by Claire Adams
I wrinkled my brows, finding his words exaggerated and overrated. I shook my head, the smile on my face permanent.
“Don’t flatter me with your flowery words.” I bit my lower lip, smiling at him as I gazed into his handsome face.
He looked at me with keen, expressive eyes, expressing the sincerity of his words. “You have always been beside us all the way. I can’t thank you enough. And even more than that, my heart is getting wrapped up in you. Be careful, lest you break it, okay?” He leaned closer, kissing my lips again.
I welcomed him warmly, kissing him back passionately. As I released his lips, I stared at him with so much desire. “You and Vince are the best blessings I have. I would never break your heart, or his. Never.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Hunter
“Where’s Garren?” Vince was looking around the gun shop, searching for my best friend. The two of us were alone today for work. I watched as my son sat back at my desk table, returning to the books he promised Kylie he would read for the day.
“He just called in and said that he would skip work today. Some important matters, he said.” I was guarding the display cases as I waited for customers to walk in. I looked at my son who nodded and opened one of his books, committed to fulfilling his promise to Kylie.
“Vince, are you really going with Kylie tomorrow?” I was hoping for Vince to come along with me and spend some quality time with his dad. Unfortunately, he nodded, and his eyes begged for him to tag along with Kylie’s visit to her friend.
“Yes, Dad. I want to see Cat. I will be happy to play along with a cute and cuddly baby.” He was pinching the air, imagining the soft cheeks of Bailey’s adorable toddler before him. I scratched my head, submitting to his wish.
“Well, then I guess I can’t stop you.” I knelt before him, stroking his dark hair as I stared into his eyes. “But you have to promise me that you won’t eat too many sweets. Check your blood sugar too, okay? Ask Kylie to inject the insulin on a schedule, okay?”
“I got everything, Dad.” He showed two thumbs up, smiling at me as he returned to my desk table. He sat and picked up one of the books, continuing reading to meet his quota for the day.
I let out a heavy exhale as I watched him read. My little boy was growing up so fast.
My attention turned to the customer walking up to the gun store. He was beaming brightly as he approached me, greeting me with a friendly introduction.
“Good morning, son.” He extended his hand, offering me a handshake.
I took it and smiled at him, ready to entertain the man. “Likewise, sir. What are you looking for today?”
He adjusted his round rimmed glasses as he looked at the shelves. He was an old man, around his late sixties, but he had a good physique and toned body. He had graying hair and a few wrinkles here and there. He had an accent like that of a Texas native, but I’ve never seen him before.
“You got a lot of good collectibles here. How long have you been working in this gun shop?” he asked as he turned around to look at the vast shop filled with varied sorts of guns and weapons.
“Almost a decade, sir.” I watched him, thinking of his background or occupation. From his stance, he looked like a man who had undergone tough training.
“Sorry, sir. But I’ve never seen you around. Where are you from?” His eyes were on the guns, studying the shelves of the long range rifles behind me. Finally, he turned his attention to me after a few seconds of silence.
“I was born here in Mesquite. I have been living here since I was a kid until I left for college in Missouri. I stayed there until I had my own family. It has become a rare chance for us to come back to my hometown, but now I have the opportunity to return.” He looked like a candid man with a lot of heart for his hometown. He pointed to one of the guns in the display case, asking me more about it.
“How about this one? Is this a good gun?” He was pointing over to a .45 ACP handgun, one of the best weapons to use in a fight against another man. It wasn’t a hunting gun, but rather fitted for a duel with a human enemy.
“That’s great for self-defense, sir. It can literally blow big holes in just about anything you point it toward and shoot.” I showed him the gun in the case as he examined it fervently. He looked impressed, but he put the gun down on the glass counter.
He nodded and walked more, keeping his eyes on the guns displayed.
I smirked, realizing that his question a while ago was a trick question to test my knowledge about the gun.
“As soon as I heard about the famous Hunter Yonnie, I swore to myself that I’d pay you a visit. The rumors are true; you are truly a gun expert with the biggest gun collection in town.”
I turned to look at him, amused by his awareness about me and my business. After entertaining himself with the abundance of guns around him, he turned to face me with a smile on his face.
“Well, I came around to buy a gun for my son. What do you think about a 9 mm Semi-Automatic?” I stared at him with confused, startled eyes. He was talking about a pretty deadly handgun. It was considered one of the best weapons that soldiers used in battle. It was more powerful and had plenty of rounds compared to the other types of guns. Only an expert killer or someone with a dire need to protect himself would own such a mighty weapon.
“I guess your son is a pro, then?”
He answered me with a laugh, but he avoided the question. Something was off. The guy was too nosy and a bit suspicious. I could not allow him to walk out of my shop with a fatal gun with him unless he answered me properly.
“How old is your son, sir?” I posed another question, hoping for a sensible reply from him. He shot me a baffled look, intimidating me with his sarcastic stare.
“Is that necessary?” He gazed for the 9 mm, finally finding the power tool sitting beside the other supreme handguns. His eyes were glistening as he looked at it with excessive want, or a bit of greed maybe.
“It is in this shop, sir. Someone who wishes to own a gun must be at least twenty-one years old. Plus, I’d rather not sell the gun to anyone other than the user of the weapon. We usually go over a little bit of gun safety and keep our purchase records together just in case. I’m sure you understand.” I clarified my point, stressing the matter. If he was an enthusiast, he should have known about this.
“Oh, is that so?” He sounded as if he were mocking me, as if he could purchase a gun without any restrictions. He turned his back and faced the exit, retreating from the shop with a wave of his hand. “I guess I’m buying the gun in another shop then.”
As soon as the old man walked out of the shop, I followed him. Vince watched in silence as I followed the man outside. I kept my guard up, making sure that my cover was safe.
I caught a glimpse of the old creep meeting another man waiting for him at the end of the parking lot. They were talking about something, but I couldn’t make out the words. I was too far away. I couldn’t see who he was talking to because he was in the way, but chill bumps raced down my arms and legs. With the guy breaking into Kylie’s place, maybe I was being paranoid. Overthinking things.
Finally, the old guy got in his car, and I could see who he was talking to. I recognized the younger guy’s face.
He was the same man who came into my shop a few weeks ago. The one who wanted to buy the illegal Scythe.
Coincidence? I didn’t think so.
*
Since there were no customers for the rest of the day, I decided to close the shop early and head over to meet Kylie at the convenience store. Vince was happy to meet her because he had fulfilled his promise to her. I kept his good mood intact, deciding not to tell him about the danger I could sense from the eerie men that visited my shop.
As soon as we arrived in the Tomms’ convenience store, Vince got out and ran inside to meet Kylie and Mrs. Tomms. Seeing him this gleeful made me forget about my worries for the moment.
I entered the store to see the two women greeting Vince. Mrs. Tomms was hugging my son.<
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“Did you take your medicines on time?” she asked, her face filled with worry. She treated him as a grandson, which left me liking her more than I did upon meeting her. She was a good woman, and we were lucky to have not only Kylie in our lives but her too.
“Yes, Nana. I also finished the books you gave me! I promised Kylie I would read them all today!” He turned toward Kylie, smiling at her from ear to ear.
Kylie gave him a high five. “That’s awesome, Vince. I knew you could do it.”
“Hi, Mrs. Tomms.” I walked over, joining their tiny reunion.
She turned to face me, smiling as I walked up to meet them. “Hello, Hunter. Thank goodness you came. We needed to lift some boxes from the back, but Kylie and I couldn’t even drag them. Can you help us?” she asked, but Kylie frowned.
I laughed out loud, ready to help them. “Sure, Mrs. Tomms. Let’s go.” I followed her lead as we walked to the back portion of the store. Several boxes were stacked around the area. I looked around, seeing three huge boxes piled together.
“The courier left them there without even asking where I wanted to put them. Too bad they were heavy.” From the label on the boxes, they were purified drinking water bottles. I lifted one as she led me through the store, telling me whether to go left or right.
After managing to put two boxes inside, I caught a glimpse of Vince helping Kylie with refilling the shelves. They looked perfect together. The two most important people in my life together.
“Come on, Hunter. There’s still one outside.” I nodded at Mrs. Tomms, following her orders.
As I went out to carry the last box, I spotted someone watching from a little ways away. He wore an all-black shirt and pants, with a black cap to cover his eyes. Even though he wore dark clothes, it was clear who he was.
He caught my eye as I stared at him. He looked unfazed, as if he was ready to compete with me anytime. His pale face stood out from his dark clothing. I even caught him smirking as we engaged in a standoff.
“Hey, Hunter, what’s taking so long?” I heard Kylie’s voice calling out to me.
She had just walked out went out of the back door when the man took off running. I looked at Kylie, who seemed surprised, her mouth open, eyes wide.
“What’s the matter, Kylie?” I asked, trying to read her mind.
She didn’t speak but seemed to be having a little trouble breathing.
I came closer to her, shaking her shoulders to wake her up. “Hey, baby?”
“That guy looks like the one who broke into my house.” She was still staring at toward where the guy was.
From the look on her face, she was terrified. I held her in my arms as I took her inside, hoping to give her some sense of security.
Telling her that the pale scoundrel was looking for an illegal gun would not be the wisest move. She couldn’t handle anything else.
And besides, I could figure this out and deal with the fucker myself. She was my girl. He’d have to go through me to get to her. Period.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kylie
I spent most of the evening trying to shake off the sense of trepidation sitting on my shoulders. It worked when I was deep in conversation with Hunter or Vince, but any time alone, and I found myself terrified. I got into bed with Hunter that night, snuggling up to him and trying to rid myself of the fear that clung to me. He was sweet and checked on me a million times, but there was nothing he could do.
I wasn’t imagining things. The guy who broke into the house was the one outside of the store. Why though? Was he targeting me? Did he know me? My thoughts stayed with me throughout the night, but finally, sleep overtook me, and I passed out, dreaming of a wedding dress and a handsome guy standing at the end of the aisle, waiting for me to start our forever.
The morning awakened me with its cool breeze. I squeezed closer to Hunter, pulling my blanket to cover my shoulders, but I guessed I would not be falling back to sleep anytime soon. My mind was wide awake at that point.
I squinted to find Hunter fast asleep beside me, his eyes closed in peace. His lashes were long and thick, a beautiful complement to his adorable face. His lips were parted a little, showing his perfectly carved, pinkish lips. I stole a kiss from him while he slept.
I stretched out from under the sheets, sitting up to stare out the window. It was starting to get bright outside. I stood up and yawned, smiling as I watched Hunter sleep comfortably in his bed. I pulled his blanket up, covering him against the cold. He had moved a little before I left the room, changing his position, but he was still lost to the world.
Despite my shitty night the night before, I had a renewed strength and vigor for the day. It had to be my dreams of marrying the man I loved, but whatever it was, I felt like luck was back on my side. I believed that it would be a great day.
I proceeded to the kitchen to make some coffee and prepare our breakfast. I hummed joyfully as I fried some eggs and bacon. I fixed the coffee next and then set the table for the three of us.
About that time, Hunter came in from upstairs and settled into his seat. I brought him a cup of coffee as he watched me, smiling brightly with his eyes still squinted from sleep.
“Good morning, sleepyhead. You look like you just woke up from a deep sleep.” I laughed at him to which he rolled his eyes. He still looked adorable though.
“I still look handsome, though.” It was me who then rolled my eyes back at him. I turned my back to get the other cup I had left in the kitchen. He was right; he still looked handsome.
Coming back with a mug in my hand and a glass of chocolate milk in the other, I returned with a big grin on my face. He looked at me with a teasing glare, mocking me about telling him how good looking he really was.
“You haven’t answered yet, Miss Early Bird.” he kidded, waiting for me before he ate his breakfast.
I nodded with a forced expression, pretending to be cocky. “Answered what exactly?”
He laughed at me, ridiculed by my expression. “Whether you agree that I’m handsome or not.”
“Was there a question in that?” I licked my fork and gave him a sultry look. He knew exactly how I felt about him. Handsome was an understatement. He was a god.
As I took an egg, he took his meal as well. Just when we were beginning to eat our breakfast, Vince came from his room, rubbing his eyes as he sat to eat with us.
“Come on, buddy. Eat up.” Hunter called out to him after taking a bite from his biscuit. Vince dragged his feet, still sleepy, but he sat and ate his breakfast.
We finished our meal full and happy. I went to clean up and wash the dishes, but Hunter stopped me and volunteered to do the work.
“Go get dressed. It’s your day off today; you should enjoy it.” I kissed his cheek as a sign of thank you and ran upstairs.
Vince got ready for our day too, far too happy for our visit. He was beyond stoked to see a baby and to help take care of her. Not that he helped much, but we would make him feel like he did. He needed a sibling. Bad.
As soon as I finished getting ready, I returned downstairs to meet Vince. He looked cute as always as Hunter tied the shoelaces of his rubber shoes. He gave Vince the insulin kit and reminded him of his rules, telling him he should not forget everything
“Yes, sir!” Upon seeing me, Hunter stood up and patted Vince’s head.
He turned to me and held my shoulders before leaning in and kissing my cheek. “Take care of Vince for me, hm?”
“Of course I will.” We always had this type of sendoff whenever the two were to part. It was sweet and thoughtful, but I memorized it perfectly well. Perhaps every parent should be as overprotective as Hunter was.
He watched as the two of us left, driving to Bailey’s house for the whole afternoon. Hunter was smiling as he waved, Vince doing the same to his father.
*
We arrived at Bailey’s house faster than I expected. The drive was quick and hassle free. Vince grabbed his backpack after I turned the car’s engine off, staring
at me to wait for my signal. I smiled at him and unlocked the doors, nodding at him that he could now get out of the car.
“Let’s go, buddy!”
“Yes. I’m so excited!” he squeaked as he got out of the car, eager to see the cute little girl. I got out and took his medicine kit, pocketing the keys to my car. I rang the doorbell and waited for a few seconds before Bailey opened the door.
“Oh my God, I’ve missed you!” She wrapped her hands around me, hugging me as if she hadn’t seen me in the past few years of her life. I spotted Cat crawling on the floor, looking at who came to visit her and her mother.
“Oh, there you are, little Cat.” I untangled from Bailey’s tight embrace and went straight to Cat. I carried her in my arms and kissed her cheek, missing the cute little angel for weeks.
Vince came closer, holding baby Cat’s hand as he stared at her. The little girl smiled at him, revealing her tiny teeth in a cute grin.
“She’s so cute,” Vince said to me, looking at the baby girl before him. “I want a sister. Do you think Dad will ever have more kids? Like brothers and sisters for me?”
“I’m sure he will.” I smiled down at him before putting Cat down and urging Vince to go into the living room with her. I turned to Bailey and caught her smiling, mesmerized by the thought that her little girl finally had someone to play with.
“Come on; I baked some chocolate cupcakes for you two,” she claimed, taking me to the kitchen. I gave her a disappointed look.
“What?” She gave me a baffled stare.
“Vince is diabetic. I told you a million times already.” I crossed my arms, dismay on my face as I stared back at her.
Bailey slapped her forehead. “Oh, shoot. Yeah, I totally forgot. I guess I’ll just be treating him out with pizza. You okay with that?” She looked at me with an apologetic gaze.
“He can have a piece or two, but I’ll have to give him a shot. Bread turns into sugar in the body too.” Vince would love it, and I’d just count his carbs and keep him safe. Besides, I hadn’t had pizza for quite some time, anyway.