away.
“That’s because I am too young to be a mother.”
His eyes swept over my body and I wished I had more clothes covering me. Because of the heat, my usual attire was a tank top and jean-shorts. “What are you twenty?”
“Eighteen,” I said, raising my chin.
He smiled. “You’re still legal.”
“I’m legal but it doesn’t make me ava ilable,” I said, trying not to flinch as his eyes traveled over my body.
“She’s also engaged,” sai d Nora, who appeared beside me. “To a martial artist who could take you out with the tip of his finger, if he really wanted to.”
He looked amused more t han anything. “A real tough guy, huh?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t need anyone’s protection. I can take care of myself.”
He put his foot on the bench and leaned against his knee. “I suppose you can, if you’ve survived this far. Truth is, I’m not a threat, so you can both just relax.”
“Everyone’s a threat,” said Nora.
“Why do you say that?” he asked.
“ Because we’ve both had our share of trouble in the last few weeks and they also tried giving us the same line of bullshit,” said Nora.
His eyes narrowed. “Oh, is that right?”
“Yep,” she smiled coldly. “ Neither of us are naïve, defenseless, or stupid. So you can save yourself a lot of embarrassment and pain by taking what you need for food, and be on your way.”
Dwayne reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. “I think you have me all wrong.”
“Maybe, but I don’t really give a shit one way or the other. You’ve obviously been in prison and that tat near your eye, which you’re proudly displaying, speaks volumes. So, if you think you’re going to pull any wool over our eyes, you’re wasting your time.”
“I got that tattoo when I defended myself in prison.”
“It’s one thing to defend yourself, it’s another thing to go bragging about killing someone using a tattoo, Dwayne,” I said. “By the way, smoking isn’t permitted in the courtyard.”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then put the cigarette pack back into his pocket. “Can’t believe I’m letting a couple of little girls like you bust my balls,” he sighed.
“We haven’t even started,” muttered Nora as he turned and walked away.
“He gives me the creeps,” I said.
She nodded. “He’s dangerous too. I just hope they leave soon, so we can get the heck out of here and back to Minnesota. I feel like we’re wasting too much time, here.”
“ I know,” I said. Besides wanting to find my grandparents, my heart ached for Bryce along with the others. I just wanted to finish this mission and get back to the hotel. “But Henry is afraid those two men are a major threat to the nuns. We can’t leave until they’re gone.”
“Well, they’d better be gone by tomorrow or I’m going to run their asses out of here myself,” said Nora, her jaw set. “And I’m serious, Wild.”
I wasn’t sure how she’d do it, but there was no doubt in my mind that she would.
That night we slept on the floor of the church with the children, taking shifts to watch over everyone. Since both men had been in prison, we didn’t trust any of the kids alone with the strangers. Henry volunteered for the first shift, me for the second, and Nora for the final. When it was my turn, I wrapped a blanket around myself and hunkered down on a pew with the gun hidden underneath.
“Keep your eyes on those two,” whispered Henry as we stared at the two sleeping men. “I trust them about as much as your lead foot.”
I smiled and shook my head .
He smiled back and then his face became serious again. “Don’t let them get you alone, Wild. I know you’re good with those karate moves and everything, but those two are giants compared to you. It wouldn’t be too hard for them to pin you down and hurt you.”
I pushed the horrifying image away. “I’ll be fine.”
His lips thinned. “I’m serious. You didn’t see the way
“That’s because I am too young to be a mother.”
His eyes swept over my body and I wished I had more clothes covering me. Because of the heat, my usual attire was a tank top and jean-shorts. “What are you twenty?”
“Eighteen,” I said, raising my chin.
He smiled. “You’re still legal.”
“I’m legal but it doesn’t make me ava ilable,” I said, trying not to flinch as his eyes traveled over my body.
“She’s also engaged,” sai d Nora, who appeared beside me. “To a martial artist who could take you out with the tip of his finger, if he really wanted to.”
He looked amused more t han anything. “A real tough guy, huh?”
I nodded. “Yes, but I don’t need anyone’s protection. I can take care of myself.”
He put his foot on the bench and leaned against his knee. “I suppose you can, if you’ve survived this far. Truth is, I’m not a threat, so you can both just relax.”
“Everyone’s a threat,” said Nora.
“Why do you say that?” he asked.
“ Because we’ve both had our share of trouble in the last few weeks and they also tried giving us the same line of bullshit,” said Nora.
His eyes narrowed. “Oh, is that right?”
“Yep,” she smiled coldly. “ Neither of us are naïve, defenseless, or stupid. So you can save yourself a lot of embarrassment and pain by taking what you need for food, and be on your way.”
Dwayne reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. “I think you have me all wrong.”
“Maybe, but I don’t really give a shit one way or the other. You’ve obviously been in prison and that tat near your eye, which you’re proudly displaying, speaks volumes. So, if you think you’re going to pull any wool over our eyes, you’re wasting your time.”
“I got that tattoo when I defended myself in prison.”
“It’s one thing to defend yourself, it’s another thing to go bragging about killing someone using a tattoo, Dwayne,” I said. “By the way, smoking isn’t permitted in the courtyard.”
He stared at me for a few seconds and then put the cigarette pack back into his pocket. “Can’t believe I’m letting a couple of little girls like you bust my balls,” he sighed.
“We haven’t even started,” muttered Nora as he turned and walked away.
“He gives me the creeps,” I said.
She nodded. “He’s dangerous too. I just hope they leave soon, so we can get the heck out of here and back to Minnesota. I feel like we’re wasting too much time, here.”
“ I know,” I said. Besides wanting to find my grandparents, my heart ached for Bryce along with the others. I just wanted to finish this mission and get back to the hotel. “But Henry is afraid those two men are a major threat to the nuns. We can’t leave until they’re gone.”
“Well, they’d better be gone by tomorrow or I’m going to run their asses out of here myself,” said Nora, her jaw set. “And I’m serious, Wild.”
I wasn’t sure how she’d do it, but there was no doubt in my mind that she would.
That night we slept on the floor of the church with the children, taking shifts to watch over everyone. Since both men had been in prison, we didn’t trust any of the kids alone with the strangers. Henry volunteered for the first shift, me for the second, and Nora for the final. When it was my turn, I wrapped a blanket around myself and hunkered down on a pew with the gun hidden underneath.
“Keep your eyes on those two,” whispered Henry as we stared at the two sleeping men. “I trust them about as much as your lead foot.”
I smiled and shook my head .
He smiled back and then his face became serious again. “Don’t let them get you alone, Wild. I know you’re good with those karate moves and everything, but those two are giants compared to you. It wouldn’t be too hard for them to pin you down and hurt you.”
I pushed the horrifying image away. “I’ll be fine.”
His lips thinned. “I’m serious. You didn’t see the way
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