Masters at Arms (Rescue Me Saga, #0.5)(9)

Tears spilled down her cheeks. She probably looked like a raccoon again, but she didn’t care. On impulse, she turned around and wrapped her arms around Adam, well as much of him as she could reach around. He had the hardest, widest shoulders she’d ever felt.

After a moment, he wrapped his arms around her, too. His arms felt good around her. She felt safe. She wondered what it would be like if he kissed her.

What the hell, Kitty?

He squeezed her really tight, making it hard to breathe. Or was the lack of air the result of her heart beating so fast? She decided to just let him hug her as tightly as he wanted. Ian had hugged her that way, too, before he’d left home the last time. Adam might not get to hug a girl again for a long, long time. Why, she was being patriotic to let him hug her. Although she had to admit that it felt really good to be in his arms.

He whispered, “Thank you,” and she smiled through her tears. His whiskers scratched, tickling her ear.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Adam.”

He pulled away, and she wished they could have kept hugging. “Same to you, Karla.”

He was kinda cute when he smiled that way, without the sad eyes. “Oh, no! Where will you eat turkey today?”

“No problem. I usually have ham on Thanksgiving anyway…” Then his smile disappeared. Double damn. She’d made him think sad thoughts again.

“It’s probably best if I stay inside the taxi, in case your parents are watching. You have enough problems without having to explain what you’re doing hanging out with an old Marine.” He smiled. “But I’ll wait here until you get inside.” Then he grew serious again. “Just promise me you won’t run away again.”

She nodded. “I promise.”

Karla looked down at her backpack. Her throat hurt too much to speak, but, as she opened the door, she turned back and cleared it enough to whisper, “Promise me you’ll come home safe.”

“I’ll do my best, honey.” He looked away and repeated in a whisper. “I’ll do my best.”

Suddenly, Adam’s door whipped open and two hands reached inside to grab Adam by the shirt.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with my sixteen-year-old daughter, you pervert!”

Karla leaned over to protect him, but Adam pushed her out of harm’s way, as if worried she might be hit by accident.

“Daddy, no! Don’t hurt him!”

What was she worried about Adam for? He could have decked Daddy with one hand tied behind his back. Maybe two. But Adam just let himself be pulled from the cab without putting up a fight. Karla scrambled across the seat and exited behind him. Adam stood with his hands at his sides. She moved to wedge herself between him and her dad.

Her Mom came running around the front of the cab and pulled he back. “Karla, get in the house!”

But Karla needed to get to Adam, if he wouldn’t defend himself. She’d never seen Daddy so angry.

“Not now, Mom.” She brushed her mom’s hand aside and went to where Daddy had Adam backed up against the trunk of the cab. Oh, God, he had his fist raised, ready to slam into Adam’s already injured face.

“Daddy, don’t!” Karla grabbed onto his arm and he stopped to look down at her. “He didn’t do anything to me. He rescued me. Twice!”

Daddy was breathing really hard. Definitely not in as good a shape as Adam. And yet Adam hadn’t even put up his arms in defense. Why not?

Daddy turned to Adam, “Maybe you’d better explain yourself.”

Adam opened his mouth, but Karla knew he’d downplay everything. He was way too modest. “Daddy, he fought off three jerks who wanted to hurt me. He bought me dinner. He’s a good man and if you hurt him, I’m going to run away again and I’ll never come back!”

Adam looked down at her and she thought she heard him growl. She tried to ignore him, but knew he wasn’t happy with her threat, even though she knew she wasn’t going to run away ever again.

“Okay. I’m not going to run away.” Both Adam and her father relaxed a little bit. “But on account of me, he missed his bus.”

Daddy let go of Adam’s now even more wrinkled shirt and stepped back. “You protected my Karla?”

“I just did what anyone would do.”

“Don’t listen to him, Daddy. There were three of them! And they had weapons. Adam was unarmed.”

Adam glanced away and down at the ground.

“I don’t want him to spend Thanksgiving sitting in the bus terminal until tomorrow night. Adam needs a place to stay tonight.”

Oh, that got Adam to look at her again! But he didn’t look very happy about it.

“Is that true? Do you need a place to stay?”

“No, sir. I’m fine. I’ve slept in worse places than a bus station.”

Karla’s mom wrapped her arm around Karla, but her words were directed at Adam. “Nonsense. If our son was in your situation, we’d hope someone would...” Mom’s voice always broke when she talked about Ian now. “We’d be honored if you’d come inside.”

“He can sleep in Ian’s room,” Karla offered.

“No, I don’t want to impose.”

Daddy looked from her to Adam. “If what Karla says is true, it’s the least we can do for you for bringing our little girl home.” He reached out his hand to Adam. “I’m Carl Paxton. Sorry about roughing you up.”