Page 39 of No Broken Promises

With one eyebrow raised, Jake waits for me to finish speaking. Then he smacks his lips together. “You’re right,” he admits. I feel a surge of happiness at someone finally listening to me, only to have it dashed a moment later. “But you’re also not law enforcement. Nor are you the highest-ranking officer on scene.” He ticks off his statement on his fingers. “Oh,” he adds and puts up another finger. “You’re also not an officer, did I mention that?”

Being chastised by my uncle is one thing, but having him do it publicly makes it worse. That and the fact that he is actually right on all counts.

“I’m sorry,” I mutter, feeling ridiculous.

Jake puts an arm around me and squeezes lightly. “You’re allowed to be worried, Parker. You’re also allowed to have help. You don’t have to do it all alone. And this is one of those things that we have to do for you whether you like it or not. So let us do our jobs and keep you safe, okay?”

I don’t look at him. I am staring at Remy, whose eyes are locked on mine, imploring me to just agree.

“Okay,” I say quietly.

Nox is still holding on to Jake, and he promptly lets go. “You guys are boring. I’m going to go hang out with Daisy.”

Daisy, who we had found lying on top of Nox, guarding him with her life, when we’d run upstairs to check on them.

“I love that dog,” I tell my uncle. “You should have seen her. She was lying right on top of Nox, covering him completely. I don’t think anything could have hurt him.”

Jake snorts. “Doesn’t surprise me. She’s a good dog. Does her job every time we call BPD for help.” He looks back to Remy. “You didn’t answer my question. Who’s got her case?”

Remy coughs, dragging himself out of whatever pool of thought he’d been stuck in, and nods toward the house. “Dominic Ortiz is in the house, taking photos and making notes for his report. He said he’d be out to speak with Parker, and then I’m gonna take her home so she and Nox can get some sleep.”

“Home?” Jake raises an eyebrow at him. “Your place? She can come stay with me and Margot and the kids. No reason to put you out, Remy.”

I am saved from having to say anything when Nox interrupts by sticking his hand in the air like he is in school, running toward us like his ass is on fire. “No offense, Uncle Jake.” He gasps as he tries to catch his breath. “But actually, I want to stay with Uncle Remy. Baby Jaime is really annoying. And Gabe doesn’t like to do anything but sleep before I have to go to school. Besides, Uncle Remy has Daisy.”

All of his points are valid. I have to give him that. At two years old, my baby cousin Gabriel is extremely adorable, but he sleeps a lot. And Margot’s new baby keeps everyone else up all night.

“Great.” Remy slaps Jake on the back. “That settles it, Uncle Jake.” He laughs and then winks at me when he sees me watching him. “I win because I don’t have annoying babies.”

Jake glares at him, and I have to laugh. The age difference between us is less than ten years, so calling him my uncle is more fun for me than anything. Especially since my mom had been adopted by his dad’s brother. The relationship was tenuous, but after my mom and dad died, his parents took me in with open arms. So, in every way that matters, Jake is my uncle.

Before Jake can object or try to argue with Remy, Officer Ortiz pops out of my house with a grim expression on his face.

Instead of demanding an answer or being a pain in the ass like I know I am prone to be, I wait and pretend to be patient while he strides over to us. The small leather notebook in his hand has seen better days, but I am more interested in what is written in it than what is on the outside.

“What’s up, Sheriff?” He stops at our circle, looking from Jake to me and then to Remy. “I didn’t know you were connected to the Hayes family.”

Jake coughs and scratches behind his ear. “I’m not here in an official capacity, Dom. I’m here because Parker’s my niece, and I want to make sure that she and Nox are taken care of.”

Linc shrugs. “I’m here ’cause she’s my sister.”

And they all look at Remy, who has a shit-eating grin on his face. I think for sure he is about to announce to the entire world that we’ve had sex, but he crosses his arms over his chest instead. “I’m here because I want to be.”

“I need to speak to Mrs. Hayes,” Officer Ortiz cuts in. “Alone.” He has to add the last part because none of the men in my life budge an inch.

The result is a thirty-second staring match between the man built like a freight train and everyone else. Officer Ortiz could have picked any one of them up and thrown them across the yard; there is no doubt in my mind. His freaking thighs look like they are almost as big as my head.

“Come on, kids,” Jake jokes. “Let’s go pack some bags for Parker and Nox. It’ll be a little while before they’re allowed back in the house.”

Remy murmurs his agreement, and Linc opts to stay out in the yard with Nox.

“Thank you,” I tell Officer Ortiz with a smile. “Sometimes they can be overbearing.”

He clicks his tongue against the top of his mouth. “No offense, ma’am, but it seems like they have every reason to be overbearing. Someone threw a Molotov cocktail through your living room window. Had you not been right there to put it out, your entire house could have gone up in flames.”

The truth in his words brings me back to the terrifying reality of my life. Someone wants me dead. At the very least, they want to hurt me.

“I don’t know who it could be, Officer.” My throat burns, and my chest starts to ache with the realization that my son could have been killed.

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