Page 20 of Protecting Clove
By the time she made it around to open the door for Neo, Bud was beside her. He pulled her into a quick hug before opening the door, letting Neo out.
“Bud! I did great on the test. I got all but one correct, but I did that on purpose so they didn’t think I cheated.”
“Oh, wow. That’s great.”
“Hello. I’m Thario.”
“Clove, and this is Neo.”
Thario shook her hand and then bent at the waist so he was closer to Neo’s level. “I’m Thario. It’s nice to meet you. This is Frog. He’s gentle, but if he gets a little too much, just tell me, and I’ll make sure he leaves you alone.”
“Hello, Thario.” Neo narrowed her eyes. “Your legs look different.”
Heat washed over Clove. “No, don’t say that.”
Thario chuckled. “She’s not wrong.” He pulled up his pants and showed them the metal. “I lost my legs in a battle.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ve never met a person who lost their limbs in a battle.” Neo leaned in. “What material did they use to make those?”
“Neo, be kind. You don’t have to ask him every question that comes to mind.”
Thario met Clove’s gaze and smiled. “It’s okay. I’d rather answer honest questions than hide the truth. This set is a mixture of carbon fiber and aluminum.”
Clove kept her eye on Frog, but it was like the dog understood he had to be different around Neo. It amazed her still that Neo could have a conversation with anyone willing to actually talk to her. Frog stood next to Thario as he and Neo talked about the different types of material used to make prosthetic limbs. The conversation was interesting, but Neo was asking questions Clove would have never thought to ask.
“Are you okay?” Bud asked.
She nodded. “I will be.”
“I’m so sorry we weren’t able to keep you safe.”
She put her hand on his arm and squeezed. “I’m good. And I know I’ll be fine because you guys are at least trying. All he knows is where I work. He didn’t follow me here, so I feel safe. And school ends in a few days. The security guards at the school know he is a nuisance, and they’ll get rid of him if he shows up again. I’ll be fine.”
“We’re going to make sure you are okay.”
They were inside, and Thario turned to face her. “I have an idea. You can say no, but I think it’s a good idea.”
She wanted to approach this with an open mind, but she didn’t know Thario. His dog was good and seemed to like Neo, but that wasn’t necessarily an endorsement for the man. “What is it?”
Thario glanced down at Neo and then at Bud. She noticed they both gave an almost imperceptible nod before Bud lowered so he was eye level with Neo.
“Hey, Neo, why don’t we get a snack? Then you can tell me about how you did on that test.”
Neo glanced up at her, and she nodded her approval. “Sure. Just don’t eat junk food.”
“I won’t.”
Bud led Neo into the kitchen, and Thario moved closer and spoke in a low voice.
“I have small devices that can be used to track people. I know you don’t know me, and having me track where your kid is may seem weird, but honestly, I would never abuse the trust people put in me. The device can go in the bottom of her shoe, and no one would know about it. You can wear a piece of jewelry with the tracker in it. It’s one of those just-in-case situations.”
She bit her lip, her mind tumbling over the information. Would she want this stranger to be able to track Neo? She didn’t know these people, but Bud was someone she trusted. He’d given her a key to his house, and though she didn’t like to snoop, she looked through a few closets and drawers, not finding anything suspicious at all.
“I don’t know you, but I need Neo to be safe.”
Thario glanced over to the kitchen, where Bud and Neo were talking animatedly. “You’re right, you don’t know me. Before my injury, I was an asshole. I slept with a lot of women, sometimes giving fake names so they couldn’t ever find me again. I was a jerk and a flirt. I admit I was the type of guy I would say you should never trust. Then I was blown up, and while I was lying in the hospital wondering if I was going to live or die, it changed me. I realized how shallow my life had been before. Sure, I was a SEAL, but I didn’t extend the commitment to my personal life. Bud is the real deal, though. He was never like I was. He’s not asaint, but he didn’t use women like I did. I can say with absolute certainty that you will be safer with us keeping track than you would be without the technology being used. Your ex may come after you, but we’ll have a lead, which could save you both.”
She studied Thario, noticing he had a few scars on his face. He held her gaze, never looking away or flinching under her scrutiny. She didn’t like giving up control, but she needed to be safe, and she needed to keep tabs on Neo’s location.
