The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake 1)

He offered his hand and reluctantly she used it. Once she was on her feet, the world tumbled again and her stomach rolled over. A groan escaped, and helpless tears threatened.

“Just give me a second.”

His arms slid along her shoulders and under her arms, and he lifted her before she could protest. Cain filled the space around her—his hard, muscled body, the chocolate eyes that stared at her intently, and the solemn tilt of his mouth.

He held her close. Every inch of her was pressed intimately against his flesh as he lifted her into his arms.

“Please, I’d rather go home.”

Cain ignored her, took the stairs two at a time as if she weighed no more than a child, and headed outside to his truck. His voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke, tickling her cheek. “Lady, I’m not giving you a choice.”

The sun was still hot, bright, and it hurt her eyes. Maggie closed them and finally relaxed her limbs when he placed her in the passenger side of the SUV.

She rested her head against the soft leather and held the towel he’d given her against her head.

Cain slid in beside her, and the truck roared to life. “Seat belt on, buddy?”

“Yup,” Michael answered from the backseat.

Maggie gritted her teeth as a wave of dizziness rolled through her head.

Guess the ice cream cone was going to have to wait.

Chapter 4

Cain kept up a light chatter with the boy in the back even as he drove like a maniac through the streets of Crystal Lake. The hospital was at the north end, and he thanked all that was holy the town hadn’t changed much over the past ten years.

New construction was evident around the lake, and a small subdivision had sprung up near the one mall on the outskirts of town, but for the most part, it was old-school. The town had been founded in the 1800s, during the lumber boom, and was full of stately century-old homes, American pride, and a population that was tight-knit.

He knew exactly where he was going. Lord knows, as teens, he and the boys had visited the emergency room on numerous occasions. Mackenzie Draper had held the record for hardest head. Hell, he’d taken more hits to his cranium and had had more concussions than anyone else on the football team. It was a miracle the man had escaped brain damage.

And that didn’t include any of the injuries his father had inflicted.

He glanced at Maggie. Her eyes were closed, her skin pale except for the blood smudged along her cheek. It was already congealing. At least he could be thankful for that.

Guilt washed through him. Christ, if he’d just crashed in one of the guest rooms upstairs instead of hiding in the basement like a hermit, none of this would have happened.

Except he’d gone nearly forty-eight hours without sleep, had been half-drunk and jet-lagged, and had wanted nothing but complete silence and darkness.

His fingers gripped the steering wheel as he turned off Main Street onto Oak. They were nearly there, maybe two minutes out.

He glanced at Maggie once more. It bothered him…the look in her eyes when he’d knelt down to help her. She’d looked scared, and that made him feel even more like an asshole. He wasn’t used to getting looks like that from women.

They barreled toward the emergency doors, and the SUV skidded to a stop in the no parking zone. Cain hopped out and yanked the passenger door open.

“Let’s go.” He reached for Maggie, but she hunched her shoulders and shook her head, her features pinched.

“I’ll be fine. Thanks for the ride.” Maggie slid from the truck, and Cain stood back as she took a couple of steps.

His temper flared, but he kept quiet and stood to the side.

“I got ya, Mom.” Michael smiled up at his mother.

Cain watched the way they moved together—their steps in sync like a perfect harmony. There was no doubt the two of them belonged to each other. Michael tucked his hand into hers, and Maggie tousled his hair and kissed the top of his head as they walked away.

He didn’t have that connection.

Family wasn’t something he’d considered before—at least not one of his own. Natasha had brought up the subject once, but he’d shot her down cold. Even then he’d known she wasn’t the one he’d raise kids with. Hell, he wasn’t sure he wanted a family at all. It took a special sort to be a parent. His mother was an ace, but his father? Major fail. The man had left two days before his fifth birthday, and neither he nor his mother had seen him again.