Page 4 of Fight For Us
The evening sun sank toward the horizon, casting out a net of bright orange hues. While Alex went in for a second wave, I took a moment to ground myself. Despite the stress of Alex in the ocean, I’d never been more at peace than when I was at the beach. The sounds, the smells… I could press mute on the static in my head, if only for a few moments. After the first week in Florida, I’d already decided that I wanted to live there. Needed to. But making it happen would be a challenge.
“Let’s go ask my mom.” Alex’s voice jolted me from my thoughts. He ran toward me with a little girl who looked to be about his age. I turned, searching the area for an adult. Surely she didn’t appear out of thin air all alone?
“Who’s your friend?” I asked Alex while offering a smile to the girl. Up close I could see her cheeks pink with sunburn and a bobby pin hanging on by the smallest piece of hair near her ear. She wore cutoff jean shorts, stained with what looked likepaint, and aMinecraftT-shirt. Her feet were bare and dirty. I didn’t see a pair of shoes nearby.
“I’m Lilly.” She dug her toes into the sand and set her attention back on Alex. “Wanna play tag?”
Alex looked at me with questioning eyes, both of us sharing the same thoughts. Where the heck had this child come from and where did she belong? I couldn’t leave her here. No way.
I placed my hand on Alex’s shoulder to stop him from bolting off. If he was challenged to tag, there wasn’t much I could do to keep him rooted in place.
“Lilly, where’s your parents?”
“My mom’s at work. Or maybe at Jeff’s house. She goes there a lot.”
Okay. Stay calm. I could figure this out. I stooped down to meet her at eye level, noticing specks of moss green in her big brown eyes. This kid was a prime target for a kidnapper. When I found her mother, I’d give her a piece of my mind. How dare she let her kid wander alone. I took a lungful of ocean air before my head spun.
“So you’re here all alone? How’d you get here?” Her gaze drifted over my shoulder but she kept her mouth zipped. “I want to help you. I can’t leave you here alone. I—”
“Lillian Elena Reed.”
I stood and let my gaze follow the deep, booming voice. The man stalking toward us matched the voice, that was for sure. One word. Huge. The guy would tower over me. My pulse sped up as I unconsciously stepped in front of the children.
“Who’s that?” Alex asked.
“I don’t know—”
“My dad.”
Lilly and I both spoke at the same time and I registered what she said.Oh.This was her father. I caught myself gawking at him as he walked. Was I imagining things or did time slow?
A breeze blew pieces of his hair and the sun picked that exact moment to glow against his perfectly tanned face. Handsome face at that. He had facial hair that looked to be a few weeks worth of growth, but neatly trimmed along a cut jawline. Thick brown brows framed smoldering eyes. Long brown hair brightened with golden sun-kissed highlights. Each step he took reminded me of a reality show opening sequence.
My eyes drifted south when I noticed that his gait was a bit different, but then I tried to place his outfit. Black loose pants and a white button-up jacket. He stepped closer and it hit me. A chef’s coat.
I steeled myself.Do not look at his tattooed forearms.Stupid rolled up sleeves.You’re pissed at this man.He left his young daughter to run around on a beach alone.You will scold him. But oh my. His face. Why did his face have to look likethat?
“Lilly, for the love of God. You scared the shit out of me.” He blew out a breath and ran a hand through the pieces of hair that had escaped his bun. I stopped breathing when he looked right into my eyes. Or at least I think I did. My autonomic nervous system definitely misfired. “Thank you for taking care of my girl.”
Those eyes, exactly the same as Lilly’s, studied my face. I blinked a few times. Wait. He was talking to me.
“You’re—uh—you’re welcome.” The corner of his lips tilted up. No. This was not how I wanted this to go. I glanced down at Alex, who was watching the exchange with a raised brow. “Actually. You’renotwelcome.”
“Excuse me?” He crossed his massive arms and tilted his head. I forced myself to avoid staring at the intricate black swirls along his flexed forearm muscles.
“Did I stutter? How could you let your daughter wander the beach alone? What if I was some kind of criminal? This world is full of sickos, you know. And no shoes either. What if she cut her foot? Imagine if I hadn’t found her. She could be halfway to the interstate right now, barefoot and alone.”
My chest heaved as blood rushed to the tips of my ears. Ripping this guy a new one made me feel alive. I’d started this tirade and I wasn’t done. I gathered air into my lungs and went on while he continued to stare at me.
“Furthermore, this beach has no lifeguard. Do you even know how dangerous riptides are? Thousands of people get swept away every year. It doesn’t matter if you're a strong swimmer. One of those babies catches you and you’re a goner.” With a hand on my hip and a finger pointed at his chest I stepped closer, close enough that one more inch would have us touching. I jabbed his chest, my anger rising to a peak. “How would it feel to be responsible for something terrible happening to someone you love? Something you could never ever fix.”
The air whooshed out of me as those last words slipped out. His nostrils flared as he wrapped his hand around my wrist and guided it back to my side. Crap. I didn’t exactly mean to take itthatfar. I bit my lower lip and chanced a peek into his hurt eyes. Well, now I felt like a jerk.
He blinked and a haze lifted as his expression morphed back to neutral. “You done?” His deep voice and the adrenaline rush I’d just put myself through had my body burst into full-scale shivers.
“Mom? Do we have to go?” I took a few steps back and felt my pulse return to a normal rhythm.
“Yeah. Can we play now?” Lilly asked, her gaze bouncing between her father and me. I was already late for dinner and would have to face my mother’s wrath. Yet, I couldn’t find my voice to respond.
