Page 14 of Mother Parker
“Let me go, you big brute,” Autumn shouted and pulled her arm free.
She glanced around at the tables full of staring people and smiled.
“Just a little brother-sister squabble,” she said to them before turning to me and growling. “In there. Now!”
She went back through the kitchen door, and I followed.
As soon as I was in, a pair of hands came slapping down on my chest.
“What is wrong with you? Why are you making a scene and embarrassing me?” she whisper-shouted.
“I told him about the helpline,” Wyatt told her.
Autumn shrugged and held her hands.
“And?”
“What do you mean ‘and,’ Autumn? He’s putting you in danger.”
“How? How is he putting me in danger?” she asked.
“You’ve heard him. He thinks there’s crime at every corner, and he’s sending you out there to promote his helpline?”
How was she not seeing this? What had the old man been feeding her here? I knew my sister was impressionable, but I didn’t think she was stupid.
“They’re not coming tomefor help, you doofus. They’re coming to him for help. And all I did was tell a few people about the helpline. The grapevine did the rest,” she answered.
“And that’s not dangerous?”
It was official. They’d lost their freaking minds. I was dealing with two idiots. And I could maybe peg Autumn for one. She was only twenty-six, after all. But Wyatt? He was an old man. And a retired SEAL. He should know better.
“Most people think it’s Maddox who started it,” Wyatt said as if that made everything better. “And they’re not wrong. It was his idea.”
I turned all my attention to my old commander. It was taking all I had not to grab him by the throat and punch his pretty face.
“And you’re happy putting her in the middle of all this? She’s not trained. She can’t protect herself. She’s just a girl.”
“Hey!” Autumn shouted.
“What?” I asked her.
“I’m not a girl. I’m a woman,” she corrected me.
“Fine. A woman. Does that make a difference if someone like me tried to kill you?” I asked her.
She looked at me with an empty gaze, biting her bottom lip, but she didn’t answer me.
I turned back to Wyatt.
“And you? What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m sorry, Parker. You’re right—”
“Wyatt!” Autumn yelped.
“I didn’t mean to put her in any danger. I promise you, I won’t get her involved in any more of this business,” he continued.
“Hey! Don’t I get a say in this? And who are you to think you can come in here and tell me what I am or am not allowed to do?”
