Page 102 of Love Bleeds Red
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
LEON
“Answer it,”Falin says.
“No, don’t!” Damon cuts in.
I don’t know what to do, so I just hold the phone up, staring at Alfred’s name like my phone’s a loaded weapon. When I glance back up, I see that Bailey’s tucked her legs against her chest and cast her gaze toward the floor. The sight of her retreating into herself makes my decision easy.
“I’m not answering.” I decline the call and shove the phone in my pocket. “There’s no reason to.”
And Bailey doesn’t need to hear his voice. She’s starting to talk a little today, to feel a bit more comfortable. That fucker will make her upset.
“He must know the fire was you?” Blake says, but it comes out like a question. “Do you think we’re safe here?”
I wish I could give her a definitive answer, but Alfred’s reach is something I’ve never fully understood. “We should be careful. One of us needs to keep watch outside. I’ll set up surveillance.”
Blake shifts on the couch to peer out the window at the quiet London street. There’s nothing out of order—people in workoutgear going for morning runs, couples walking their dogs, cars rushing to get to work. It all looks normal. But I don’t trust Alfred or any of those bastards he works with.
“Lee,” Blake turns back to me, her brows turned down. “What about your mom? He’d know where she is?”
“Shit.” She’s absolutely right. “I’ll go check on her. Get her somewhere safe until Alfred’s dealt with.” I grab my jacket from the wall hook. “This is so screwed.”
Bailey stands and takes a small step toward me. “Can I come with you?”
I freeze for a second, caught off guard by her question. Damon nods at me from behind her back, making a goofy encouraging face. Jasper’s still looking anywhere else but at me.
I clear my throat. “Yeah, of course. Mum would love to meet you.”
I hold out my jacket to her and she reaches for it without hesitation. “You should wear this. Protection for your arms.”
“Do you have a second helmet?” Falin asks.
“Not here, but I’ll manage. She needs it more.”
Blake crosses her arms. “Please be careful. I don’t love this plan.”
“They’ll be fine,” Jasper mutters. “No one’s more careful than Leon… Obnoxiously so.”
Bailey slides her arms into my jacket. The leather swallows her small frame, but seeing her wrapped in something of mine brings a pang to my chest.
I step up to her, close enough to catch the scent of her freshly washed hair. “Let me help with this.” My fingers find the zipper pull, and I slowly draw it up, all the way to the dip in her throat. “There. This’ll keep you safe.”
Our eyes meet, and I catch a flicker of emotion in them, like she’s thinking of how we were. God, her blue eyes take my damnbreath away. But no time to wax poetic about that, not with Mum potentially in danger.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I want to say that she never has to thank me… not for keeping her safe. I do it gladly, because it feels as natural as breathing. Instead, I nod and back away before my body does something stupid that my brain will chide me for later, like wrapping her in my arms again.
“You can wear my Docs,” Blake says. “They’re by the door.”
“Oh, yeah… much better than the slippers I came here in,” she says, offering Blake a small smile.
With both of us ready to go, I pull out my phone and dial Mum.
“Be careful, you two!” Falin calls behind us, as I open the door for Bailey. “I’ll work on the cameras.”
“Call us if anything’s up!” Damon adds.
