Page 52 of Hell's Gator

“I was a kid once, too,” he said quietly.

Hellen looked at him speculatively once more just before she took a right off the highway and onto clan land. She drove to the second turnoff and took a left, slowly making her way down the gravel road to her own home at the end. As the road slightly curved to the right, a large beautiful raised home came into view up ahead on the left.

“That’s my brother’s house,” she said.

Lucien opened his eyes and looked in the same direction she was pointing. “Nice.”

Hellen nodded. “He and Analise and Harley live there.”

“And Gerald,” Lucien said.

Hellen chuckled. “And Gerald.”

A female was waving and rushing toward Hellen’s jeep from the right side of the road, just before they reached Havoc’s house.

“Who’s that?” Lucien asked.

“That is Emmalyn. And the male walking toward her is Barron. He’s Kaid and Delilah’s son, and Brandt’s second.”

“Emmalyn is Bam’s daughter, right?” he asked.

“Yep. And Everly’s. You think I’m a handful and out of touch… not in the least when compared to Emmalyn.”

“She’s the one that was attacked, isn’t she? The reason you came back here?” Lucien asked.

“She is, yes,” Hellen answered as she brought the jeep to a stop and rolled down the window. “Hey! What are you doing traipsing around out here with a can of orange spray paint?”

Emmalyn smiled at Hellen. “I’m drawing my house!”

“Drawing your house? Shouldn’t you be building one instead?” Hellen asked.

“I will!”

“WE will,” Barron said.

“Oh, yeah, we will. But first I’m drawing out about where I think I’d like it,” Emmalyn said. Then she focused on Lucien. “Who are you?” she demanded with a raised eyebrow.

Lucien laughed, and Hellen did not miss the way his hand held his side protectively as he did. “I’m Lucien. And you’d be Miss Emmalyn.”

“I am. What’s your social security number?”

“Seriously, Em?” Hellen asked.

“What? I’ll run a check on him. You can’t be too careful. We’ve learned that lesson,” Emmalyn said.

“Leave him alone,” Barron said. “Brandt gave him permission to be here.” He stepped closer to Hellen’s jeep and extended his hand through the window for Lucien to shake. “I’m Barron. Welcome.”

“Barron, good to meet you,” Lucien said.

“You, too. Heard about you.”

“I’m sure everybody around here has heard one thing or another,” Lucien said.

“My momma likes you. Says you have the instinct to take care of things like she does.”

“What would that be?” Lucien asked.

“Kill ‘em. Worry about the whys of it later,” Barron said.

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