overturned, yer name would be cleared and we can formally charge Hadley,” Abe told them.
Roxanne felt frustrated. She leaned back against the back of the couch. “Darryl’s good at keeping his secrets.”
“Maybe, but we’re the best at finding secrets. It’s what we do,” Abe reassured her, taking her hand in his.
Abe meant to comfort her but her body couldn’t help but respond to him. She felt heat travel from their clasped hands up her arm and through her whole body. “If I stay here, what about the club?”
“Lexi and I will be taking care of the club. I’ll have Isaac monitor your apartment and the club. Abe will stay here to guard you,” Vic answered. He stood up and walked over to Lexi as she came down the stairs.
“Your mom and I packed some of your and Cici’s things and we stopped to pick up some groceries because we knew Abe wouldn’t have much, him being a bachelor and all,” Lexi told her. “Cici is playing with her dollhouse. I knew that was her favorite thing so I made sure to bring the toys she would want the most.”
Roxanne stood up and walked over to her friend. “Thank you so much for everything you’re doing for us. I feel bad putting all of you out. Vic’s using his bounty hunters as security, and you’re working without a day manager at the club. I’m putting people in danger.”
Lexi hugged her. “You’re family, and we take care of family.”
“Yes, we do.” Vic agreed, touching Lexi’s shoulder gently to give comfort. “We need to get going so that we have time to get the club ready to open tonight.”
Abe stood up. “I’ll check the perimeter alarms and make sure they are working. It will let us know if anyone gets close to the cabin.” He walked with Vic and Lexi outside.
Roxanne turned to her mother. “I’m scared, Mom.”
“I think Abe and his friends are your best chance to finally defeating Darryl. Trust your friends to help you do that.”
“It’s hard to trust others when it’s just been the three of us.”
“Yes, and you’ve shouldered the burden of taking caring of us all by yourself. Now, you have a big strong man like Abe and he seems very capable of handling Darryl.”
“I hate placing others in danger. I don’t want anyone to get hurt on my behalf.”
Her mother stood up and came over to her. “I know, and they do too. All of them understand the danger they are facing but are willing to face it to help you. You have to be strong enough to let them help.”
She sighed. “I’ll try. I’m not used to putting our safety in someone else’s control.”
Her mother cupped her cheek. “Baby steps then. Slowly let Abe in your life. Come with me to the kitchen, let’s make dinner, I got the ingredients for chili. I figured a big man like Abe would appreciate it.”
“Okay.” She was glad that the kitchen was open to the living room. She would be able to watch out for Cici if she started to come down the stairs.
Chapter 10
Thirty Minutes Later
Abe could smell the food before he came inside the cabin. “Wow, that smells delicious.”
Roxanne looked up at him and smiled. “That’s Mom’s famous chili.”
He rubbed his flat stomach. “I love chili. Where is yer mother and Cici?”
“Cici’s been playing with her dollhouse. Mom went upstairs to bring her down for dinner. I’ve set the table. If you want to go ahead and sit down, I’ll serve you.”
“Ye don’t have to do that.”
“It’s the least I can do. What would you like to drink? Mom made tea but I saw you had some beer in the refrigerator.”
“A beer would be fine, thanks.” Abe sat down feeling a bit awkward. He should be the one taking care of her since it was his home, but it was also a pleasant feeling to come home and have someone there waiting on him. He watched her as she flitted around the kitchen getting plates of food and bringing them to the table. She looked like she belonged there.
He
Roxanne felt frustrated. She leaned back against the back of the couch. “Darryl’s good at keeping his secrets.”
“Maybe, but we’re the best at finding secrets. It’s what we do,” Abe reassured her, taking her hand in his.
Abe meant to comfort her but her body couldn’t help but respond to him. She felt heat travel from their clasped hands up her arm and through her whole body. “If I stay here, what about the club?”
“Lexi and I will be taking care of the club. I’ll have Isaac monitor your apartment and the club. Abe will stay here to guard you,” Vic answered. He stood up and walked over to Lexi as she came down the stairs.
“Your mom and I packed some of your and Cici’s things and we stopped to pick up some groceries because we knew Abe wouldn’t have much, him being a bachelor and all,” Lexi told her. “Cici is playing with her dollhouse. I knew that was her favorite thing so I made sure to bring the toys she would want the most.”
Roxanne stood up and walked over to her friend. “Thank you so much for everything you’re doing for us. I feel bad putting all of you out. Vic’s using his bounty hunters as security, and you’re working without a day manager at the club. I’m putting people in danger.”
Lexi hugged her. “You’re family, and we take care of family.”
“Yes, we do.” Vic agreed, touching Lexi’s shoulder gently to give comfort. “We need to get going so that we have time to get the club ready to open tonight.”
Abe stood up. “I’ll check the perimeter alarms and make sure they are working. It will let us know if anyone gets close to the cabin.” He walked with Vic and Lexi outside.
Roxanne turned to her mother. “I’m scared, Mom.”
“I think Abe and his friends are your best chance to finally defeating Darryl. Trust your friends to help you do that.”
“It’s hard to trust others when it’s just been the three of us.”
“Yes, and you’ve shouldered the burden of taking caring of us all by yourself. Now, you have a big strong man like Abe and he seems very capable of handling Darryl.”
“I hate placing others in danger. I don’t want anyone to get hurt on my behalf.”
Her mother stood up and came over to her. “I know, and they do too. All of them understand the danger they are facing but are willing to face it to help you. You have to be strong enough to let them help.”
She sighed. “I’ll try. I’m not used to putting our safety in someone else’s control.”
Her mother cupped her cheek. “Baby steps then. Slowly let Abe in your life. Come with me to the kitchen, let’s make dinner, I got the ingredients for chili. I figured a big man like Abe would appreciate it.”
“Okay.” She was glad that the kitchen was open to the living room. She would be able to watch out for Cici if she started to come down the stairs.
Chapter 10
Thirty Minutes Later
Abe could smell the food before he came inside the cabin. “Wow, that smells delicious.”
Roxanne looked up at him and smiled. “That’s Mom’s famous chili.”
He rubbed his flat stomach. “I love chili. Where is yer mother and Cici?”
“Cici’s been playing with her dollhouse. Mom went upstairs to bring her down for dinner. I’ve set the table. If you want to go ahead and sit down, I’ll serve you.”
“Ye don’t have to do that.”
“It’s the least I can do. What would you like to drink? Mom made tea but I saw you had some beer in the refrigerator.”
“A beer would be fine, thanks.” Abe sat down feeling a bit awkward. He should be the one taking care of her since it was his home, but it was also a pleasant feeling to come home and have someone there waiting on him. He watched her as she flitted around the kitchen getting plates of food and bringing them to the table. She looked like she belonged there.
He
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