The Marine Finds His Family. Angel Smits

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      Tammie slumped back against the brick wall, trying to be as nonchalant as he was, and failing to ignore all the questions racing in her brain.

      She was fairly certain he was debating something more than the bike, but she didn’t really know him, did she? Despite the fact that they’d been intimate, that her memories were filled with the boy she’d spent those nights with, the truth was that this man was a stranger to her. She shivered. A stranger who could, and most likely would, hurt her. Not physically. No, she knew that somehow. But he had the one thing that could hurt her most—Tyler.

      She inched away as he paced. She hugged her backpack close, her security blanket.

      “You promised him, damn it.” The words erupted from DJ’s throat, breaking the quiet night. His pacing brought him back to her, close enough to touch. She gripped the pack tighter. “You told him you were coming back.”

      “I didn’t say when.”

      “A week is an eternity to an eight-year-old. It’s been months.”

      “I didn’t know it would take this long.”

      “What would take this long?” he demanded, leaning in, blocking her path but not touching her. He waited silently and she knew he was debating what to do next.

      “Okay, fine, Tammie.” He reached out and grabbed her arm again, gently but firmly. “Since you won’t tell me, you’re going to tell him the truth yourself.” He moved toward the big bike, not letting loose of her arm, essentially dragging her with him.

      “I’ll scream if you don’t let go.”

      He laughed. He actually laughed, glancing around the darkened street, looking mockingly at the alley she’d been trying to get to. “Don’t think anyone’s gonna hear you, darlin’,” he drawled.

      They’d reached the bike when she wrenched her arm from his grasp so hard there’d probably be bruises later. She caught her balance before facing him.

      “I’m sure they’ll hear me in the diner.” Derek would be in the back room washing dishes. It was only two blocks. He might hear her over the rattle of the plates and glasses in the racks as he sprayed them.

      Yeah, who was she kidding?

      “Maybe.” DJ crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her. “But will they do anything?”

      They both knew no one would come to her defense. Not in this neighborhood. Not this time of night. Her heart sank. “Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

      DJ paced away. She didn’t bother running—he could catch her before she got far. But would he?

      DJ cursed. “You have no idea what you did to him, do you?”

      This was not going well. She’d done the right thing in sending Tyler to DJ. And in the same situation, she’d do it again. But without telling him everything, she couldn’t make him understand.

      She closed her eyes, picturing her son’s sweet face, trying to pull the sound of his laughter from her memory. “I have my reasons. Good reasons. You have to believe me.” She turned and, instead of running, slowly backed away. “I can’t go with you. I won’t.”

      The dim light blurred and she nearly stumbled on a broken concrete chunk she couldn’t see through her tears. She righted herself, and instead of crumbling, she lifted her chin and watched her step, hoping she looked more determined than scared.

      The deep throaty roar of the motorcycle startled her, but she quickly recovered, keeping her stride steady and sure. He’d gotten the message. He wasn’t coming toward her. He was leaving. Going back to Tyler. She almost stumbled once more. In a couple of hours he’d be seeing her baby again while she’d still be here, waiting tables.

      An ache settled tight in her chest.

      Then the soft rumble came closer rather than fading. She looked over, expecting him to ride past. Instead, he left the engine running as he sat on the bike, using his booted feet to keep pace with her as she walked.

      “You have your reasons?”

      She nodded but didn’t explain or stop. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the picture, this time handing it to her.

      He was going to kill her emotionally. She ignored him as she drank in the sweet image.

      “Get on and you’ll see him once I’m satisfied with your answers.”

      She had no intention of going anywhere near Tyler until she knew it was safe. “And if I don’t?”

      He stopped, pinning her with that glare again. Except now the anger was replaced with a hard glint. “He’s my son. I have full legal custody. I’ll use every legal trick in the book, and then some, to make sure you never, ever see him again.”

      He was serious.

      She’d never planned on this. She’d sent Tyler to him to keep him safe, fully intending to go back and get Tyler once she’d solved the danger she’d put them in. She’d known DJ would protect him...but she hadn’t expected this. This possessiveness. This territorial protectiveness.

      Panic froze her. Never see Tyler again? Never read him a bedtime story? Never hear him whisper, “I love you, Mama”? Never again smell that sweet little-boy scent mingled with dirt as he hugged her?

      Her knees threatened to give way. She struggled to breathe. In slow motion, she slipped the precious picture into her backpack then settled the bag back on her shoulder. She stopped and turned toward the big man on the even bigger bike. Its rumble made her think of a tiger and its throaty roar vibrated through her bones.

      She had no choice. She knew it. He knew it.

      Slowly, Tammie shook her head. Tears blurred her vision and spilled over her cheeks at the movement. “I’m not getting on that gawd-awful motorcycle. Never.” She didn’t have to fake the shiver. “I can’t,” she whispered.

      She’d rather lose Tyler this way, knowing he was safe, than lose him to the danger following her.

      Slowly, Tammie backed away, one painful step at a time.

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