Her Vigilant Seal (7 page)

“Okay,” the boy agreed reluctantly.

“Billy, I’m glad you came back and found your sister.” Reverend Langley offered his hand to the boy and Billy took it.

“Thanks for calling Soph, sir.” Billy edged closer to Sophia for support.

“I came to tell you we would be serving dinner, but I’m betting Sophia would like to get you home. Am I right?”

“You’re right as always, Reverend Langley,” Sophia answered with a relieved smile.

“I’ll give your regards to everyone,” the reverend assured her. “Billy, you listen to your sister. She’s a smart woman. Even more important is that she loves you.” He let go of Billy’s hand and made his way to another group of people.

“Let’s go back to the diner.” She hugged her brother again and kissed him on the top of the head. Mason was happy to see her brother was careful not to hug her too tight this time.

Drake came to stand next to Mason and whispered, “God, he looks like shit. I hope nothing bad happened to him.”

“Me too man, me too,” Mason said.

****

The diner was closed but Margie was waiting for them. After Sophia got Billy showered and into some clean clothes she had stored in her apartment, she went downstairs to talk to Margie. She was stunned to find Mason sitting in a booth with the older woman. She expected him to have left.

“Where’s Drake?”

“He caught a ride home with a friend.”

“How is Billy doing?” Margie asked.

“Better than last time,” she said with obvious relief.

“Jesus. If this is better, what happened last time?” Sophia bit her lip. She really didn’t want to talk about it.

“The cops found him being hassled by a pimp. He was scuffed up. Since it was the cops who found him, they took him back to his foster parents. I only got to spend a couple of hours with him in the hospital.”

“Is something bad going on at the foster parent’s house?” Mason asked in a dark voice.

“No, the Bards are lovely people. Billy is just so angry and hopeful. He wants to confront our dad. He thinks if dad sees him he’ll take him in.” Sophia let out a sigh.

“But the son of a bitch won’t. He should burn in hell.” Sophia eyed Margie and let out a shaky laugh.

“Where are you going to sleep tonight?” Mason asked her. He used the tone of voice that made her shiver.

“In my apartment,” she answered wondering why he’d asked.

“Yes, but on what? The floor? I’m assuming you gave Billy your bed, right?” Sophia thought about the one lonely futon upstairs and nodded.

“Oh Sophia, I didn’t even think of that. With all of your injuries you can’t be sleeping on the floor. I’d invite you over to my son’s house but there isn’t enough room,” Margie’s voice was forlorn.

“You both will stay at my house. I have two guest rooms that are finished. You just have to put up with a dining room that is gutted.” The man was utterly crazy.

“That’s wonderful, Mason,” Margie said. “I’ll go wake up Billy.”

“Wait a minute. Billy just got to sleep. I’m not having you wake him up. I’m not going to go stay at some stranger’s house.” But Mason didn’t feel like a stranger.

“He’s not a stranger, he’s Mason,” Margie said echoing her thoughts. “You can’t sleep on the floor. Your shoulder and ribs can’t handle it.” Margie pushed up from the table and headed upstairs. Sophia didn’t stop her because she was still in shock. The man was taking over her life, and she said as much.

“Honey, I don’t mean to be taking over your life. This is just a temporary solution. I wouldn’t have suggested it except that you can’t sleep on the floor with your injuries. You know you can’t, don’t you?” his voice was coaxing, and his blue eyes warm.

“I probably can’t sleep anyway. I’m going to end up with nightmares. I could barely sleep at the hospital. Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing those two men.”

“I understand about nightmares believe me. They’ll lessen with time. I’m just so sorry you’re having them.” She looked into his dark eyes and thanked God again he had been there. She knew her nightmares would have been so much worse if he hadn’t been there when she’d needed him.

“I don’t understand why you keep jumping in and offering your time. And I surely don’t understand why you’re offering to let us stay at your house.” She was getting exasperated. Worse, she was beginning to hope for more than he was probably offering.

“Don’t you?” He reached across the table and took her hand, tangling their fingers together. Sparks shot all the way up her arm, and her eyes met his. Impossibly, his eyes got even warmer. He pressed his lips against hers. She’d never been kissed with such tenderness and it made her heart ache. He slid his mouth back and forth and before she knew it she was following him, and as he parted his lips she parted hers anxious for more of him, his flavor, his taste, his essence. His tongue glided along the sensitive back of her inner lip, and she sighed and pushed up hard against him, attempting to get closer, but he pulled back.

“Did I do something wrong?” Sophia’s voice trembled.

“Oh no, you’re doing everything right, honey.” He pushed back his chair and bent over. He lifted her out of her seat and settled her on his lap. He did it softly and carefully so there was no stress to her injured shoulder or ribs. He tilted her chin and this time he plundered her mouth, and her head spun. His fingers feathered along her bruised cheek soothing it. His tongue stroked along hers teaching her a method of touch that caused her breasts to ache and her thighs to clench. The kiss was wet and carnal and surpassed anything Sophia had ever hoped to feel.

When Mason lifted his head, she mewed a protest. He trailed kisses along her jaw, and up towards her ear. “I hear footsteps on the stairs.” She wiggled to get off of his lap.

“Steady, Sophia. It’s okay if they see me holding you. They’re going to see that a lot,” he whispered.

“But we only just met,” she whispered back.

“Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t matter at all.” Oh what a smile he had.

“She’s staying at your house?”

Mason looked at Darius, Clint and Drake. Mason was supposed to go out for beer, pool, and pizza tonight and just told them why he had to bail. Apparently Drake was gossiping since everyone already knew about Sophia.

“Yes, she’s staying at my house and so is her little brother. Everything is on the up and up.” He scowled at Drake, who shrugged his shoulders and grinned. Instead of parting their ways as they left the building all three of them followed Mason to his truck. “You need to explain this to me, buddy,” Clint said.

“I can explain it to you—she’s beautiful,” Drake supplied.

“Mason has had plenty of beautiful women, and he’s never invited any of them to stay at his house,” Clint responded. Mason tried to ignore them as he threw his gear into the bed of his truck. They hung their arms over the side, and he realized he wasn’t going to get rid of them without an explanation.

“Sophia is different. Can we leave it at that?” he tried hopefully. Darius shook his head. “Fine, why don’t you guys come over tomorrow night and meet her and then you’ll understand.”

“You want us to meet her? This is just getting weirder and weirder,” Clint said.

“No it’s not. You really need to meet her, she’s something else,” Drake enthused. Then he looked over at Mason. “Wait a minute. Is this really for them to meet her, or is this just a way for you to get free labor to work on your dining room?” Drake asked.

“Billy needs some time with good male role models. I was really hoping you might get a chance to talk to him, Darius.”

“Is he having a hard time with his foster parents? We need to talk to DHCS. Is he here in San Diego County?” Mason watched as Darius pulled out his cell phone. Darius grew up in the SD foster system, which is specifically why he wanted Billy to meet him. But of course Darius, being Darius, would be ready to make calls and take names if he thought a child was in trouble.

“Whoa there buddy. According to what Sophia has told me, the Bards are good people.” Mason knew he’d better rein in his friend.

“Then why does he keep running away?” Darius demanded. Mason rubbed his hand through his hair.

“Look, it’s part of why I want you to come over tomorrow. And so you can meet her and I don’t have to put up with twenty questions. Seriously Darius, if I thought the foster parents were a problem don’t you think I would have stepped in?”

“Well yeah,” the man admitted.

“Okay. You guys go have a great time with your beer and pool I’m going home. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waved, grateful to have such loyal friends.

Mason headed back to his house. He was thankful Margie managed to talk Sophia into not going to work for the next three days. She was still in a lot of pain. Margie made it seem like it was to spend time with Billy, but it was just as much to let Sophia rest.

As he drove home with the windows rolled down, he once again reveled in the perfect Southern California weather. When he got to his house he smelled something heavenly.
Dammit.

“Hello,” he called out loudly, not wanting to startle either Anderson.

“We’re in the kitchen.”
Like he couldn’t figure that out.

There were two pies resting on a rack, and Billy was taking out a baking sheet of chocolate chip cookies from the oven. He was covered in flour and was smiling from ear-to-ear. Maybe Sophia hadn’t overdone it, maybe she had Billy do all of the heavy lifting. He turned and saw her big grin as well. His heart melted.

“Mason, you’re here just in time to taste test.” He went over to the fridge and got out the milk, snagged three glasses and poured them each a glass.

“Do I get to taste test the pies too?” He did a double take, because there was also another pan with a dishtowel over it. “What’s this?” He took off the dishtowel and found brownies. He damn well knew he didn’t have any brownie mix at home. As a matter of fact he didn’t have most of the ingredients needed to make these baked goods.

“Honey, you didn’t have to go to this much trouble.” He rubbed his ear, wanting to somehow offer her money for the food, but knowing it would offend her and ruin her efforts.

“It wasn’t any trouble. Billy and I were remembering how much fun it was when Mom would have a baking day. So we decided to have one of our own.” Mason could drown in her sunny smile.

“It was great. We still have to test everything. I don’t know if Soph can make stuff as good as Mom.” Billy gave his sister a poke in the ribs and Mason saw her flinch.

“Gentle, Billy,” Mason cautioned.

“I’m sorry, Soph.” He gave his sister a soft hug.

“Billy, we need to talk about how your sister got hurt,” Mason said as he cut brownie squares and put them onto plates for everyone. They sat around the kitchen island.

“This isn’t really any of your concern, Billy and I will handle it.” She turned away from him and gave all her focus to her brother.

“Has Sophia explained how she got hurt?” Mason asked the boy who looked so much like his sister. He was reaching for a second brownie and he stopped.

“We were supposed to last night but I ended up going to sleep. It happened when she was looking for me, right?” Billy looked at Mason with growing guilt.

“That’s right.” Mason watched as tears filled Billy’s eyes, and how he wiped them away with the sleeve of his shirt.

“I’m sorry, Soph. You shouldn’t have been out there. I didn’t ask you to be,” the last was said with the defiance of a teenager. Mason figured at twelve that’s basically what he was.

“Billy, if Sophia was missing wouldn’t you go out and look for her? Especially if something bad almost happened to her last time?” Mason gave the boy a hard look, wanting him to understand the consequence of his actions.

“Mason, this isn’t your business. This is between me and Billy.” Sophia looked brittle. She looked mad. He was not scoring any points that was for damn sure.

“I would have gone looking for her,” he answered quietly. Mason was impressed, he didn’t have to admit it and he could have hidden behind his sister.

“You can’t do this again. Both of you could end up seriously hurt or dead next time.” Mason tried to soften his tone, but it was too vital for the boy to understand how important his words were.

“But you don’t understand.” The boy clenched his fist and looked him in the eye, and then over at his sister.

“What don’t I understand?” he asked, eyeing the boy steadily.

Billy opened his mouth and then shut it. “May I be excused?”

“Yes.” They both watched as Billy left the kitchen. Mason didn’t have to wait long.

“That wasn’t your place.” Sophia threw down the napkin she’d been shredding.

“I’m sorry you feel like that but he needed to hear how he endangered you.” She glared at him, and he might have felt bad if her face weren’t a rainbow bruise.

“Right now I’m trying to get him calmed down and happy enough to stick it out with the Bard household until I can petition the courts to have him come live with me.”

“What makes you think he won’t pull this same stunt when he’s living with you?” Mason bit out.

“What?” It was obvious the thought hadn’t entered her mind.

“You did say he was trying to track down your dad. Well wouldn’t he still be trying to do it even if he comes to live with you?” She looked past him towards the kitchen entrance. Then she got off her chair and motioned for him to follow her out onto the back porch.

“I tracked down dad and he’s living in Mission Hills. He has a new wife and a baby.” Sophia threw out the information.

“Did you call DHCS? He’s responsible for Billy.”

“That’s what I told him. He said Billy isn’t his son. He said Mom wasn’t faithful to him,” Sophia’s voice trembled then broke. Once again Mason had to endure the sight of this woman with tears in her eyes.