Page 209 of Saving Her

He keeps his gaze downcast. “Yeah… okay.”

This isn’t the running, giggling kid from this morning. The boy standing in front of me is defensive, with his shoulders pulled back and his brows pinched.

“Is everything all right, Toby?”

His gaze snaps to mine, his eyes set in an exaggerated glare. “Everything’s fine.”

“You sure? You seem agitated.”

He huffs. “I’m just fine.”

I raise my brows and incline my head. “Okay. How about the others? Are they all fine, too?”

His lip curls.

This kid, who’s apparently fine, looks like a fight dog about to attack.

“They’re fine, too,” he grates.

Yeah. Right.

“How ’bout you?” He glares at the swollen side of my face, despising my injury. “Are youfine?”

“I got sucker punched.”

He puffs out his chest, as if pleased. “I know.”

“Decker and I got into a bit of an argument.”

“I know that, too.”

“You saw?”

“No, Iheard. Decker punched you because you were hurting Penny.”

I push from the bed and the kid scampers backward, his arms falling to his sides, his aggressive expression transforming to fear.

I raise my hands in peace. “Calm down, little guy. I would never hurt you. Or her.”

“You already did. That’s why Decker hit you.” He stands taller, his face filled with defiance as fear enters his eyes. “You’re just like my father.”

“No. I’m not. I’m nothing like that piece of shit.”

“You lie,” he snarls. “You brought her somewhere she doesn’t want to be to make her do things she doesn’t want to do. Just like him.”

I jerk back, blindsided. Is that what he thinks happened? Is that his justification for us being here? “That’s not what this is, Toby. This isn’t like Greece.”

“It’sexactlylike Greece. She’s scared and you hurt her. She doesn’t want to be here and you’re forcing her.”

“It’s not like that.” I keep my hands raised. “I’m trying to protect her. She’s here so we can keep her safe.”

“Safe from what? I thought we were here for family time.”

Fuck.He’s got me there.

“Luca?” He tilts his chin as if victorious. “They told me we were here so I could get to know everyone.” His words drip with saccharin sarcasm.

He knows.

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