Page 98 of Hot for the Jerk

“We’ll see.”The answer was already a big fatno, but Marco didn’t need to know that.The plan was formeto stay overnight at Jagger’s, and Marco to sleep upstairs at Gabrielle’s.I’d hopefully be home before my kid figured out I didn’t come home last night.At nine years old he didn’t knowthatmuch about sex yet.He understood that people who had “crushes” on each other liked to kiss.He also knew the fundamentals of how babies got made.Everything else was a mystery to him, and I intended to keep him innocent and ignorant to that for just a little longer.

I glanced out the window.“It’s a nice day, why don’t you see if some of your cousins want to kick the soccer ball around for a bit?”

More pouting from the nine-year-old.“Do I have to?”

“What else did you intend to do all day today?”

He shrugged, his copper hair a wild mess, particularly in the back from his pillow.“I dunno?Play video games.”

“That is a reward for time spent outside stretching your legs, getting some fresh air, and basking in this paradise we live in.It’s been a long, cold, wet winter already.Take advantage of these few nice days we have.It’s supposed to get ugly again soon.”

None of my words seemed to sink in.He still wore a scowl of disagreement when he got up from the table to put his dishes in the dishwasher.But he did get dressed, and he did brush his teeth, and he did grab the soccer ball, and take the stairs through the house to go see if his cousins were around.So maybe it did sink in, just reluctantly so.

Even though we’d already finalized our proposal for Bonn Remmen’s land, now that the in-person proposal deadline had been postponed from December to sometime in March when the snowbirds were back from the Baja, Gabrielle wanted us to all go through it and double-check it was polished so shiny a magpie would be drawn to it.

With the proposal up on my computer, I sipped my tea and hummed along to “Current Swell” that crooned softly at a low volume.Gabrielle didn’t want us to actually change anything in the document, but rather highlight sections she thought we could reword or tweak and make a comment or suggestion in the track changes.So far, I had about four suggestions.Mostly, it was for a more impactful word, or to move a sentence around for better flow.

Gabrielle really was the wordsmith, but we appreciated that she still wanted our feedback.

I picked up my mug and was about to take a sip when the front door burst open and Honor, Naomi’s ten-year-old, came barreling inside.“Aunt Raina, two men are here.They chased us into the trees.They’re after Marco!”

I shoved my seat back so hard it flew out onto the floor behind me as I raced out after Honor, not even bothering to change out of my slippers.Sam, Danica’s daughter, had gone to alert my cousins, and soon, all four of us were racing after the girls toward the trees at the far end of the vineyard closest to the road.

Like an invasive vine, terror curled around my ribs and squeezed until my lungs burned in the cold air.Two men now.Two.Not just Soloman, but he came with reinforcements.And how?The harbormasters knew not to let him on the ferry—which wasn’t running yet—or on any water taxis.How did he get here?And who did he have with him?

“Here!”Honor said, her curly brown hair in twin thick Dutch braids coming to settle on her back after flying behind her as she ran.“They were right here.”She glanced up into the trees where, thank god, Marco sat perched on one of the highest branches.Austin was beside him.

“Where are Laurel and Damon?”Gabrielle asked, panic in her voice.

“They started throwing rocks at the guys, telling them to get lost, until they finally ran away.Then they ran down to the stop sign to make sure they didn’t come back,” Austin said, his long, gangly legs swinging beneath him from where he sat on the kinky branch of a madrona tree.

“Was it Soloman again?”I asked, only slightly out of breath and directing my question to Marco.

My son shook his head.“No.”

My cousins and I exchanged looks.

“Who was it?”Gabrielle asked, just as Damon and Laurel came into view, walking back up the road.

“Azriel and Ezekiel, I think they said their names were,” Austin said, scratching his head, then turning to Marco.“Right?”

Marco nodded.

“What the hell?”Naomi breathed.

“Who are they?”Honor asked.

A nauseating lather whipped up, thick and vile, in my stomach.I swallowed, trying to shove down the need to vomit.“My brothers.”

“It’s just until we get a handle on things and figure out how to keep you safe,” I said to Marco as Jagger helped us load a bunch of our stuff into his truck.

After two of my three brothers decided to try to abduct my child, I was a frazzled mess.

Naomi called Jagger.Because my hands shook so much, I couldn’t even hold a phone.Jagger was over within fifteen minutes, unwilling to take no for an answer when he offered for us to come stay with him.Unfortunately, that meant his cousin Logan, who was currently staying with him, had to relocate to Clint’s house for a bit.I felt bad sending Logan packing, but I allowed my appreciation for my child’s safety to alleviate my guilt.

“That’s right, bud,” Jagger said.“Loads of kids on the property you can play with too.And your cousins are welcome to come hang out anytime.But you’re who they’re after, and if you’re not here—and they don’t knowhowto find you—everyone will be safer.We’re already working on installing a bunch of extra security features at the vineyard.”He had an armful of pillows—since my kid and I were both a little particular about our pillows—and a few other touches of home, to make the transition for Marco easier.

I rested my hand on Marco’s shoulder.“I’ve never been so scared in my life as I was today, honey.Please, just humor me?If something happened to you … ifthatfamily happened to you.”My chin trembled, and I hauled him against me for the millionth hug of the day.

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