Chapter Three

 

 

“You need a car seat.”

He looked at the car and then looked at her.

“What’s a car seat?”

“It’s made to put children in to keep them safe in case of a crash.”

“I won’t crash.”

She smiled, his arrogance was showing, but it was surrounded by a confidence that he would do anything to keep them safe. It was sweet. It was hot, the kind that made butterflies spread their wings in her stomach.

“It’s not you I’m worried about. It’s all the other people on the road. Then there’s the fact that the law says you have to have one.”

“Call Deja maybe she will watch her for us.”

She took out her cell phone and looked at it. Was it chipped? Could her mother find her with it? She put it on the ground and began to stomp on it. Picking up the pieces she went back to his house and dumped it into the sink turning on the water.

“What are you doing?”

“People can find you by tracking your cell phone. I remember you told me once that no one was able to hack the protection you had surrounding your land, but what about when I leave it.”

“We will pick you up a new phone when we go out.”

He pulled out his phone to call Deja. “Hi, this is Cole. I was wondering if you would watch Mia until we come back. I don’t have a car seat. You would. He is. I hear him now, thanks.”

“What?”

“She said yes, and that Ven was already on his way over.”

“Hi, I let myself in.” He walked into the kitchen. “Why did you kill your phone?”

“My mother could trace it.”

“Here,” he pulled a phone out of his back pocket.

“I can’t take your phone.”

“Why? I have three. Mom said I went a little overboard on technology.”

“What did Enzo say.”

He widened his stance and straightened his shoulders. “Ven!” he whispered/screamed.

“Mom gave him a hug and told him to leave me alone. She said I had some catching up to do. She introduced me to video games you hook up to your television, and you can play online with other people. I’m making friends.”

“Enzo was telling me about it. You’ll have to show me the game.”

“Dad loves playing it although he acts like he doesn’t. I have to go to school as soon as they figure out how to get a…” He turned to look at Jessie and shut up.

“Don’t worry Ven I won’t tell anyone your secrets, I have too many of my own.”

Cole handed him Mia. “Tell Deja we said thanks.”

“I will.” They watched him walk out while Mia waved goodbye.

“You know she won’t even let my mother touch her without crying. We come here, and she let’s all of you pick her up and your all seven feet tall and as big as houses.”

He walked over and wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s okay. Ven didn’t mean to make you feel like you couldn’t be trusted. All of us have lived in a bad situation, and Ven grew up in one of the worse ones. He spent his whole life hiding although it’s different for him now he still remembers. Deja came along, and she didn’t care what he was. To her, he’s her son, and that’s all she can see.” He stroked her hair enjoying the softness of it. How would he ever give her up if she decided to leave?

“I understand. I know what it feels like to be overlooked and to be happy that no one is looking at you.”

“Your life hasn’t been easy.”

He felt her shoulders as she shrugged against him.

“What if we leave and they are there waiting for me?”

“Then they have to go through me.”

“Did you use to serve in the military?”

“How did you know?”

“Your fast. I would watch you while you were making drinks or catching something that had the nerve to fall.”

He laughed leading her to the car. “That’s what I think when a glass tries to fall. The nerve of you.” She laughed as she slid into the passenger seat.

Her hand gripped the door the other clutched his thick thigh as they made their way to Second Avenue.

“I don’t see anyone.”

“They haven’t given up they’re just regrouping.”

She watched as people walked up and down the street going on with their day.

“Why couldn’t I be one of these people?”

“Maybe your life wouldn’t be exciting, and you wouldn’t have met me.”

She turned to look at him. She wasn’t sure she wanted an exciting life, but she didn’t regret meeting him.

“Cole, am I too young for you?” She concentrated on the women moving up and down the street as she imagined their lives to be perfect. She was a single mother. Who wanted to be burden with that? Just because she was attracted to him didn’t mean he found her appealing. Fear her age-old friend, the one who seemed to rule her life at times was whispering cruel words to her.

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-five.”

“If Deja isn’t too young for Enzo you’re not too young for me.”

She nodded, the answer didn’t make sense, but sometimes Cole didn’t say things the way that made sense. She slid a little closer to him and settled in to enjoy the ride as fear resided allowing her to breathe normally.

“Why are we here?”

“Deja said Mia needs girl things if she was going to stay. She suggested I come here.”

“She doesn’t need anything.”

“Mia can sleep in the normal bed?”

It was too big for her. She got scared during the night and would fall off the bed. Her hand went through her hair tugging the strands.

“Cole…”

“Jessie let me help. I’m not asking you to make a commitment, and I know you might leave. Just let me help while I can until you make up your mind.”

“Thank you.” She’d been fighting alone for so long to have someone who could see a little bit into the darkness that surrounded her made her feel like there was a chance.

“Mia sleeps in a crib I found in a second-hand store. She’s big enough for a little girl bed. Something like the one in the back room of The Wolves Den.”

He walked over to her and helped her out the car and took her hand as they made their way into the store. They waved at a sales person standing on the floor.

“Can I help you?”

“We're looking for a bed.”

“How old is the child?”

“She’s sixteen months.”

“We have a great selection of toddler beds.”

They followed her to the beds as they looked around.

“I always wanted to come in here. I never did even after I got a job at the club.”

She walked towards the beds looking at each one of them. “Is there one you like?”

“I don’t know anything about beds.”

“Yet you brought me to this store. Which do you like?” She walked over and hugged his arm leaning against him.

He walked her over to the one he liked. “This one. There are railings on three and a half sides.”

“This is a daybed, and it’s perfect. I like this one the color is espresso. Look it even has a drawer in the bottom.”

“That’s the color I would have picked.”

They moved on and picked a mattress as well as anything Jessie thought Mia might need. Then there were the things that Cole picked out, stuffed animals and toys. Games that would help her learn.

“You can’t get her all of this.”

“Why not?”

“She’ll be spoiled.”

“Spoiled? Like bad meat?”

Her head was shaking as she smiled at him. “I keep forgetting only one baby lives with all of you. That seems odd. When you spoil a child, you give them whatever they want. Then they want more and more.”

“Did you have a stuffed animal when you were a child?”

“No, my mother didn’t believe in spoiling us.”

“Did you have toys?”

“No.”

“I watched television with Enzo, Deja, and Ven. I have seen many little girl’s rooms with animals and toys they did not seem to be spoiled.”

“You’re right, but Mia isn’t used to having anything.”

He nodded and walked away from her leaving her standing at the checkout counter. She was embarrassed as she looked at the cashier. Did he leave the store? What was she supposed to do?

“We want this one too.”

Her eyes widened when she saw the size of the bear. “Mia will love it.”

“This one isn’t for Mia; it’s for you.” He placed it in her arms.

“When can I get the purchases?”

“The next day I have open for delivery is Wednesday.”

“If someone can come get them can you have them ready? I really need the bed tonight.”

She looked from him to Jessie who was hugging the bear like it was made of diamonds.

“Parents come in here, they’re happy but harassed, and I’ve never seen one do that. I need three hours, but I’ll have all of it ready for pickup.”

“Thank you,” Jessie told her as she walked towards the door still hugging her bear.

“When I first came here I thought there was a catch. Deja said no one would touch me, but I didn’t believe her. They allowed Mia to sleep in the back room, they fed us, and still, I waited for the other shoe to drop. There wasn’t a catch, and now you bought me the biggest bear. It shouldn’t matter, but it does. You didn’t have to do it, and I can repay you. I mean I can repay you for everything I had to pay rent at my mom’s, but I still have some money left. I don’t tell her how much I make.”

“No repaying, let’s see if we can get the bear into the car.” They tried to get him in the back seat passenger side, but he was too big. Finally, they put him in the middle seat. Cole had the back door opened on the driver’s side, and Jessie had the back door opened on the passenger side. Together they were holding him down and trying to buckle him in. Her eyes gleamed with happiness.

She climbed into the front of the car laughing. “Someone is going to look into the car and see this huge bear in the back and then look at us like we are crazy.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the store. We need to get Cream of Wheat, which I can make. We need apple sauce and sausage because little mouths like it.”

“Did you like it?” She looked to see if he would blush. It was probably the color of his skin that kept him from blushing.”

“I did taste the food I wanted to make sure it was acceptable for Mia to eat.”

“Was it?”

“It was very tasty. There were new flavors I’ve never tasted before.”

He wanted to take care of her, but maybe she could take care of him in return. When she first started waitressing there Deja told her the guys were lonely; they would be happy for someone to talk to. That included Cole, and she wanted to take care of him as long as possible.

She wanted him to know before she had to run that he was worthy of being taken care of, worthy of love.

 

*~*~*~*

 

He looked at her to see she was asleep. This day was taking its toll on her. She was worn out and scared. He took a hand and touched her leg enjoying the heat that he could feel through her clothes.

No one was touching her or Mia. He would have to kill whoever was coming after her. Fortunately, he was taught to kill the minute he was able to walk. Disposing of the males wouldn’t be a problem. The mother would be the problem.

Jessie loved her mother even though she knew she wasn’t any good. He would ask Deja about it later. She was the only earth female he knew. The mother would try to control her. How was he going to break that without killing her? Maybe he should get rid of her and not tell Jessie? That was an option, and he would save it as his last choice if nothing else worked.

He didn’t care who the person was they would no longer hurt Jessie and Mia. He was claiming them. How would Jessie react to that?