13. Evie

What if theyknow where Kylie is? Maybe I should show myself, but I told Rebel I would stay inside. I can't risk anything while he was carrying Hannah home; this is her home; it should always be safe. They would have to find a new safe house to keep their clients. I would just have to wait and see what happens.

I started dinner when Rebel came in. He looked at my lips, and I looked away. I was already craving his touch. "Rebel, I was thinking since this is Hannah's home, you might want to find another place for your clients. It seems so dangerous with the mafia and other bad guys coming around."

"This is a safe house because no one will ever know where it is."

"But what if they stop and ask where I am? Wouldn't that bring danger to Hannah? I don't want her to be in any danger because of me."

"She won't be, so stop worrying. It's not your turn to cook; it's Allison's, and you know how much she likes surprising us. I'm going to get Hannah's dinner ready."

"I think you are an amazing father. You make your own baby food. There aren't many parents who do that," I said, watching him.

When I used to go to the city to speak to the homeless people? There were children there who lived with their drug-addicted parents. I told the police, and they said the kids were better off with their drug-addicted parents than in a foster home where they weren't wanted and, in some cases, were badly abused. They do try and keep up with where the children are."

"Life can be a shit hole. If you think about every little thing, it will drive you bonkers. Let me take care of everything, and you can hold Hannah while I warm her food up."

"Okay, I would love to hold sweet Hannah. Did you have fun playing with your cousins today? I bet you did. You look plum-tuckered out. What are we going to do about that Black SUV?"

"Spartan and Steel are checking it out. I don't want you to worry about that vehicle."

"I'm sorry I'm late with dinner. I was craving Chinese food," Allison said, coming into the kitchen with two bags of takeout.

"I'll set the table and tell my parents that dinner is ready. I was getting ready to cook dinner, and I feel that I should do the cooking. All of you are so busy, and all I do is sit around waiting to see if those bad guys are coming for me."

"No, we each like planning the meal we are going to prepare," Rebel said as he fed Hannah while I held her.

"She loves the food her daddy makes her. Look at her eat. She's so cute. I bet your heart is ready to burst every time you look at her."

"It does. I am so lucky. I feel bad for Patty. She was a good person, and I'm sure she would have been a great mother."

"Did you love her maybe a little?" I asked. He glanced up at me.

"I wish I did, but no, I enjoyed her, and I liked her a lot, but that was all. I knew she was starting to have feelings for me. That's why I called it quits."

"That's sad, poor Patty. She didn't know how to guard her heart."

"Do you know how to guard your heart, Evie?"

"I don't have to worry about guarding my heart. I learned my lesson to never fall in love six years ago," I said before taking a bite of my dinner. My parents were eating in their room, and my mom was tired from her outing today.

"Who broke your heart six years ago?" Rebel asked, frowning.

"No one you know," I said, helping to clear the table. I helped Allison clean the kitchen before walking outside to sit on the porch. Spartan walked out with a plate of food.

"Who was in the SUV?"

"They were family members visiting the Jacksons.

"I don't think the mafia is after me. They wouldn't even know where to look for me," I said, frowning.

"We can't know that for sure," Rebel said, sitting next to me on the swing.