Page 52 of Wasted

She nodded, giving him a glance. “My father.”

“You called him?” Annoyance crept into his belly. Her daddy was the hero who got her out of trouble, once again. That would only make her depend on him all the more.

“No. I didn’t want him to know.” She folded her arms across her jacket and rubbed her own triceps, like she was cold. “They let me call Hank earlier to ask him to take care of Max.”

“Max?” Was he a patient? Or some guy in her life Cillian didn’t?—

“My dog. He must have told Dad where I was.” She clearly knew Cillian never would’ve called Henry Weston.

But Cillian’s mind was stuck on the news she’d just dropped. “You have a dog?”

“Yes.” Her hazel eyes connected with his. “That surprises you?”

“Yeah, it does.” Her dad had never allowed pets in his home. Maybe she had learned to rebel just a little. Cillian grinned. “Let me guess, some little yappy thing?”

Her chin lifted. “Actually, he’s one hundred and forty pounds and rarely barks.”

Cillian stared at her. That was unexpected. But the glimmer of the strong Victoria with her new spunk filled him with relief. She was okay. “I’ll have to see this dog to believe it. Let’s get you home.” He resisted the urge to put his arm around her and instead headed for the exit door. He’d already pushed it with that hug.

He stepped into the crisp air outside, stopping to hold the door for her.

She glanced at him as she passed through. “Thank you for the ride, but I need to go to my father’s house. He texted me a few minutes ago.”

Cillian let the door close and walked beside her, leading the way to his jeep parked in the lot a couple rows away. He knew why her old man would want to see her now. “You need rest, not a lecture.”

Victoria paused, touching Cillian’s arm through his jacket sleeve.

He stopped. Looked down at her slim hand. She kept doing that. Touching him. It was a good sign.

“Cillian.” Her tone brought his gaze to hers. Emotion swirled in the hazel depths. Anxiety, urgency, and probably something she didn’t know showed—a vulnerability that made him want to take her into his arms again. “Please.”

He clenched his jaw. But he nodded and put his arm around her shoulders as he guided her to the jeep.

He would take her to her father. But he would not leave her there alone. Never again.

Chapter

Sixteen

Victoria’s stomach twisted into yet another knot as Cillian drove them up the driveway, the setting sun ducking behind her childhood home.

He switched off the engine.

But it was cold outside. Alarm flared in her mind. Wasn’t he going to keep the car running for heat while he waited?

She turned her head to see him, breaking the silence they’d maintained during the drive there. “You don’t need to wait for me. I’m not sure how long I’ll be.” She glanced away to aim her gaze at Treese’s car parked by the garage. “Treese is here. She can drive me to my house later.”

“I’m going in with you.” Cillian’s answer squeezed her lungs, nearly making her cough.

“You can’t.”

“You bet I can.” His hard tone matched the flex of the muscle in his jaw. He turned to her, his coal eyes flashing. “You are not going to face him alone. You don’t have to anymore.”

Her throat shrunk even more, but this time from a ball that seemed to fill the space there. Her ribs pinched and moisture stung her eyes. The only one who had ever faced her father with her was her mother. Oh, how good Mom had been at smoothing things over with him, at shielding Victoria while still keeping the peace with Dad.

If only Victoria was half as skilled at peacemaking as her mom. If only she was half the person her mom had been.

But she did have the Lord. And if Mom was with her now, she would remind Victoria that her real strength in times of trouble came from and through Jesus Christ.