Page 28 of Taming Drew

“Did you drive yourself?”

I scoff. “Of course I drove us. What’s going on?”

He hems and haws, so unlike him. “There’s a new video on social media, and a person made a threat about taking Freya.”

“What?” I’m searching the store for threats.How do I know who could hurt us?Freya’s looking at me with her inquisitive eight-year-old expression. I stroke my fingers down her hair.My jaw tightens, and I scan the area. A woman has her cell phone up, and she’s recording me and Freya. “What the hell?”

Drew asks. “What?”

“Some woman is videoing us with her phone. Who made this threat? What can we do?” Bile rises in my throat, and I want to panic. I look into my daughter’s eyes and grit my teeth.Be strong, Chloe.My attention goes back to Drew on the phone.

He’s been talking, and I start to pay attention to him. “You and I are eating ice cream, and I kiss you. We look intimate. The gossip sites have us in a relationship.”

“Well, I’m sorry.”

He blows out his breath. “That’s not what I mean. Damn it. We are in a relationship. You’re important to me, but I don’t want you and Freya out there for inquiring minds.”

I try to stay calm for Freya’s sake. “I need to check out and get home. I’ll call you back.” I push the cart and take Freya’s hand in mine. Normally she would balk at the gesture, but I’m sure she senses there’s a problem, so she just takes my hand. We get to the register and the usual woman who checks us out is frowning. She turns her phone around. “You’re on my phone.”

It’s a photo of me and Drew. He’s licking ice cream off my chin.That looks rather dirty. Freya had walked with Clyde to see a patron’s dog, and she missed the kiss.I finish putting our groceries on the belt. I frown, feeling self-conscious about the photo. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”Shit, that was probably not the right come back.I half-smile and brush Freya’s hair behind her ear. “What movie would you like to watch tonight?”That should keep her mind busy for a few minutes.I pay the cashier and push the cart out the door. Voices cry out, calling my name. Someone addresses Freya, and she startles. “Just keep walking, baby. We’ll talk when we get to the car.” We get to the van and there’s a man leaning against the door.

“Ms. Taylor? Is this Freya? Has she met her daddy yet?”

Freya looks up at me with a peaked eyebrow. “Remember, I said we’d talk in the car.” I survey where we’re walking, hoping for someone to intervene. I take a breath and present my best resting bitch face. “No comment.” I open the sliding door and motion for Freya to climb in. I set the grocery bags around her and close the door. I push the cart to the man, with a little more oomph than he expects. “Make yourself useful.”

The man scoffs, and I hear a loud alpha voice coming up from in front of the van. “Hi, Chloe.” Mia’s brother-in-law, Banner, strolls alongside the van. “Hey. Let me walk you around.” He glares at the man as two other men, dressed in the same clothes, flank the van. “I assume you want to drive your van out of here rather than getting in my SUV.”

“You assume correctly. Thanks for being here.”

“Drew called. I’m supposed to take you to the Quad.”

“Why the Quad, Banner?”

“They’re all over your apartment, and you have shit security.” He points. “My cousin is in the SUV, there. Please follow him.”

I nod and get into my van. He closes the door and crosses his arms while the two guys he came with create a path for me to leave the parking lot. I glance at Freya expecting to see fear and instead I see enjoyment. “Are you okay, baby?”

“I’m fine, Mommy. This is fun, it’s like a movie.”

I’m so glad my daughter isn’t easily spooked. I wish I had that trait. “We’re not going home right now. Mommy needs to talk to some grownups about what’s going on.”

“Okay. Does that mean we won’t have spaghetti tonight?”

“I’m not sure.” My phone rings, and I click the blue tooth. “Hello?”

“Chloe. It’s Drew.”

“I figured you’d be calling. I have little ears in the van, so we’ll have to talk in code.”

Drew chuckles. “You’re a wonderful mother. I need you to come to my place.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”

“It is. We’ve got stuff to talk about. The attention is going to get worse before it gets better, and I have a plan.”

“I’m following Banner’s cousin to the Quad. I assume he knows where I’m supposed to go. Just for the record, I hate being the last one to know what is going on, especially when it concerns me and my child.”

“I get that. I’m sorry, Chloe. It’ll all work out. Just get here safely.”

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