Page 42 of Prince of Tides
“Yes, of course,” I said, looking at him as we walked arm in arm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of them behind us reach into a jacket pocket. “But they have guns, Rip.”
“I know. Just do as I say, okay?”
“Okay.”
My hands were trembling. He laid his overtop the one I rested on his arm.
“It’ll be okay. I’ll protect you.” He locked eyes with me. “Both of you.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rip
We walked to the restaurant’s exit together. Laurie was trying not to act nervous, to appear calm, but her death grip on my forearm gave away her nerves. I longed to tell her she had nothing to fear from the human scumbags. That, if I wanted to, I could rip the water from their bodies in a second, leaving them little more than husks to crumble to the sidewalk.
Already, I was reaching out to the water in their bodies, draining it from their arms, slowing their reflexes. If they tried to bring the guns to bear, I would have plenty of time to show them just how poor a choice they’d made.
Now was not the time for more big reveals, however. Although she was handling it well, I could tell there was a lingering shock over the pregnancy. Once Laurie fully accepted it in her core that she would be a mother, that it wasreal, then I could begin to clue her into the truth of her child’s heritage.
Ourchild’s heritage.
I tightened my grip imperceptibly on Laurie as the host pulled open the door.
“Have a lovely evening. Thank you for choosing Leblanc’s.”
“Always a pleasure,” I said as we swept out into the night, picking up the pace, hoping to get a few extra steps on our followers before we were forced to confront them. Laurie kept pace with me, hurrying along at my side.
“What do we do now?” she hissed as we headed for the parking lot next to the building where I’d left my car. I was now glad that Laurie had disdained the valet service upon our arrival, claiming she was perfectly capable of walking.
I liked the self-awareness she possessed. It was very practical, something I valued highly.
We rounded the corner, and I slowed to a halt. “Now,” I said, eyeing two more men who came toward us from a big silver SUV parked off to one side. “I think we have a chat.”
“A chat?” she asked nervously.
“Stay close to me. Do exactly as I say without hesitation,” I told her. “If you do, we’ll be fine, I promise, okay? I swear you have nothing to worry about.”
“But there are four of them. And they have guns.”
“I know. I can’t explain. I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” We had stopped perhaps halfway up the building. The two men following us caught up to us and closed off our retreat in that direction.
“Um.” Laurie looked behind us as they approached. “Maybe?”
“You’ll be safe,” I vowed. “I will protect you.”
“Protect?” one of the men from inside the restaurant sneered dismissively. “We just want to talk.”
I scoffed. “If that’s the case, then why the weapons?”
“Covering our bases,” the same man said, outing himself as the leader. He was tall and burly, with a clean-shaven skull and a bushy ginger beard that covered the lower half of his face. I suspected he would look more at home in a leather jacket and jeans, not the black collared shirt and matching pants he wore. His partner, who was shorter and muscular though less bulky, wore a similar outfit.
The others were a mix. They weren’t professional assassins. I could tell that much, given their general lack of physical fitness. However, they held themselves comfortably and showed no signs of nerves despite the tense situation. They weren’t amateurs either. Intimidation was something they were used to.
“I don’t know who you are,” I said, “nor do I care. Just go away, and leave us alone. We don’t have to do this.”
“Yes,” a new voice said from the silver SUV, speaking through a previously closed window. “We do.”
Laurie stiffened angrily. “Eric,” she hissed as the door opened and her ex-fiancé emerged from the vehicle.
