Page 95 of Savage Empire
“Got something here for you,” I tell Leon with a grin. “One very sleepy candy monster, express delivery.”
“Hi, Daddy,” Leo greets, nearly flinging himself out of my arms and into Leon’s. He shoves his half-empty cotton candy bag at his Dad’s chest and lays his head down. “All done.”
Chuckling, Leon presses a kiss to the top of his son’s head. “Do you want to leave soon,figlio?”
“No leave.”
Cassio chuckles at the quick response. “Looks like you’re stuck here, at least until he passes out.”
“Hand him here,” Armani says, joining us. “I’ll wake him right up.”
“You’ll shake his brain if you toss him around anymore today,” Colton chastises, following behind his friend.
Armani waves him off. “Don’t be dramatic.”
My eyes scan our surroundings as the family interacts, catching on a lone figure sitting in the grass. A girl with her head down and hands on her shoes, no other kids around.
“Be right back,” I say absently, feet already moving.
She doesn’t look up as I approach, like she doesn’t hear me coming.
“Stupid,” she mutters, sounding frustrated.
“Need some help?” I ask, trying not to startle her.
Her head snaps up, bright eyes narrowing at me. “No.”
I bite back a laugh at her confident denial. “Are you sure? It’s no trouble. I’m volunteering here with my good friend Ana; that basically makes you my boss. I have to help you if you tell me to.”
Her nose scrunches. “You’refriends with Ana?”
I hold a hand over my heart, feigning offense. “Do I not look cool enough? Or is it the accent? None of her friends sound like her since she lives here now, you know?”
“Whatever,” she huffs. “I don’t need your help.”
“I don’t want to be annoying,” I say carefully. “But I can see that you’re struggling. If you want, I can just tie them really quick for you and disappear so I’m not bothering you anymore.”
Her face turns as red as a tomato and her eyes well up. “I’m not stupid, you know! It’s not my fault they didn’t show me how.”
“Hey, hey,” I say quickly, sympathy hitting me in the gut. “I’m not judging. My parents didn’t show me how either. The only reason I know how is because my sister taught me.”
The girl, probably only eight or nine, looks at me. She scrutinizes my face, like she’s trying to figure out if she believes me.
“Fine,” she relents, standing up. “You can help me.”
The pride I feel for getting through to this obviously guarded kid is immense. I feel like a fucking superhero.
I kneel down and start working on her laces, trying to move quickly before she changes her mind and kicks me in the face or something.
Almost done with the final loop, I look up. Gone is the grumpy defense mechanism, all I see on her face is the look of pure terror. I start to stand just as the first scream rings out. The back of my neck prickles with awareness, and I hear the sound of a gun cocking from behind me.
I don’t think, I act, covering the young girl with my frame.
Bang.
My back burns and tenses.
And then all hell breaks loose.
