Page 72 of Knotted their Beauty

“Cali, you and I are going home. Your daddy is going to make sure that man can’t touch you ever again, okay?”

She nods, curled against me as she cries, and I follow behind Ves. Lennox and Baron flank either side of me, keeping anyone from coming too close as we walk.

“I’m sorry, Cali,” Lennox says with wide eyes. “He’s new to the group. I would never bring you anywhere you aren’t safe on purpose.”

She throws herself toward him, and I nearly drop her. Lennox easily takes her, leaving me feeling a bit bereft. The weight of Cali in my arms reminded me she was safe. It’s not quite the same simply seeing her. Baron collars the back of my neck and presses a kiss to my temple.

“Always trust your instincts. Nine times out of ten, they’re going to be right. Even still, you couldn’t have known the bastard would be crawling on the damn floor. That’s some fucking shit no one expects.”

I know he’s right, but I still feel awful. Lennox tells her all about the bedtime story I’m going to tell her, and I listen carefully because she’ll remember this. It’s a story about a giant Viking and a FBI agent who teamed up with an alpha who is allergic to the sunlight.

My lips curl up as I realize he’s talking about Baron, and it eases the ball of apprehension in my gut. The air is cool as we walk out into the night, and I reach for Cali.

“Your ride share is going to be here in two minutes, guys. I know you hate using the app, Arlo,” Baron says. My lips part in surprise, but he’s not done yet. “I texted you his name, license plate number, and the four digit number he’ll ask you when he arrives, okay?”

“Marry me,” I mumble, hugging Cali tightly.

“Oh, you’re stuck with me for life.”

“Cali, honey, we’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Ves asks, a pair of zip ties already around Corvus’ wrists. There’s something in his mouth as well, and I realize it’s a handkerchief Lennox keeps in his pocket. “We can have a yes day in the morning before I go to work. Think about what you want to do. I’m going to handle this.”

“I love you, Daddy,” she sniffles. “You always keep me safe.”

Oh, my heart. There’s fury in Ves’ eyes but Cali doesn’t flinch from it.

“I love you, honey. I see a car coming. Check the license plate, Arlo.”

“I will,” I breathe, watching as Ves pushes Corvus toward the parking lot. While there are a couple of curious glances, no one asks questions. It’s California, after all. We see crazier things than this.

Sure enough, a car slides up in front of Cali and I. Shifting on my feet, I fish out my phone and find everything matches once I walk toward the back of the vehicle to check the plate.

“Arlo, yes? Can you give me the code you have, please?” the driver asks. He waited patiently for me to come back toward him, and I nod.

“Twenty-five, six, zero.”

As I get into the back seat with Cali, I find that I’m no longer anxious. All the details are handled for me. I get to take care of the little girl curled up beside me, and my pack will figure out the rest.

This is what acts of service look like for me. I don’t even care that the creepy man with evil inside of him isn’t going to live through the night. If that makes me a terrible person, then so be it.

But he won’t be able to ever hurt anyone else.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

VES

Getting two alphas to leave the local police station was a lot harder than I anticipated.

It took a couple of hours just to get Lennox and Baron to calm down enough to listen to me, let alone get out of here, but I can’t have them around for this.

What I’m about to do, they don’t need to be a part of, pack or not.

Baron already has a record, one that does him no favors when it comes to things like this. It’s why they questioned him for such a long time when he turned in the severed feet we found at the beach. And Lennox? His mother is enough of a reason for him to steer clear. The assumptions that can be made based on her experience means he’s out, too.

Besides, I need them with Cali and Arlo right now.

And I’m going to need a strong alibi.