Chapter 18
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Van
That comment resonates in my mind as we duck and weave around the crowd. There are clusters of individuals and those who are coupled up—all of them annoyingly in the way. As we approach the tent where Gagey is, I see that man again and all of my spidey senses begin to tingle.
“Riptide, that man from the arena, the one that was spying on and staring at me and Zoey is over there,” I tell him, pointing toward the right back corner of the pavilion.
He follows my line of sight and his entire body stiffens. “I see him. I need you to go inside and tell Indiana and Icer I need them.”
“Okay,” I whisper. “Be careful.”
“Always am, baby. Now hurry, I don’t want to lose sight of him.”
I scurry away from him and the closer I get to the tent’s flap, the faster my feet carry me.
As I make my way inside, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust. Once they do, my eyes roam around the enclosure until they find the men I’m searching for.
When they notice me, I wave them my way.
They must see something in my eyes that alerts them to my panic because they quickly make it to me.
“Van, what’s wrong?” Indiana asks, reaching out and gripping my elbow with a strong, yet steadying grip.
“Riptide needs you. There’s a man out there that made him get all stiff and growly. He told me to come get you and have you meet him. I think you need to hurry,” I press.
“Head over and stay by Zoey,” Indiana orders as he and Icer sprint from the enclosure. I’m not religious by any means, but I do know that there’s a higher power out there and I quickly say a prayer, “Please watch over them and keep them safe.”
I meander my way through the napping kids until I reach Zoey. “What’s going on?” she asks me. “The guys took off like their pants were on fire.”
“There’s this guy–”
“Isn’t there always,” she interrupts, sounding perturbed.
“It’s usually how all bar jokes begin,” I banter.
“True,” she responds. “What about this guy?”
“During the procession, I noticed this man staring at me, but then I also watched as he turned his head in your direction. He gave me the creeps, he had that dark persona that had all of my internal warning bells going off. When I brought him to Riptide’s attention, he’d disappeared.
After I gave his description to Riptide, he stiffened up and has been on guard ever since.
As we made it here, I saw him again. He was trying to blend in but instead, he was like a beacon to me and I found him easily. ”
“Tell me what he looked like, Van.” I tell her exactly what I told Riptide, and once I’m done she looks scared.
“You know who it is, Zoey, don’t you?”
“Without seeing him myself, I can’t say that I positively do,” she says, her entire body quivering including her voice.
“Who do you think it is?” I ask, reaching out and grabbing her hand in comfort.
“I can’t say his name, Van. He’s like Beetlejuice, you say his name too many times and he appears in a flash of smoke.”
“Surely, you’re joking,” I harrumph. I get the impression that it’s more like she doesn’t want to say who he is, because then, it’ll make this more realistic and detrimental.
However, I’m going to give this to her and not press the issue because I can’t imagine being in her position.
The fact that she can’t stop shaking reiterates my thoughts.
Whoever this guy is, he scares the bejesus outta her.
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this,” she sighs, moving closer to Elodie and sitting down beside her, combing her fingers through her hair. “If it’s who I suspect it is, he’s Elodie’s sperm donor.”
“The man who violated you and then later on had you kidnapped?” I ask, following her lead and sitting at Gagey’s head.
My maternal instinct kicking in, my only ambition is to keep my boy out of the evil-minded man’s sights.
I may not have all of the details, but I get the gist that he has no issues using kids to get what he wants.
“That’d be him,” she says, silent tears falling down her face. “He’s never going to give up, Van. Not until he has us under his command and can do with us as he pleases.”
“The guys aren’t going to let that happen,” I determine. “You and Elodie are everything to Indiana. He’d move Heaven and Hell to keep you both safe.”
“I know he will,” she returns. “But how many people will get caught in the crossfire when he does? I can’t stand the thought of innocents being hurt because a group of men believe we belong to them.”
I snort because I remember teasing Riptide about these men’s version of ownership.
But there’s a difference in the two styles of possession—the Kings want to love and protect us and the men who violated Zoey, they want to torture women and children.
After this talk with Zoey, I now comprehend the distinct difference between the meanings and how they can be misconstrued.
I’m not sure how long we sit here lost in our thoughts before the men come back. When I set my eyes on Riptide, I jump up from my perched position and rush him.
“It’s okay, I’m alright,” he soothingly says, running his hands over my hair as I leap into his arms, winding my arms and legs around him.
“Did you find him?” I ask, crossing my fingers.
“No, he slipped away but both King chapters are patrolling. We’ll find him, Van,” Riptide swears.
“And if you don’t?” I continue, frightened to hear what will happen if he’s not located.
He buries his head in my neck, saying, “Let’s cross that bridge when we have to. Right now, all I want to do is keep you in my arms where I know you’re protected.”
“Alright, Riptide.” I’m giving in a lot, which goes against my nature, but arguing with him and pressuring him isn’t going to get me any answers any faster than he’s willing to give them.
Like most things in life, I’ll bide my time and wait until there’s no other alternative than for him to talk to me.
“I don’t want to be here anymore, Riptide. Can you take me and Gagey home?”
“Let me make sure we have an escort, Van. I don’t want to take any chances when it comes to you and little man.”
“Okay,” I whisper. Even though I want to flee this place because it no longer feels safe, I’m thankful that he doesn’t want to take any risks when it comes to our welfare.
“Thank you, baby girl. I’ll be quick. Let me step outside and make a few calls then I’ll let you know what timeframe we’re looking at for getting out of here.”
He walks me back over to Icer and Indiana, lifts his phone and methodically shakes it from one side to the other, plants a kiss on my temple, and walks out.
“Feel like hosting a slumber party tonight, Van?” Indiana asks. “We’d feel better about letting you go back to your cabin if you had us with you. Riptide’s only one man and we don’t know if the man you saw came solo or in a group.”
“Where one thug goes another follows,” Icer adds. “They’re too much of a pussy to travel alone. If they found you here then they’ll find you there, and I don’t like it.”
“I’m not going to say no,” I coo, wanting to cut some of this tension that’s rolling off Icer. “If you think it’s for the best, then I’m going to comply because Gagey is the most important person to me. I’ll always do what’s necessary to keep him safe.”
Icer grunts before nodding his head. “You never have to worry about the kids as long as I’m around.”
“I know that,” I confirm. “It’s why I’ve let you take off with him on your own.
You’re the only person I’ve ever felt comfortable enough with to let do that.
I’m kinda protective when it comes to my boy, that’s the main reason I took a remote job so I didn’t have to put him in daycare. Too many kids, and not enough eyes.”
“You’re a good momma,” Icer praises, making my chest beat rapidly in my chest. This man doesn’t give out compliments often so the fact that he did so with me makes me glow.
“Thank you. And you’re a fantastic uncle,” I return, giving him the kudos he deserves. “If I had a lineup of men vying for that title, I’d pick you each and every time.”
“Is he blushing?” Indiana muses. “I’ve never seen him do that.”
“Shut up, asshole,” Icer growls, pushing Indiana causing him and Zoey, who’s casually tucked underneath his arm, to stumble back. When he realizes Zoey got tangled up with the stumbling, he hangs his head and his face turns sheepish. “Sorry, sis.”
“It’s okay, Icer. I’m fine,” Zoey reassures. “You’ve never hurt me and you never will.”
“Never,” Icer corroborates. “You aren’t supposed to hurt your family.”
“But you have no problems hurting me. Guess we know where I stand,” Indiana hisses.
Icer points at him and says, “At the bottom of the barrel.” Indiana grips his chest as if he’s in the midst of a heart attack. “I’m hurt, brother.”
“At least you’re in the barrel,” Zoey says, snickering.
“Suppose that’s better than nothing,” Indiana huffs.
“Asshole,” Icer rasps out.
“Takes one to know one,” Indiana rebuts, looking proud of his comeback.
“Enough, children,” I scold. “I’m beginning to sympathize with Riptide.”
“I’m wounded for life,” Indiana scoffs. “Why is everyone ganging up on me?”
“Because you make it easy,” I remark. Before anyone gets a chance to rebut, Riptide comes back in and leans down to kiss me.
His eyes tell me everything I need to know, the man hasn’t been found and it has him on edge.
“We’re hosting a slumber party tonight. You up for that?
” When his shoulders deflate, I know that the decision we made while he was on the phone making calls was the right one.
“Yeah, that’s doable,” he says, leaning over and placing his forehead on mine. “From here on out, we need to stick together. You aren’t going to be alone, ever.”
“That’s not a problem,” I promise him. “We won’t be in town much longer anyway.”
“You’re going to get mad when I say what needs to be said,” he tells me.
“What’s that?” I inquire.
“I called your landlord and terminated your lease. It’s not safe for you to be on your own and vulnerable, Van. I’ll move into the clubhouse full-time and you can take my house until you’re ready for us to live together.”
I should be angry that he took my liberty away from me, and in a way I am, but I’m also relieved because after today, I’m scared to be alone. “Is that the only way, Riptide?”
“I don’t see any other way to keep y’all protected, Van. I need y’all behind our gates.”
“Alrighty then. If I’m being honest here, that eases my mind,” I say, reaching up and winding my arms around his neck. “I was starting to not look forward to having my own place.”
“I’ll take care of you and little man… always.”
“Always,” I parrot, lifting up on my toes so I can reach him and plant a kiss on his lips. When I pull back, I say, “I’m counting on it.”