“If I can do anything to help…”
Zy shook his head. “Just stay with Valeria and the baby until someone says otherwise. If his condition gets worse and he needs a doctor, let me know. No other trouble?”
“No. She’s definitely aware that people are after her and her son and she’ll do just about anything not to attract attention. On the road, she had some interesting ways to disguise the fact she’s young and pretty, which makes me think she’s an old pro at people wanting to do her harm.”
That didn’t surprise Zy. He didn’t know the whole story, but he figured that no woman—especially a pregnant one—walked away from her drug lord husband without understanding the consequences and risks. “I’ll check in tomorrow.”
Kane nodded. “When will Laila roll into town?”
Zy was about to call Trees and find out.
“It’s best if you don’t know.” He nodded toward Valeria’s closed bedroom door. “Just in case. Night.”
Before Kane could object, he was gone.
On the walk back, he downed the rest of his dinner, tossed the wrapper in the outside dumpster, then ducked into his place. It was getting late, and he’d love to veg out with some sports news before he drifted off, but the day wasn’t done with him yet.
After a quick shower, he tossed on some boxer briefs, then slid into bed, propped against a couple of pillows. With a sigh, he reached for his phone.
“What’s up?” Trees answered almost immediately.
“Long fucking day. How about you?”
“Not too bad. But long fucking night.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m driving this recreational tank from campground to campground, trying to take our sweet time returning to Lafayette.”
“Yeah. Is the plan not working?”
“Oh, it is. We haven’t been followed. I’m sure of that.”
“So what’s wrong?”
“Everything Laila has to wear is meant for Florida weather and seems two sizes too small.” Trees groaned. “When I look at her, it’s impossible not to see tits and ass and that wide fucking mouth. I stare at it all the time—I can’t seem to stop—and my cock is like a divining rod that points only to her.”
He tried not to laugh, but it was funny. Usually, Trees could resist any woman. Hell, during basic he’d even had one undress for him, spread her legs, and invite him to fuck her at a party. At the time, Zy thought his buddy had been crazy to decline. Now he understood Trees wanted something real, and he respected the hell out of the guy for standing his ground.
So if his desire for Laila was troublesome, there could only be one reason.
“You like her.”
“Fuck yes, I do. She’s…sweet. She’s thoughtful. She’s strong. She’s the kind of woman I want to hold and protect while I’m aching to violate and defile her every way known to man.”
Zy got it. Despite Tessa’s wide independent streak, he often felt the same about her.
Trees sighed. “And after one look, she was terrified of me.”
A six-foot-eight man was understandably intimidating to a woman who’d been bullied and used. “Can she hear you?”
“No. She’s in the back taking a goddamn shower. She’ll only do that when I’m driving.”
She refused to be vulnerable while Trees could get to her, and the poor bastard was envisioning her naked. “So what are you going to do?”
“What the hell can I do? I’ve got to keep driving her around in this hell on wheels for a few more days or until you tell me Valeria is safe enough in her new location and Laila can move in, no problem.”
“You can head back to Lafayette now.”
Trees hesitated. “You’re not kidding, are you?”
“Valeria is convinced that Laila will be in less danger if they don’t share the same roof. And I can’t really argue. Two women and a baby boy are a lot less common, so they’re a lot more noticeable.”
“You won’t get any arguments from me on that.”
“Good. We just have to find Laila somewhere safe. Somewhere no one can get to her. Somewhere she’ll be comfortable and have protection. Hey, I’ve got an idea.” But Trees wasn’t going to be happy.
“Don’t say it…” His pal grumbled.
They’d been friends so long the guy could damn near read his mind.
“I have to.”
“Fuck.”
“It’s temporary. She doesn’t have to move in with you. Just…keep her safe at your place until the bosses find Kimber and return to the office. Then they can figure out a permanent place for Laila. And hell, maybe that’s not even in Lafayette, so you’d never have to see her again.”
But if Trees was already this wrapped up in her, Zy figured it wouldn’t be too long before the big guy wouldn’t want to let her out of his sight. And heaven help her if Trees decided she was the post-apocalyptic woman of his dreams and future mother of his post-modern disaster children. She probably wouldn’t be getting out of bed or seeing daylight for months. And when she got pregnant, she would be his for life.