Page 63 of At Last

“I’m scared, Duke.”

His voice grows hard. “What happened?”

“A little girl from Jade’s class. She was kidnapped today from the playground.”

I hear his sharp pull of breath when the words hardly finished leaving my mouth.

“She looks just like Jade. No joke, they could be twins.”

“Okay,” he says. And I appreciate the way he tries to soften his voice. “I’m on my way. Peaches with you?”

Like an idiot, I nod. Realizing he can’t see me, I speak up. “Yes. She’s right here.”

“Good. Right. Make sure she stays in sight, yeah?”

“Yes, Duke.”

“So talk to me.”

Jade and Teeny get tired of me not answering Jade’s question about Laynie and walk off back toward Jade’s bedroom. That’s a good place for them. Inside her room, inside the compound.

“Doc?” Duke prompts again.

“We can’t have sex yet.” Yes. That is what I blurt out into his ear, completely non sequitur to the conversation at hand.

The bastard laughs.

“It’s not funny. The doctor hasn’t cleared me for physical activity yet. You rub up against me every night. I’m horny as hell, and I don’t want some expertly coiffed, golf-loving, polo and khaki-wearing, tattooless man.”

“Pardon?” He’s still laughing.

“Nothing. I suppose you’re busy and need to finish up with what you have going on. I’ll let you get back to it.”

“Never too busy for you. Now talk to me. What was all that?”

Melting from his confession. He’s never too busy for me. In response to all that, I lose control of my faculties and tell him what I promised myself I wouldn’t. At least not yet. “I’m horny, I’m too scared to leave the house, and I think I love you.”

Silence. Complete humiliating silence.

I’m saved from having to endure his reaction when my other line beeps. “Someone is calling, I have to go.” Then I swipe to answer the other call.

Trish would be in class right now. Maryanne, at the law firm. That leaves one friend. “Hey, lady,” she says softly in lieu of a hello. “How are you today?”

I’d likely still be grieving over Jesse and know I’ll go back to it once my fear abates but for now I answer. “Did you get the amber alert?”

“No. Just got out of the shower. Why?”

“Do not go anywhere, but if you do,do nottake Gun without more than one escort.”

That gets her attention. “What’s going on? Cait, is Jade alright?”

“Yes. It’s—uh—not Jade.”

She breathes out heavily.

“But,” I continue. “It’s a little girl from Jade’s school.” My chest feels as if it’s being squeezed by a giant hand again. Tight. Painful. “She could be Jade’s twin.”

“Did you call Duke?”

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