“Because I didn’t call you? But I was going to call you. I tried to when I was walking towards the road, but my phone was dead.”
He let out a sigh, leaning back in his chair. “Okay, that’s something. I want you to know that you can always call me if you’re in trouble. No matter what the time is or what I’m doing. I’ll drop everything for you, Mari-girl.”
Okay. Wow. That was unexpected.
“The entire drive here all I could think of was the ways you could have been hurt or harmed. It was torture.”
“I’m sorry,” she told him.
“What happened? What made you leave your aunt’s house on foot at night?”
“I’d like to know that as well,” Ed said, walking back into the room.
“She hasn’t told you?” Linc asked him.
“Not exactly. She just keeps telling me that she’s fine. Figured she’d tell you, though.”
Linc leaned forward, staring at her sternly. “You’re going to tell me, aren’t you, Mari-girl?”
Linc studied Marisol. She looked nervous, unsure, frightened. There were some dirt stains on the high-necked sweater she wore. Flyaway bits of hair had escaped from her ponytail. He wanted nothing more than to pull her onto his lap and reassure her that everything would be all right.
However, he needed her to tell him what the hell was going on. Why she’d been wandering along the road at night. Once he got some answers, he could comfort her.
Then he planned on taking her home and never letting her leave.
Mine.
Deep breath, man. You can’t go scaring her with your possessiveness.
Marisol would learn to lean on him. Rely on him. He would be the first person she would call when she was hurt. He didn’t care if it was something serious or a goddamned stubbed toe.
He. Would. Know.
He wasn’t letting her get away from him. And she was going to be grounded for the next year anyway so . . .
Okay, man, ease up. She doesn’t even know what you are yet. Or about any of this. And she didn’t agree to any of your punishments or rules.
But still . . . the thought of keeping her ass inside his house for the next year was all that was stopping him from losing it. He was usually much more even-tempered. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d skated the edge of control like this.
Then again, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d cared about someone as much as he did her.
She was precious. And she needed to know that.
Marisol took a small breath. Her eyes were wide. Filled with fear. What the fuck?
“Marisol? You okay, sweetheart?” Ed asked as he sat across from them.
Linc shot him a look. He’d seen the way Ed watched her. Knew the other man was interested in her, even though Linc had made it clear to Ed that she was his.
No way would he lose Marisol to someone else. That wouldn’t happen again.
He liked Ed. But he’d take that fucker down if he tried to move in on what belonged to Linc.
“Teeny, look at me. Teeny,” he repeated firmly when she lowered her gaze to her lap.
She raised her eyes to his.
“Good girl,” he praised her, watching as some of the tension in her shoulders drifted away. “Hold my hands.” She reached out with trembling hands. He took them in his. “That’s it. Now take a nice, slow deep breath for me. That’s it. Slowly in. Squeeze my hands if you need to. Good girl. Calm, deep breaths. Nothing is going to hurt you. I’m here. Nothing is getting past me to you. I promise.”