Fifteen

BOTH RULE AND RILEY insisted on driving her to work the next day, and Vixen could only give in good-naturedly. It was very sweet of them to feel so protective towards her, and she enjoyed having the extra time to spend with them during the ride.

Rule dropped Riley at school before heading up to the cafe, and neither of them was surprised to see the place already jam-packed with customers. It was just how small towns worked, and she turned to Rule as his SUV cruised to a stop.

Vixen intended to warn him about all the prying gazes, but all such words were forgotten with Rule unexpectedly leaning over to help her with unfastening her seatbelt.

Oh my.

Vixen's cheeks burned at his sudden proximity while her spine tingled at the scent of his aftershave. Rule pulled back, and Vixen could only blush harder when his gaze met hers. A part of her was already waiting for him to tease her about it, but his expression remained serious instead.

"If you notice even the smallest thing amiss, call me. Better yet, call the police. Will you promise me that?"

Vixen nodded.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. Beatriz still isn't answering her phone, but I have an idea or two on how to find her. But until then..."

By the time Vixen realized what Rule meant to do, it was already too late. He had cupped her face, and she could only close her eyes as his lips covered hers.

The memory of his kiss lingered even as she watched Rule drive away, and everyone converged around her as soon as she entered the cafe. They all wanted to know about yesterday's attack, but they also wanted to know more about Rule. Some of them were genuinely concerned. Many others were only there to gossip.

But even so, she considered everything a blessing.

The more people there were around her, the safer she felt. The more customers they had, the more sales, and consequently, the bigger the income, the bigger the donations and employee bonuses she could afford.

For some people, faith was simply something one had or didn't. But for Vixen, faith was a verb, and it was something one had to practice on both good days and bad.

Vixen's phone vibrated just as she was done tying her apron strings around her back. It was a text from Rule, and she clicked on the message icon right away, thinking it was something important—-

And it was.

Rule: I love you, Vixen. I thank God for letting me meet you.

It was hard to see past the blur of her tears, but she eventually managed to text him back.

Vixen: I love you, too.

She waited for panic to set in, but despite the dangers and uncertainties of the present, all she felt was joy.

God was in control, and His plans were always perfect and good.