Page 37 of Saint

We were walking down Main Street moments later, her small hand in mine, when I shifted her, so she was to my right, and I was closer to the road.

I felt her eyes on me and looked down.

Her cute little brows were furrowed when she asked, “Why’d you just do that?”

“’Cause I’m always the first line of defense when it comes to you and your girl. Car loses control; rather it hit me than you.”

It was at that moment that she stopped dead.

Froze was more like it.

Looking into my eyes, she whispered, “Never have I ever heard a man say that to a woman, and never have I ever been on the receiving end of something like that.”

I winked down at her and said, “Get used to it.”

Then I leaned down and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

Once we reached the end of Main Street, we went up the other side.

***

We had just walked into the Robbins’ house to pick up Soraya.

Lilly and Harold met us at the door, with Lilly winking and whispering to Ophelia.

Harold held out his hand to me and narrowed his eyes.

I placed my hand in his, and smirked when he squeezed it as hard as he could.

His body language and his eyes told me all he needed to without words.

I’d better protect them.

Love them.

Cherish them.

Or I’d answer to him.

I lifted my chin.

I watched as my woman, because she was that, struggled to heft Soraya up in her arms.

I narrowed my eyes, and then, with my tone lowered, I said, “No. Not no. But fuck no.”

She looked at me, then looked at Soraya, and smiled, “Saint.”

I winked, then moved and lifted Soraya up in my arms as I whispered, “I’m here now, baby. And she’s almost half your weight. I got her.”

How was it possible for everything to feel so right?

I had no answer for that.

And as I carried Soraya into their house after Ophelia unlocked the door, I looked down and up, and then... I only had one thought on my mind as I saw that black spot on the ceiling in the hallway.

That’s goddamned black mold.

I stopped dead and locked my eyes with Ophelia’s, “The two of you are not staying here. No fucking way.”