Page 77 of Big Bad Wolfe

A full two blocks from the Center at the end of the street, the garish red and black gang signs and obscenities scrawled on the faded blue building became visible.

Zane frowned. “Red and black. Disciple colors. Same gang as Calvin’s older brother.”

“You checked up on my kids!”

“Only doing my job, sweetheart.”

Jillian’s lips trembled. “Calvin wouldn’t do this!”

“Maybe not, but his brother Jerome might object to you interfering with his family.”

“Well if Jerome thinks he can hassle Calvin when he’s under my protection, he’d better think twice!”

Zane set his jaw. “You’ll stay out of it and letmedeal with the bangers.”

“I’ve dealt with them before. Gang members aren’t shy about expressing their objections when anything starts drawing their buddies away.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to now.”

As they got closer, she glanced worriedly over her shoulder at Casey, belted into his booster seat. “I don’t want him to see.”

“Hey, buddy,” Zane caught Casey’s eye in the rearview mirror. “Want to play a game?”

The little boy grinned at him. “Sure!”

“I bet I’ll win, though.”

“Nuh uh.” Casey shook his head. “I will!”

“You’re on. The game is called ‘guess where you are’ and you have to close your eyes and keep them closed until I say you can open them. I’ll take you someplace and you have to guess where you are. If you even sneak one little peek, you lose.”

“What do I win?”

“A dollar.”

“A whole dollar? Yay!” Casey scrunched his eyelids tightly shut.

Jillian expelled a soft sigh. “Thank you. I’m so upset, I can hardly think.” When they pulled into the parking lot and she saw the full extent of the damage, her face crumpled and she started to shake.

Zane gave her a reassuring smile as he parked. “You can play too,” he murmured, too low for Casey to hear. “If you close your eyes, I’ll be happy to carry you inside.”

Her eyes stayed wide open, but a wobbly grin tipped the corners of her sexy mouth. “I’m afraid I’d want more than a dollar.” Her expression turned mischievous. “How much are you offering?”

He pressed his lips to hers in a light kiss, and couldn’t resist taking a thorough, delicious taste of her. “There you go.”

“Mmm,” she whispered, watching him. “That’s nice. For a down payment.”

Glad he could momentarily ease her distress, Zane exited the car. He opened the back door. “Still got those peepers shut tight, young Skywalker?”

Casey giggled. “Yep.”

“No cheating, now.” He scooped up Casey, waited for Jillian to unlock the school’s door, and hustled him into the main office. “Don’t open ‘em yet.” He set the kid on his feet. “Where are you?”

“Inside the Center, silly,” Casey said. “That was easy peasy!”

“Youaregood.” Mission accomplished, Zane forked over the promised dollar.

Jillian unlocked her office. “I’d better start calling. If you man the other line, we can notify everyone twice as fast.”

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