Page 133 of Mother Parker
“Why? I thought he was a friend.”
“That man isnota friend,” he replied. “He’s…he’s a psycho.”
I shrugged.
“I don’t know. He seemed nice,” I said.
“Nope. Just a psycho. A dangerous psycho,” he huffed.
Somehow I doubted Wyatt had brought a dangerous man to the island when he was scrambling for any kind of people he could trust to help him, but I didn’t say anything. There was definitely more to the story, but now was not the time to unpack it.
“Anyway, what was that back there? What did you talk to Wyatt about?” I asked.
“It’s nothing.”
“Parker! Please don’t keep things from me.”
Parker stared at me, and the longer he stared, the more his frown dissolved until his kind eyes peeked through with affection.
“I asked him if this would work. I needed to know you’d be safe,” he said.
“And? What was the answer?” I asked.
He looked away from me for a beat, but I was quick to grab his hands and pin myself to him. I didn’t know if he thought I couldn’t handle the truth or if he thought this was protecting me, but I needed to know the answer. I need to know this wouldn’t happen again.
“Please,” I whispered, hoping he could feel my heart beating against him.
Parker looked down, and his face hardened again. “Let’s just say one way or the other, they won’t hurt you anymore. We’ll do…whatever it takes.”
“You don’t mean…” I started, but I swallowed down the last few words.
“I’ll do whatever is within my power and beyond to make sure nothing happens to you ever again,” he said.
I knew what he was saying, and even though I didn’t want to think about Parker or any of the other guys doing anything illegal to stop Rat Man and company from coming back, all I could focus on was those lips and the unbreakable promise he was making.
There was nothing left to say or do but kiss him. Because just like his love confession, I knew he meant it with his entire being, and it both excited and terrified me.
And that’s how I knew I truly was in love with him. Because I couldn’t even begin to imagine life without him.
TWENTY-EIGHT
PARKER
The next day, and after interviewing a replacement for Elliot, Hwan was still on edge even though we’d had a very busy couple of days.
The people of Mayberry Holm had really come together for him. I didn’t know why they’d needed his shop to get destroyed first before they decided to give it a try and support him, but better late than never.
“Come on,” I told him as soon as we got upstairs, and he kept the same funk he’d had all day. “We’re going out.”
“What? Why?”
“Do we need an excuse?” I asked.
He shook his head and looked up at me as if he was guilty of something, and I pulled him into me to plant a kiss on his lips.
“Come on. Get changed, and we’ll go for dinner somewhere,” I told him, and he pulled away from me, smiling.
“Okay.”
