by Erin Bevan
Of course Beauty would be looking forward to taking care of Nathaniel. She was one of the kindest and most caring people he knew. The way she worried and looked out for him when he got the blow of who his real dad was, she hadn’t been concerned with the danger surrounding her, only him.
“Thank you,” Mary said, “but I’m sorry. I haven’t heard anything about you.”
“All for good reason.” He wrapped an arm around Annie’s waist and pulled her close. Her safety had been his number one priority from the beginning. Now that Duke knew they were together, it was safe, and for the best others knew now, too. If the town got the message Duke and Annie were over, maybe Duke would, too. Even though a sinking feeling in his gut told him otherwise. “Annie has been under Guardian protection.”
“Ah, I see.” The mother nodded. “Well, it’s wonderful to meet you. And I cannot thank you guys enough. I’m willing to pay you for today.”
“We wouldn’t even think of it.” Annie took the blue backpack Mary passed her. “We’ll take good care of him. Is it okay if we take him fishing and walking in the woods? There are trails, and we’ll make sure he stays with us.”
The boy did a little hop. “Yeah, yeah.” He nodded to his mother.
Mary laughed. “Looks like he’d love that. He packed some movies he likes in the bag.” She glanced at her watch. “Oh shoot, I have to leave, or I’m going to be late. My numbers are also in the bag if you need to get a hold of me.”
Bear beamed a smile and glanced up at him like he was a true-life hero. He couldn’t hold back his own grin. “We’ll be fine. Don’t worry about us,” Tank assured.
“Okay.” She bent down to kiss her son. “Love you, sweetie. I’ll see you this afternoon, okay.”
“Okay. Bye, Mom.” Nathaniel waved her off, and Annie closed the door. “Jeesh. I thought she’d never leave.” The kid rolled his eyes.
Beauty suppressed a giggle.
“Dude, your mom loves you. Be thankful.” Tank ruffled Nate’s hair, his hand covering the size of the boy’s scalp. He should be taking his own advice. “Did you have breakfast?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, well, what do you want to do today? Want to go fishing before it gets too hot?”
“Yeah!” Nathaniel bounced on his toes.
“Then let’s go fishing.” Annie squeezed the little guy by the shoulders. A blush crept up the kid’s cheeks.
“Don’t go getting any ideas, Bear. She’s mine.” He ruffled Nathaniel’s hair again. “I’ll meet you two by the dock.” He stepped outside to grab an extra fishing pole out of the garage. This was going to be a fun day. Nathaniel had been put through hell and back. A feeling he knew all too well. He’d be sure they all had a great time. Even if he had to perform clown tricks to make the boy laugh.
Behind the house, Beauty and Nate stood waiting, while Alfred ran into the water, his tail wagging, as he chased the ducks.
Tank’s heart gave pause watching the two together, the impression of a ready-made family standing on his dock. He’d never given a family much thought before, but now, seeing the two together had him thinking. Could he be a father one day? Would he be a good one?
A slight breeze blew through the air, causing Annie’s hair to fly in the wind. She hardly ever wore it down, but man, when she did, another protective claw secured her place in his heart. She was beautiful as she held Nathaniel’s hand and pointed to the birds in the water. “We can feed them later if you want,” he heard her say as he walked closer.
“Will he hurt them?” Bear asked.
“Naw.” Tank laid the pole down. “Al’s just excited. He likes to chase them, but he never hurts them. We’ve even got a couple of new babies. Anytime he tries to get close, the mother duck will hiss and spread her wings like this.” He opened his arms wide, impersonating the momma duck. “Alfred runs off with his tail between his legs.”
Beauty laughed. “Big baby.”
Al jumped out of the water and ran over to them by the dock before he shook full force. Nasty creek water flew everywhere.
“Oh, Alfred.” Annie threw her hands up to protect her face.
“Ha!” Tank hooted, and Bear joined in on the laughs. “I guess that’s what he thought about you calling him a big baby.”
“I guess so.” She wiped her face with her sleeve then bent down to pet his nasty dog. “Bad boy, Al. Bad boy.”
“Can we fish now?” Bear bounced in anticipation for his day’s adventure to begin.
Coming out to the water with his gramps, he’d been excited all the same. Something about the open air and open land that had him just as eager as Nathaniel was now.
“Of course, sweetie.”
Annie hooked a worm through each of their lines, and he taught Bear to cast. Once all lines were in the water, the three of them sat there in silence. Bear’s leg twitched over the dock. Tank glanced over Nathaniel’s head and gave Annie a slight wink and nodded toward the anxious child. He was bored already. She smiled in return.
As if on cue Nathaniel asked, “So, now what do we do?”
Beauty echoed his laughter, their thoughts in sync with each other. The boy was impatient. Then again, he was only seven.
“We wait,” Annie said.
“On what?” Nathaniel gave him a questioning look.
“On the fish to bite,” he said.
Bear slumped his shoulders as he held his pole. “This could take forever.”
Yep, impatient.
“It could.” He passed Annie a slight grin. “Or it might not.”
Ten minutes into their babysitting adventure, and he and Annie had already bored the boy. He glanced around the land, thinking what they could all do together when his gaze landed on the tree. Of course. What kid didn’t love climbing trees?
“I tell you what, kid. You want to do something more active?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, give me your pole.” He took Nathaniel’s rod and placed it in the rod holder. “We’re going to climb a tree.”
“No way. Really?”
“Really. Follow me.” He brought Bear over to his and Annie’s tree. “We’re going to climb to that first limb. You think you can handle that?” The branch sat about ten feet off the ground. Plenty to make any child feel like they’ve climbed something without going too far up where he could do serious damage if he fell.
Lord, please don’t let the kid fall.
“I’m going to go first. Watch where I put my feet.”
“Okay.” Bear nodded.
“Hand here. Foot here.” Tank placed his hand and his right foot on the tree truck showing Nate exactly what to do. “Then pull.” Going slow, so Bear could follow his movements, he pulled himself up then positioned himself on the branch. He reached down his hand. “Okay, your turn.”
Bear did exactly what he’d instructed, pulling himself up with no problem.
“Good job, Nate,” Annie hollered from the dock. “You did it.”
Just then Bear’s line gave a little tug. Beauty jumped up and took hold of the pole. “Looks like you caught a fish,” she yelled as she reeled in his line for him.
Nate shimmied down the tree in excitement. “Let me see. Let me see.” He ran to the dock as Annie grabbed the line and pulled his fish closer to him. The little perch thrashed and wiggled for its life. “Wow. Cool.” His eyes widened and his face lit up as he reached out to touch the fish. “It’s slimy.” He let go, and wiped his hands down his pants. “What do I do with it?”
“Up to you, man.” Tank squatted down beside him, and glanced at the fish. “But I would suggest you throw it back.”
“Throw it back?” Bear glanced at him, his little brows creased. “Why?”
“Well, because he’s really too little for us to cook and eat. He can grow and get bigger, then we can catch him another day and eat him, or maybe one of the new baby ducks could eat him.”
“Or he could just swim and live.” Bear’s brows smoothed back to normal as he stared at his catch.
“Yeah. Can we put him back?”
“Sure, sweetie.” Beauty unhooked the fish and tossed him back in the water.
“Want to try again?” he asked Nathaniel as he reached for the worm bucket.
“No. I don’t want to fish.”
He stopped mid-reach and faced Nate again. Fishing was about the only entertainment he had for the little guy. Besides an all day movie marathon, and staying inside on such a beautiful day seemed like a crime. “What would you like to do then?”
“I want to climb more trees.”
That, he could do.
“Sounds like a great idea. Let’s go. I’ll race you.” He shot to his feet and ran for another tree, Bear running fast behind giggling, while Annie followed.
This was going to be a great day after all. While he had never thought much about kids and family, being next to Bear and sharing the boy with his Beauty made him think a family was something they could share in the future. Perhaps, even the near future.
Chapter Thirty-One
“You boys ready to come down from there? I’ve got lunch ready,” Annie yelled across the lawn.
He and Bear had climbed trees all morning. The kid’s balance was exceptional for being so young. But Tank was glad for Beauty’s lunch call. He was hot and hungry.
“What do you say, little guy? Ready to eat?”
“Yep.”
He helped Nate shimmy down the tree.
Annie stood at the bottom ready to catch him. The two of them worked as a team. The way it should be.
“I see you scraped your knee on the trunk.” She pointed to Nathaniel’s leg. “When we get inside, I’ll get a Band-Aid for you.”
“Thank you, Miss Annie.” The boy smiled.
“You are just the cutest thing ever.” She bent down to give him a kiss on the top of his head.
Tank landed with a thud right beside the two of them. “I think I have a booboo, too. Can I have a kiss?”
“No.” She smiled and shook her head. “But I’ll give you a Band-Aid.”
“No fair.”
Following the two toward the house, Bear placed his little hand in Annie’s, swinging it back and forth as they trotted up the back steps. The vision becoming exactly what he hoped his future would hold.
Inside, three place settings held turkey sandwiches and potato chips.
“I love chips.” Nathaniel shrieked as he dropped Annie’s hand and raced to the kitchen table.
“Me, too, kid. But you aren’t eating until you wash your hands. Go.” Tank pointed to the bathroom. Bear’s head dipped before he ran to wash up.
“Man, you’re tough.” Beauty poked him in the ribs. “But same for you. Wash up.”
Following orders, he headed for the kitchen sink. Bear hurried back to the table and pulled his chair out, the wooden legs scratching the floor.
“Nate, I was thinking after lunch, since it’s so hot outside, we could watch Batman. Want to?”
“Yeah. That’s that symbol on your dandana, right?”
“Bandana, kid, and yes, you’re right.”
“Why do you like Batman so much?” Annie sat beside Nathaniel.
“It helps him not be scared anymore,” Bear said matter of fact.
“What?” Annie gave him a confusing look.
No one but his mother and Bear understood his love for Batman. Now, it was time he told Annie. “That’s right, Nate.” Turning back to Annie, he explained, “It’s a long story, but Batman had something bad happen to him as a kid—”
“Did his dad beat him, too?” Nathaniel picked up a potato chip, examining the size.
Tank gripped the kitchen sink. Poor kid thought beating was normal. Of course he would. “No, Bear, he didn’t. But a bad guy hurt his parents real bad. And Batman made it his mission to keep the city of Gotham safe from bad people.”
“I see.” Annie nodded in understanding. “I always thought you were a superhero.” Her eyes held a twinkle of love.
“What’s a mission?” Nate asked, oblivious to the moment he and Annie shared.
“A mission is a purpose, or a goal. Batman’s goal, or his desire, what he wanted was to keep the city safe from bad guys. And that’s what I want to do. I had something bad happen to me as a kid just like you. I want to keep other kids safe from bad guys.”
“So, you’re like Batman?”
“I try to be.”
“Oh.” The kid shrugged. “That’s cool.”
“Very cool.” Annie tapped his leg as he sat.
Perhaps Father and Steele had been right. His bad past really did help him help others.
His phone rang in his back pocket. He didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”
“Is this—?”
His phone cut out. He moved his head to the side. “Hello? Hello?” Damn reception.
“Tyler Wilde?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“This is Bra—“
“Who?” He asked again. Moving his head to the side again.
“Bradley Moore from the hospital.”
Finally, he could hear. The voice sounded deep, but young. One he definitely couldn’t recall ever hearing.
“Okay. Can I help you?”
“Yes.” The voice shook. “We have a patient here by the name of Clara Wilde. She’s been in a car accident, and—
“What? An accident? Is she okay?”
“She’s in surgery now. It’s standard for us to call the next of kin.”
Next of kin. Surgery.
“What are her injuries? Can you tell me?” Tank pushed his chair out from the table. Searching for his keys.
“No…I umm…I’m not a doctor. I was just informed to call you to tell you in case you wanted to come to the hospital.”
“What hospital?”
“Black Widow Medical Center.”
His mom hadn’t even made it out of town this morning?
“Yes, of course…thanks. I’ll be right there.” He clicked off the phone.
“Tyler.” Annie rushed to his side. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s my mom. She’s been in an accident. I guess on her way out of town. She’s in surgery. At the hospital.” His mother. He’d been so nasty to her while she was visiting. Would that be the last time he ever got to talk to her again?
“Oh my God. Go. Here.” Annie thrust his jacket to him.
“You…you have to come. Both of you.” He glanced at Nathaniel, sitting by the kitchen table, a scared look in his eye.
“Honey,” Annie whispered. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. He’s seen enough, and the last time he was in a hospital…” She didn’t finish her words.
She was right. The last time Nathaniel graced the corridors of a hospital was when he’d been an abuse patient. And, honestly, Tank had no idea what he was about to see. He didn’t need a child seeing him break down if something happened to his mother.
“I have to go, but I can’t leave you alone.”
“Yes, you can. We have the alarm. I’ll call Sandi, see if she’s willing to come out and help when she’s done at the diner.”
“But, Duke. Annie, it’s not safe.”
“I have the alarm, Tyler. I have Al, it’s the middle of the day. We’ll be fine. I promise.”
Torn. His heart was completely torn between his two loves, his mother in the hospital receiving surgery, and Annie, his lover, here at the house, alone. “I’ll call Father, see if he can come out.”
“Do it on the way. I’ll lock up. Go. Now.”
“I’ll try to be fast. I’ll call you as soon as I know something. Set the alarm behind me.”
“Of course. Be careful. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed her hard on the lips. When he pulled back, Nate still stared at him, a confused look in his eyes.
“Bear.” He stepped toward the kid and knelt down, eye level. “I hav
e to go to the hospital. My mom, she’s sick. Can you take care of Annie for me while I’m gone? You’re the man of the house. You think you can handle it?”
The boy squared his shoulders and nodded.
“Good. No going outside, okay? Not until I get back or Father comes, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good deal.”
“Are you scared?” the kid asked.
“Yeah, Bear. I am. A little.”
“You have Batman.” Nate pointed to the bandana sticking out of his jacket pocket. “He’ll help you.”
“You’re right.” Tank placed the bandana over his head. “He will. See you soon.”
He kissed Annie one more time. “Lock up,” he said before he rushed to his bike and tossed on his helmet.
His mom. Shit, how could this be happening? After their time together, and the way he acted. He had to get to talk to her again. Tell her he loved her.
Hands shaking, he dialed Father’s number. Straight to voicemail.
“Hey, man, it’s Tank. I need your help. My mom’s been in an accident, and I’m headed to the hospital. I want someone at the house with Annie. Please, get to her as soon as you can.”
He clicked off his phone and revved his bike.
His mom had to be okay. She just had to.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Duke gripped the steering wheel of his truck tighter and waited on the call. The call that would set everything in motion for him to get his Annie back.
When he found out Daddy Biker and the ogre weren’t speaking, he knew exactly how to lure the giant away. A phony phone call from the hospital about the woman they shared in common. What he hadn’t expected was for the giant to put in an alarm system for Duke’s dear little fiancée.
Not that an alarm system scared him. He could convince anyone on the police force the trip of the alarm was an accident. But what he didn’t know was if a signal went to the giant’s phone when the alarm tripped. Not that he couldn’t take out his opponent. He had a gun after all. Problem was, he couldn’t get his hands dirty.
But as he’d watched the alarm guy install the false sense of security for his dear Annie, he realized there was a card sitting in his back pocket. The rookie card.