Page 7 of Charming But Reckless

His eyes went wide as he shook his head. I smiled a bit at the action. It was so similar to…

“Ok, good. So chicken nuggets, fries, pizza? Those are all good options?”

That got me a slow nod. I clapped my hands together, then went about getting what we needed ready. I sent him into the shower in Tank’s office, then ordered some food for pickup.

We needed to get out of here and on the road as soon as possible. Prolonging our stay only added to our chances of getting caught. My team wouldn’t be fooled for too long.

It tooksome maneuvering and a call to Jared with a false emergency, but we managed to make it out of the building without much fuss. My partner in crime, who I’d decided to call Little A in my head to save face, was more energized after his shower and seemed ready to take on whatever came next.

I felt good about the decision I’d made to take him to Beau and the guys at the ranch. If nothing else, the animals would be therapeutic, and the men would keep him safe. Beau and Jackson’s son would also likely treat him like the best friend he’d ever had, which I figured the boy needed.

The food pickup was a quick stop, then we were on the road for the long haul. Little A tore into the nuggets and fries I’d gotten him like a man starved. It was heartbreaking to watch, so I did my best not to stare.

Shortly after he finished eating, his little head leaned on the middle console of my car. I would have gotten him a car seat for the back, but I didn’t think he’d do well in that scenario. Even if it were illegal, at least he wasn’t panicking at being treated like a possession.

I knew how hard it was to push those kinds of thoughts away once they started. Especially when they were fresh.

The radio played some soft country tunes as we drove. It wasn’t my normal preference. Still, I figured letting him listen to it now, even though he was asleep, would prepare him in some way for life on the ranch.

He might end up staying with them for days or weeks. Only time would tell.

Part of me hoped it was over fast. Not only because I didn’t want to inconvenience my friends, but also because the possibility of who I’d find when I went looking made my heart race in a ridiculous way.

When we eventually pulled up to the ranch, I climbed out while I left the engine running. Little A hadn’t woken up yet, and I wasn’t in a hurry to change things. Sleep brought him peace. I loathed the idea of taking it away.

I would have to eventually.

“Glad you made it,” Beau said as he pulled me into a hug. He clapped me on the back, which I mimicked back.

“Thanks for doing me this favor. I can’t tell you how much it means. There wasn’t anyone else I could think of or trust enough to take this on.”

Beau shrugged. “There are more people you could have trusted than you think. Princess Aster’s gang has a good number of folks who would have stepped up.”

My eyes widened at the suggestion. “I hadn’t even considered them.”

“I figured as much. Besides, maybe getting him out of the city is the best option. Too many reminders of bad guys there and all that, I’m guessing.”

“Definitely. He’s sleeping now. Passed out as soon as he ate.”

“Sounds like our boy,” Jackson called out from the top of the stairs of the main house. The lights from inside illuminated his form. He was a cowboy through and through, from his boots to his hat. Beau turned to smile his way. The pair shared a look filled with so much love I felt like I was intruding.

Turning my head, I saw Little A had woken up. He was looking around, his eyes comically wide like he was on another planet. Then again, for him it probably felt that way. We were still just outside the city when he fell asleep.

I jogged to his door and waved. With careful movement, I opened it up and stood a safe distance away.

“These are my friends Beau and Jackson. They live here on the ranch. They said you could stay with them while I find your dad. Ok?”

He gave me another slow nod. I was thankful since I didn’t know if that whole thing was going to hold up outside of our food discussion. He could have gone back to not speaking at all, which would have made things more difficult.

We’d make do with whatever came though. As long as he was safe, the rest could be managed.

“Can you climb out? They’d love to meet you. Their son is around your age. He’ll be excited to have someone to play with.”

That might have been an exaggeration considering I didn’t know Little A’s age. I counted it as a win though because he climbed right out and walked toward the door.

I reached into the back seat to grab the small duffle of items, then followed him. At the steps, Beau was already kneeling to talk to him. He was whispering like the pair had a secret they should discuss.

Jackson was smiling at them both, his affection for his partner on full display. When he looked my way, I handed over the bag.

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