach the subject with Birdie.

She didn’t want to jump the gun and confide her own suspicions. It would be irresponsible, not to mention premature, given that she hadn’t even discussed them with the chief yet.

“I would feel better if you had more protection, Birdie. We don’t know yet who broke into your house or why. I’m sure Cam, Sawyer and Hutch would feel much better as wel if you came home with us.”

“Oh you don’t have to worry. Virginia and I have already been over that. She has a shotgun. Plus her son, who is a county sheriff’s deputy, has promised to stay until the person responsible for breaking into my home is apprehended.”

A smile twitched at the corners of Regina’s lips.

“Birdie, promise me you won’t mess with Virginia’s shotgun.”

“Oh, she won’t.”

Regina swung around to see Virginia standing a few feet away. Her purse dangled on her wrist by a gold chain. Regina’s brow came up as she took in the rest of Virginia’s getup. White gloves adorned her hands. She wore a flowered dress and a wide straw hat at an angle, with a large red bow tied above the brim. And fuchsia lipstick. Bright fuchsia lipstick. It hurt Regina’s eyes to stare at those lips for too long.