Little One’s eyes flared. “Can I? I promise I won’t—” She snapped her mouth closed and glanced at Tuck, who was staring at her with a pained expression from where he stood thirty-feet away.
Without having to ask, I knew she probably reminded him of something, or rather someone, he’d lost long ago.
It twisted me up to think about.
“Will your friend mind?”
My boy shook his head. “Nah, he won’t.” His smile grew. “Not unless we start to beat him. Then he’ll get pissy. He’s always been a sore loser, but it’s worse when he loses to me. Sucks for him ’cause he never wins.” A scowl contorted his face. “Except for when the fucker cheats.”
“Don’t worry. I might be small but I’m fast. We can take him.” Little One shrugged. “And if he tries to cheat, I’ll throw an elbow or two.”
Shocked laughter.
That’s what erupted out of Hendrix’s chest.
Eyes finding me, he gestured toward Little One, who’d he’d bestowed a nickname on within five seconds of meeting her. “Pop, I think I just found a new best friend.” Shifting his focus to Carmen, he palmed the basketball. “Don’t know where you found her, Robina Hood, but I’m keeping her.”
I waited for either woman to freak out.
Neither did.
Well I’ll be damned.
“Come on, Shorty,” he said to a beaming Little One. “Time to kick Tuck’s ass.”
Without saying another word, Hendrix turned and took off toward the hoop. After kicking off her heels and rolling up her sleeves, a serious-looking Little One followed.
“Let’s go, shithead, we’ve got company,” my kid yelled to Tuck as he ran past him, a barefoot Little One hot on his heels. “And we’re about to kick your sorry ass.”
Tuck scowled before jogging after them.
“Keep dreaming, Cole.”
I shook my head. “If we make it through the next hour without those two killing each other, then it’ll be a fucking miracle.”
Carmen snorted. “Don’t underestimate, mi youngest chica, Guapo. She is small, but she is mighty.” I’d certainly noticed that. “She may cause more trouble than the boys.”
“No shit.”
Squeezing her hand, I nodded toward the picnic table to the right of the station’s outdoor court. “Wanna go take a seat and watch? You can sit on my lap.”
Her lips quirked at my shitty attempt at flirting. “Si, I’d love to sit on your lap.” She paused, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “But only under one condition.”
“Yeah?” My free hand itched with the need to grasp the back of her neck and hold her in place while my mouth once again explored hers in a kiss that would go straight to both my head and heart. “And what condition is that?”
Pulling her hand away from mine, she took a step back, putting more space than I wanted between she and I. “You have to catch me first.”
Like a rocket, she took off.
It surprised the hell out of me.
But that same surprise quickly vanished when determination bloomed in my chest, taking its place. A wolfish grin possessed my lips. “Game on, sweetheart.”
Without wasting another second, I took off.
Less than ten strides later, I caught her.
“Dios mío, Guapo!” she squealed, as I scooped her up into my arms and kept running, hell-bent on reaching the picnic table in record time. “You could have at least given me a head start!”
“Remember what I told you, beautiful.” My arms tightened around her. “If you try to get away, I’ll chase after you. Won’t stop until I find you either.”
Even running, I didn’t miss her swift intake of breath nor the relief that flooded her pupils and striking features. “Promise?”
I dipped my chin. “Yeah, gorgeous, I do.”
That promise…
It wasn’t the first I’d ever made her.
But it was the only one I ever broke.
One Hour Later
Little One was one hell of a dirty ball player.
Vicious too.
She’d made those facts clear by throwing more than half a dozen elbows into Tuck’s sides, and tripping him, which led to him nearly fall on his face—twice.
She and Hendrix were just alike.
I found it hilarious.
“Cut to Tuck’s right, Little One!” I shouted from where Carmen and I sat atop the picnic table, hips touching. “It’s his weak side!”
Ignoring me, she swooped past Tuck on the left and took the ball in for a layup. Using her speed to her advantage, she banked the ball off the backboard in a move that was as second-nature to her as it was to Hendrix.
It fell through the net a second later.
“That’s the game,” I told Carmen, smiling from ear to ear as both Hendrix and Little One erupted in celebration. I expected Tuck to cuss up a storm over losing, but surprisingly, he didn’t.
Instead, he just smiled.
It was good to see.
“Guapo,” Carmen whispered, heartbreak evident, despite her smile. “It’s past time for Little One and I to go.”
My eyes slid closed.
I’d known it was coming, but goddammit, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. “You sure y’all can’t stay longer?” It was a stupid question to ask considering I already knew the answer.
That answer? No, they couldn’t.
“Chiquita will return soon, so we need to get back to the house.”
House…
It was the first time she’d slipped up.
Teeth gnawing her bottom lip, my beautiful girl climbed off the table and stood, arms wrapped around her belly. “She’s going to need us to be there. The man that she was sent away with tonight…”
Eyes momentarily sliding closed, she shook her head. “He’s not a good man. I don’t know what kind of shape she’ll be in.”
My tanned skin flushed with anger.
“What’s his name?” I asked, teeth gritted. “Tell me who the fucker is that hurts Chiquita.”
She dug her heels in. “I can’t.” I opened my mouth to argue, but she gave me no chance. “Not tonight. But once we’re free, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything then.”
Her answer didn’t satisfy me.
But
