Page 84 of Hot for the Jerk

“Hey,” Clint said.“It’s not us, this time.We’re just not strangers to danger, so we’re offering our expertise.”

Danica and Naomi both chortled from their spots on the couch.

“I’ve heard Raina and Gabrielle’s rendition of things,” Myla went on.“Can you tell me yours?”

I filled her in on what I walked up on, and how I handled things.

Clint’s phone buzzed just as we were finishing up with Myla, and we all sat with bated breath as he answered the call.

“’Kay, thanks, Hawke.We’re on our way.Appreciate it, man.”

Raina swallowed, and her green eyes widened.“He’s at the hostel?”

Clint hung up his phone and nodded.“Yeah.Wyatt, Dom, Bennett, and Burke are headed there now.I’m going to go meet them.”

“I suppose saying, ‘Leave this to the professionals with badges and guns,’ is a moot point?”Myla asked with a sigh.

Clint merely scoffed as he opened the front door.“You’re a smart woman, Officer Bruce.”

“At least wait for me,” Myla said, chasing after him.She spun around as she reached the door.“I’ll be in touch, Raina.”

“Thanks, Myla,” Raina said, her eyes moving to mine.

Danica and Naomi were on either side of her on the couch, so there was no need for me to comfort her, even though I desperately wanted to.We sat with her until we heard word from Clint.

Soloman was being escorted in the back of Myla’s cruiser to the police station where he would be held overnight, before taken back to the mainland.

Raina exhaled in relief.But I could tell by the uncertainty in her eyes and the way her shoulders remained stiff, even as her cousins rubbed her back, that she wasn’t as reassured or relieved as we hoped.She knew Soloman better than we did.What exactly was the man capable of?How far would he go to get his hands on Marco?

“You guys can go,” Raina said to her cousins.“Thank you for staying with me.”

“You’re sure?”Danica asked, rubbing Raina’s back.

Raina nodded.“I am.It’s getting late.You have kiddos to get home to.It’s the first day back to school after the winter break.I’m sure it’ll be a slog getting them out of bed.It always is.”

“I really wish Santa brought me that airhorn I asked for,” Naomi said with a mock pout as she stood up.She squeezed my shoulder when she walked past.“Thanks for offering to stay with her, Jagger.”

“Happy to help,” I replied.

Danica gave me a tight, friendly smile before they both disappeared out the front door.I knew Gabrielle lived upstairs, but I wasn’t sure where the other two lived.There were so many outbuildings on the property it was hard to tell what was part of the business and what was a residence.

Marco rejoined us shortly, a serious case of the yawns adding to his tired eyes.“I’m gonna shower, then head to bed,” he said, rubbing his hand through his coppery-brown hair.

Raina pressed a kiss to the top of his head.“Good idea, kiddo.”

She watched him walk to the bathroom with fear in her eyes.

“We won’t let Soloman anywhere near him,” I said, itching to touch her.To connect and reassure her that with me here, they were safe.But after everything she had just told me about her past, and everything that had just happened, I didn’t want to overstep.

All she did was nod.“I need to make his lunch for tomorrow.I totally forgot.”She trudged into the kitchen, and like a robot on autopilot, she went about packing Marco’s lunch.The kid appeared with wet hair and smelling of body wash and toothpaste just as Raina tucked his Pokémon lunch kit into the fridge.

“’Night, Mom,” he said on the heels of another yawn.

She wrapped her arms tight around her son and kissed the top of his head.“Goodnight, my love.”

He glanced at me, still wrapped up in his mother’s arms, as I sat at the kitchen table.“Goodnight, Jagger.”

“’Night, dude.”

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