“You finally told her huh?” R.J. fixed me with his usual lazy smile.

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad. You’ve been flirting with her so long I thought you would never make a move,” Jake teased.

“Shut up Jake,” I laughed. “Both of you know how long I’ve cared about her.”

“Dude, I can’t even remember a time when you haven’t talked about Rae,” R.J. laughed. He put on his best mimicking voice. “Have you seen how pretty Rae looks today? Have you ever seen a smile like that? Isn’t she beautiful?” he batted his eyelashes.

Jake chimed in, his hand over his heart, “Rae’s so smart. Rae’s so pretty. Rae. Rae. Rae.”

I punched both guys in the arm and sat between them on the tailgate, “Yeah, ok, so I love her and I have for a long time. So what?”

R.J. shook his head, “I’m only jealous bro.”

Jake snickered, “I’m gonna make a move on Hayley. Girl is gorgeous.”

I nodded, “Almost as pretty as Rae.”

All three of us laughed, watching the previews play ahead of us on the large outdoor screen.

“Let’s all go to the lobby to get ourselves a treat.”

I smiled at the cartoon with dancing treats as they sang the old commercial. I lay back against the bed of the truck, my arms behind my head, and looked up at the newly darkened sky. The stars would be out before long, twinkling above the drive-in in hundreds of little white lights. Rae always loved the stars and swinging beneath them as the movie played . . .

***

“HOLD PETER’S HAND SO you don’t get lost. Hurry back now, don’t dawdle.”

“I will daddy.”

I clasped Rae’s hand tight, “I’ve got her, sir.”

A hand squeezed my shoulder, “I know you do, son. Take care of my little Rae of sunshine.”

“I will.”

I walked with Rae to the concession stand, clenching her hand as tight as I could without hurting her. My palm was sweaty, but I pretended I didn’t notice, “What do you want?”

I didn’t let go of her hand while she rose up on her tiptoes to get a better look at the popcorn machine and candy, “Milk Duds and popcorn with butter.”

She always chose the same two things, “And Cherry Coke?”

Her eyes met mine and my stomach did a little flop. Rae was so pretty, “Yep. Come on Pete.”

I pretended to be annoyed when she dragged me along but secretly I was enjoying every moment. Last week I turned ten. This little excursion was to celebrate with my dad, and Rae and her father Ron but the one person I wanted here the most was her.

“Rae, we need to go back.”

She giggled, “I want a hot dog too.”

I shook my head, “We just went out for pizza.”

Rae stuck out her tongue at me, “I’m still hungry. You ate it all.”

I grinned mischievously.

“I did not,” but I had.

She pulled from my grasp and ran down the aisle, nearly colliding with a few friends from school. I knew a moment of heart-pounding panic until I saw her handing money over to the clerk.

“You aren’t supposed to run away like that,” I reminded her, nearly yelling. “Your dad will get mad.” Not just her dad but Mack too. I felt sick at the idea of losing her or finding her hurt.

She shrugged, “He won’t stay mad.”

He never did, not at his little Rae of sunshine. I smiled once we had all of our treats, unable to stay frustrated. I insisted on carrying everything except for the popcorn since she was eating it by huge handfuls as some of it fell to the ground below.

“Come on, Rae. Keep up,” I teased as we made our way back to the Nova.

“Don’t go so fast!” She yelled, laughing, “I’m losing all my popcorn.”

“No, that’s because you’re messy.”

She made another face at me.

“I was wondering if you were going to come back,” Ron teased.

I handed over the change and smiled, “I kept her safe, just like you asked.”

“So you did, Pete. Good job. I know I can always count on you.”

“Wanna go back to the swings?” I asked, hoping she’d say no. I wanted to sit next to her in the backseat instead of chasing her all over the drive-in when she got bored.

“Nah, I want to eat my treats.”

Rae and I smiled at each other as we climbed into the backseat. Two hours later, a popcorn fight, the second movie playing, and entirely too much sugar; Rae had fallen asleep on my shoulder. I felt big and important that she trusted me like that. My eyes fluttered as I listened to my dad talking to Ron in the front seat.

“You have a good boy Mack. He’s strong and reliable, even at such a young age.”

“He’s tough. I’ve had to make him that way,” Mack admitted, shaking his head. “I don’t want anything to happen to him. He’s all Rae may have someday.”

“I know Mack, but he’s got a good heart, and that’s what is important to me. I can trust him with my daughter.”

“He’ll protect her. I’ll make sure he knows the truth once he’s old enough.”

Both men turned to look at us in the backseat. I wasn’t asleep but pretended to be. This conversation was important, but it didn’t make a lot of sense.

“They look pretty cute together, don’t they?” Mack asked, his eyes lingering on his son.

“They do. Maybe someday they’ll love each other, but we have a lot of long years before that happens. I’d be happy to know he was there for her in that way. Rae already trusts him.”

“Yes. Someday will be here before either of us know it, Ron. If we ever make it that far.”

“We will. We have to . . . for them.”

I yawned as Rae snuggled closer, falling asleep only a minute later.

***

TEARS FILLED MY EYES as I blinked them back. That was one of the last times I ever saw Ron. The last place he ever took his daughter. That’s why Rae loved the drive-in. That’s why she would have the exact same treats she had that night. I never had to ask what she wanted. I knew.

Inhaling a deep breath and releasing it, my thoughts settled on her instantly. I glanced at my watch. Twenty minutes. What were the girls doing? Could it take that long for popcorn and candy?

“Dude, they’ve been gone a long time.”

I opened my mouth to agree with Jake when I heard a screech of outrage, seconds after I felt intense anxiety and fear wash over me.

Rae needed me. Now. I felt her pull, her desire for me to protect.

She was reaching out, using our strange connection.

“Rae,” I nearly growled as I leaped over the side of the truck and dashed toward the concessions, dodging around the crowd to get inside the small building.

“Shove off!” I heard Hayley yell from the right.

I ran to Rae and stopped next to her, placing a possessive kiss on her lips, “Hey babe. Missed you.”

Several guys stood around the girls, entirely too close for my liking.

“Hay, baby, where did you run off to? Been waiting for you,” Jake slid his arm around Hayley’s waist and kissed her neck.

“I ran into a rat,” Rae fumed. “They tried to steal our treats.”

She was clutching at her Cherry Coke, Milk Duds, and butter popcorn like a life raft, “Hey love, everything is fine.” I turned to the guys who backed off a little when Jake, R.J., and I showed up. “Got a problem?”

Without being obvious, I gave them a look. I knew these guys, had seen them the same day Bryce showed up at the high school and knew if they were here . . . Bryce was probably close.

Shit.

One of the guys lifted his shirt, revealing the cool black frame of a Glock, “You packin’?”

I lifted my shirt at the same time as Jake and R.J.

“Always.”

Every shirt dropped as an employee walked past the aisle to an open register.

I was losing my patience. Rae seemed afraid, “What did you say to my girl?”

One of them stepped forward, “I know who you are, man. We got no problems.” He held up his hands a little too innocently, “My apologies.”

My eyes narrowed and I ticked my head at the guy, “Where’s Bryce?”

“Gone dude,” he spat with a laugh. “Just wanted to meet this little cutie here. She sure is sweet.”

I snarled at the guy as I felt R.J.’s hand grasp my shoulder, “Get the fuck out of my sight.”

Any threats would fall on deaf ears as the only one I needed to speak to wasn’t here. On purpose. Bryce proved his point. He could find Rae whenever he wanted.

She wasn’t safe.

Fucking hell!

The Outlaw members turned and left, disappearing quickly into the crowd. Damn.

I had managed to stay away from trouble lately, but now it seemed trouble was finding me again in the form of the rival MC. This was the third encounter in a week. Bryce was starting shit, and Rae was too close to all of it. She was going to be pissed when I restricted her freedom, especially alone, but without me or one of my guys she was vulnerable.

The problem was, I couldn’t tell her why.

Rae stomped off, Hayley right on her heels as I frowned.

“They must have scared her,” R.J. looked as pissed as I felt.

“Go take care of Hay, Jake. I’ve got to talk to Rae.”

I found her by the swing set, her long legs lightly swinging back and forth. How many movies did we come and see as kids and play on the swings before it became dark? Too many to count.

“You going to tell me what happened?” I asked gently, sitting in the vacant swing next to her.

She sighed, “I hate bullies.”

I knew that and exhaled loudly, “Did he threaten or hurt you?” I had to take a deep breath and maintain my cool. I asked the question like I was some growling animal. Overprotective was putting it mildly.

She sighed, “Not really. They just wanted to have some fun and pick on a couple of cute girls.”

If only that were true.

I caught her gaze, “Come here.”

She shook her head, biting her lip.

“C’mere baby. Please?”

She stood, still holding her bucket although the drink was safely on the ground a few feet away.

“Put the food down and come closer.”

She set the popcorn next to her drink and turned as I grabbed her. She squealed, loud enough for a few people to look our way but I didn’t care.

Laughing and tickling her, I pulled Rae into my lap and held her close against my chest, burying my nose in her hair, the scent of coconut filling my senses, “Rae, you know that I’ll always protect you right? Don’t you remember my promise?”

She nodded, “Yeah, Pete. I do.”