Page 79 of Protected By the Convicts
“He wasn’t causing trouble, Vaughn. Hadn’t killed anyone like Ky’Li did.”
“Ky’Li didn’t have a choice and you know it,” Ren said.
“I’m not saying Ky’Li did anything wrong. But neither did Neville. And yet Neville got shipped out. How can we trust anything Foley says? I don’t trust him.”
“I think he’s living up to his word,” Hannah said, as she pushed away from Ren to clear the dishes. She paled and then swayed. Vaughn watched her closely, frowning.
“It doesn’t matter if we trust him,” Ren said, moving over to Hannah as if he expected her to start washing dishes and hand them to him to dry. Ren fell all over himself to do basic chores when Hannah was involved. Likely because it gave him a better opportunity to flirt with her. He already had a hand on her lower back.
“Ren, this isn’t the time or place,” Vaughn scolded. “Don’t start something you can’t finish with her.”
“Oh, I can finish. Several times.”
“I have a date with her tonight,” Vaughn added, not that he was worried about that at the moment.
“Is this true, Princess? You’d pick Vaughn over me?” Ren said in a teasing voice.
“I-I’m not picking. . . I’m not. . . I. . . can’t be with anyone tonight. I. . .”
Hannah raced out of the kitchen to the bedroom and shut the door. The click of the door locked sounded hollow and final. They all stared at each other until Sersie took a swing at Ren. Ky’Li interceded, placing himself between the two. Sersie didn’t attack Ky’Li, which was good because if he had then Vaughn would have known the man was using. Just the same, he wanted to run a test on him after he saw to Hannah.
Vaughn slipped away from the arguing in the kitchen and lightly rapped on her bedroom door.
“I want to be alone,” Hannah said through the door. “Can we reschedule?”
“I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
The door unlocked.
* * *
HANNAH
She wasn’t ready to talk to Vaughn. The men didn’t seem to notice what was happening, and she wasn’t sure how to broach the topic.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay,” Vaugh said, in that soothing voice of his.
This was supposed to be his night. They hadn’t exactly developed a schedule, which made her developing relationships with the men feel more natural, unlike what she’d seen growing up. Her mom had assigned Mondays and Thursdays to Jarret, Amelia’s dad, Tuesdays and Fridays to Hannah’s dad Lachlan, and Wednesdays and Saturdays to Holden after he’d joined their unit. Sunday always remained girls’ night out, at least until Amelia’s problems with Flight became too bad to continue that tradition. That’s when her mom fled the house by herself on Sundays.
Remembering Amelia brought back all Hannah’s anxiety. She opened the door and brushed by Vaughn. “I’m going for a walk.”
“Not alone,” Ky’Li said from the kitchen, ready to run to her, even though he was the only one keeping Sersie and Ren from ripping into one another. The men stopped their yelling long enough to look at her.
“I. . .” She was at a loss for words. Even when they fought, they still seemed to have her best interest in mind. They really were becoming a family, but she needed to get away from the fighting long enough to clear her head.
“I’ll go with her,” Vaughn said, shooting a questioning glance to her, as if to ask if she was okay with that.
She nodded.
Vaughn held the door open for her. Fresh, cool night air struck her heated face, making her shiver. Her sweet doctor took the opportunity to lace his fingers with hers as they exited the perimeter.
“You’re troubled,” Vaughn said. Always perceptive, her Vaughn.
“No one even asked me what I thought about kids. Ren doesn’t want. Sersie does. I’m fairly sure Ky’Li does, but it didn’t sound like that tonight, and you’ve been keeping your distance from me.”
“Have I? I mean, I asked you if you wanted to have a date tonight. Your choice of activities. Frankly, I thought you’d make me spot you while you climbed a tree to get some more nuts since we’re out and you love snacking on them.”
“I mean in here.” She tapped her chest. “And I get it. You’re afraid I’ll leave you—” Her voice caught in her throat. “I can’t promise I’ll always be here, Vaughn. I can’t promise anything. I can’t even figure out how to keep everyone from fighting over something we haven’t really discussed yet.”
