Page 12 of Pike
That was it.
That’s how it would continue to be.
We all had our trauma, had bad shit that happened to us, but we didn’t all let it define us. That’s what I told myself, but I couldn’t get that look of fear that penetrated her green gaze out of my own fucking head. I didn’t want to know the details.
“What’s wrong, Mr. Pike?” Gemma hopped to her feet.
What was with this kid? It was like she had this sixth sense about my emotions. I stopped at the bottom of the steps and bent down to look in her eyes. “What makes you think something is wrong?”
Her eyes widened with fear, but it quickly vanished. “You got the crinkle line right there,” she said, rubbing her little finger between my brows. “So what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I sighed. “I was just checking on your mom.” I didn’t want to worry the little girl, but her mother was wound really fucking tight.
“Mommy is worried, that’s all,” she spoke in such a serious expression I had to blink to make sure it was a six-year-old. “She wants to keep us both safe. No matter what.” Those were, no doubt, words she’d heard hundreds of times during their time in Ashley’s house.
“Yeah, she does.”
“Auntie Faith said you’ll keep us safe.”
“Did she?”
Gemma nodded.
“And what do you think?”
She tilted her head and studied me carefully. “I think you will. You’re a lot nicer than Daddy and his friends.”
Well, shit. “I’m not that nice.”
Her smile grew. “You’re nice,” she insisted. “But you’re safe with me.”
She nodded. “I’ll tell Mommy.”
I was starting to see exactly why Ash wanted to protect this little girl.
Chapter Nine
Chloe
Iwasn’t sure what time it was, but I knew it was late because the quiet was oppressive. It wasn’t silence, it was too loud for that with the crickets chirping and frogs croaking. I stood in total darkness in the living room, not even the light of the moon broke free as I checked every window and door in a clockwise direction. The house was secure yet still I sat on the edge of the sofa, waiting for the monster to come.
Only the monster didn’t come but my tension didn’t lessen either.
I stood up and moved to the large window that looked over the long driveway, looking through one small space between the heavy curtains, in search of any hint of movement outside. Even the wind was still as if it wanted me to close my eyes and get lost in dreamland for a few hours, but I couldn’t. The cloud coverage muffled the moon and gave the night an ominous glare, the kind that always left me feeling uneasy. Still, I stood at the window and watched as the earth shifted away from the moon, putting it further away from my sight. My eyes strained to find any movement in the darkness, forcing me to blink, but I stood there unwilling to move.
Unable to move.
I had to watch out for danger.
To protect Gemma.
Nothing else mattered.
When my lids grew heavy I grabbed a bottle of cold water and sat on the edge of the sofa again, listening for footsteps or motorcycle engines. As it often did late at night when I stood sentry between danger and my little girl, my thoughts went back to the night that changed my life forever.
“What the fuck is that smell?” He burst through the front door, angry as he usually was lately, but it was more than his usual anger and that put me on edge.
“It’s dinner,” I assured him softly. “Your favorite, fried chicken and mashed potatoes.” We ate it at least three times every week. Without fail.
