Page 3 of Wild Reckoning

Strange.

When he lowered his head, Killian swept his gaze over Stewart so intensely, it felt like a physical touch. Had the guy just…softly growled? Killian glanced away, though it looked like it had taken concentrated effort, and nodded toward the car. “You might want to put a blanket on the cub. It’s pretty chilly out here, and it’s not good for him to be stuck inside a car without any heat.”

Stewart glanced at Ethan through the window and noticed the little guy was trembling slightly. Cursing under his breath, he quickly opened the trunk and grabbed the only blanket he’d thought to pack, then hurried back to his nephew.

“Sorry, tater tot,” Stewart whispered as he tucked the blanket snugly around Ethan. “Uncle Stew is still figuring out this whole parenting thing. Let’s hope I get it right before I turn you into a Popsicle.”

“Pay whiff bear?” Ethan was staring at something past Stewart’s shoulder, his green eyes dancing with excitement. Unsure what the toddler was talking about, Stewart turned and saw Killian standing right behind him, grinning at Ethan.

“Hey there, little buddy.” It was like watching a mountain sink as Killian crouched down to Ethan’s level. “Are you feeling warmer now?”

Stewart took a step to his left, blocking Ethan from Killian’s view and introduced himself. He didn’t know this man or the other riders, and he was very protective of his nephew. He waved toward the car.

“I don’t know what happened. The engine began making strange noises and then just stopped. And then it started smoking.”

Embarrassment flooded Stewart when he noticed his crotch was right in Killian’s face. Hoping he wasn’t too obvious, Stewart casually turned.

“Let me take a look under the hood.” Killian slowly straightened, and it was like watching the mountain rise once more. Their bodies were close, almost touching. Stewart held his breath until Killian stood to his full height, all those sinewy muscles towering over him by at least a foot.

The strange, stirring feeling grew stronger, as did Stewart’s breathing. Once again, he wanted to curl into Killian, almost had, but came to his senses when he noticed one of the other men approaching. Stewart froze as he watched the stranger approach, uneasy now that two intimidating men were near him and his nephew.

If he had to defend Ethan…

“Hey, it’s okay,” Killian said softly, clearly sensing Stewart’s apprehension. “No one is going to hurt you or your little cub. My family and friends just want to help.”

“Do you mind if I open the driver’s door to access the hood latch?” an older version of Killian asked. He had to be the guy’s father. The two shared the same gray eyes, though Killian’s were one shade lighter.

They also had the same strong jawline and nose.

“I, uh…okay.” Stewart kept a close eye on the stranger as the guy reached in and popped the hood. At the same time, Killian took a couple steps back, giving Stewart the breathing room he needed.

“That’s my dad, Quinton,” Killian said with a touch of pride, confirming Stewart’s assumption about their relationship. “Knows his way around engines.”

Another one of the men from their group walked over with a small blanket and offered it to Stewart with a kind smile. “I have grandkids. Your son is welcome to have it,” he said.

“This is Kalen, a close friend of our family.” And then Killian gestured toward each person as he said their name. Ryker and Hyett, Jaytee and Jax.

The men smiled warmly and nodded in response. Stewart gave a small wave in return while keeping a watchful eye on Ethan. He usually enjoyed meeting new people, especially in his profession, but having strangers near his young nephew made him cautious.

It had been only two weeks since Stewart had gained custody of Ethan, and he already felt like he was making mistakes with the toddler. But the worst mistake would be failing to protect Ethan, which had almost happened before Stewart had packed their bags and fled.

“Thank you…” He struggled to remember the man’s name.

“Kalen,” the guy reminded him with a good-natured smile. “No problem. The twins have a ton of blankets. They won’t miss it.”

Kalen’s immaculately groomed beard, along with his mustache, was the fullest and most well-kept Stewart had ever seen. While he admired it, maintenance had to be a pain in the ass.

“I’ve got snacks if the cub is hungry,” Ryker offered as Kalen rounded the car to join… Killian’s dad. He’d forgotten the guy’s name already.

Stewart leaned in and covered Ethan with the additional blanket, noticing its soft material adorned with tiny space rockets and colorful planets.

“I hungwy,” Ethan whispered, taking his cue from Stewart. “Want food, pwease?”

They’d eaten the last of their snacks early this morning, and Stewart had planned to find a diner as soon as they’d hit town. Then, of course, the car had decided to throw a snit.

His nephew wasn’t the only one hungry.

Ryker handed a small plastic container to Killian, who then offered it to Stewart. “It’s just a PB&J sandwich, some grapes, pretzel sticks, and gummy bears.”

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