“What the freight train are those?” complained Sadie as she caught sight of what he was holding.
Lorenzo peered at what he had in his hands. “Do you really not know?”
Sadie gave him a playful pout. “You’re right – I know they’re hiking boots. What I’m really curious about is why are you bringing them near me?”
He gave her a lopsided smile. “So that we can go hiking,” he said patiently. “Borrowed them from one of my sisters in law.”
“Aha. I thought we established already that I’m not a hiker.”
“I thought it might grow on you. We’ll take it slow.”
He chuckled as she gave him a doubtful look. Last night had been a little rough, but he kind of felt that he had made some progress with Sadie. His jaguar was practically purring in happiness. Yes, he was still wary, but Roberto was sure it wasn’t another hunter, and he trusted his prime enough to take Sadie out for a hike - if she agreed to go.
Sadie stared at the boots. “Okay, let’s compromise – I stay here, and you go hiking?”
*
“I can’t believe you talked me into this,” Sadie groused.
Yep, she was out in the wild - hiking and hating it again. Twice in two days – that had to be a record. Surely no one else on the planet had ever been hiking twice in the space of two days! Okay, they probably had, but this was a record for her. Jeez, the closest she’d come to nature before now was Al’s country club.
“Are you sure it’s safe to be out here?” she asked again, hoping he would tell her that they had to return to the house immediately and watch the shopping channel.
“I’m sure,” he said with depressing surety. “But we won’t go too far. Let’s stop here for something to eat.”
“Oh thank god.”
He placed the cooler he had been carrying on the ground and spread a blanket out.
Sadie dropped to the ground. “Oh, my poor feet. What was that like seven or eight miles?”
Lorenzo dropped down beside her. “One mile tops. You’re really bad at distances.”
Sadie snickered. “Yeah, I don’t think I’ve walked anywhere since…”
Since Al gave her a car – it was her first car, and he presented it to her on their second date. Back then she was impressed by flashy and extravagant gestures. Now, not so much.
“Since?” he prompted.
He started pulling out pots of food and Sadie inhaled the delicious scents.
“This all smells gorgeous.” She unwrapped a chicken – a whole chicken doused in a delectable concoction of spices - and had to stop herself from drooling on it.
He frowned at the topic change but didn’t push her. “My dad made most of it.”
“He did? I’m impressed.” Al always refused to do any chores in the kitchen. If he ever actually turned the oven on it was by accident because he thought he was turning the overhead fan on.
“I helped,” he added quickly.
“I’m doubly impressed,” she chuckled. “Do you come up here often?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
Sadie looked around, and she had to admit, it was beautiful. “It’s nice.”
“It’s quiet. Not many others come here.”
She opened a tub of couscous and scooped some up with her fingers. “Tell me about yourself,” she said in between mouthfuls.
“Haven’t you heard enough about me?” he asked quietly.
“Tell me something more. You want me to live in the leap, so tell me about your life in the leap.”
She’d heard about the worst time in his life, but she actually wanted to know about him.
“Not much to talk about. Three brothers, mama, dad. I work as an enforcer for the leap. Nothing else to say.”
Sadie snorted. “No, you’re right, growing up in a jaguar leap where there’s a shortage of females, so you have to kidnap them is perfectly run of the mill. So what’s up? You guys having trouble conceiving girls?”
He opened his mouth in surprise.
Sadie waved a hand a tad smugly. “Don’t look so shocked. C’mon, I spotted it in the first ten minutes I was allowed out of that locked room. Apart from two teenagers all the kids here are boys – that’s pretty odd.” She narrowed her eyes. “Unless you’re hiding the girls away and this is some weird creepy cult?”
“Nothing like that,” he muttered.
“No, I didn’t think so – I know weird creepy cults, an ex tried to get me to join one.”
Lorenzo growled.
“This was after the first disastrous marriage. We went on two dates, and then he wanted me to join his cult. He made it sound like he could solve all my problems and give me nothing to worry about.” Sadie snickered. “He was under the impression the leader was going to take us all away to a far-off planet to live in bliss while the earth would get hit by a comet. They had a countdown clock and everything.
“But enough about my dismal dating life, what’s the deal here?”
He let out a long breath. “We just can’t have girls. No one knows why. It’s something we can’t explain. We used to think we were cursed but, no one can work it out. Most girls don’t get conceived and those who do…”
Lorenzo’s face tightened, and Sadie’s stomach lurched.
“That’s awful; I can’t imagine…”
Her eyes welled with tears. She didn’t know what she would have done if she lost Mandy, or if she ever lost her. A little while after Mandy was born she fell pregnant again but suffered a miscarriage. It had been sad and awful, and it was just one of those things that happened – no one to blame, and Sadie had only wanted to focus on Mandy after that.
Al, while not a comforting person, at least hadn’t argued about wanting more kids – no, he was quite content to be possessive over just Sadie and Mandy.
Lorenzo watched her carefully and handed her a handkerchief.
“I’m sorry, I…”
She wished she could speak to Mandy. She wanted to hear her voice.
Lorenzo’s arms came around her. He didn’t say a word, just pressed her to him and she hiccupped into his neck.
“Okay we’re getting a bit depressing here,” she mumbled after a while, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but let’s eat and then do some more hiking.”