Page 12 of The Gambler

He couldn't remember ever having done this; in fact this was the first day he'd not been in a rush to get somewhere. He was always in constant motion because it gave him less time to think, less time to revisit memories better left unstirred. He found it funny that with Jenna, the memories were sharper than ever before, but somehow they weren't as painful. That place in his heart that he’d kept locked away for so long was opening wider and wider as the hours passed.

They stood there for quite some time before he nudged her hand to leave.

"Angel stay."

He bent down to her level and held both her hands in his.

"Can we go do something really important first? I promise to bring you back another day soon okay."

She studied him as if gauging his sincerity and he wondered how often she'd been disappointed by someone else's lies. When she finally nodded he kissed her forehead, before turning her back to the car.

Back in the car he had an idea.

"Find me some ducks and geese and those things for the stream on the property."

Garrett turned around in his seat to look at his boss not sure if to laugh or shake his head in wonder.

"What things? You mean swans?"

Jenna lit up at the word and then peppered him with questions.

"Angel, swans?"

"Yes love it’s a big bird like the ducks. Do you know about them?"

She shook her head no and three grown men fell all over themselves trying to explain what they were to her, until Andros got the idea to use the computer on the dash to look one up.

She clapped her hands in glee and leaned farther into him as he ordered Jameson to find a video or something with swans for her.

She was mesmerized all the way into the city, which is where he took her shopping on Fifth Avenue. He probably shouldn't, but he pretty much bought her everything she touched or looked at. He didn't miss the smirks his guards passed back and forth between each other, which he put a stop to with a glare.

She was a typical female, dragging him from one store to the next, anything that had color in the window she wanted to see more of. He knew about bags and that shit from his mom, so he asked some of the sales ladies where to get the best and they were only too happy to tell him. Only once did he have to glare an over exuberant sales clerk to shame when she got too close. Bitch acted like his Jenna wasn’t even there.

He did notice that Jenna had a proprietorial streak a mile wide and she seemed to know when the sharks were swarming. He hid his smile each time some female would approach and she’d hold onto his arm that much tighter. Most of them were nice though, and very helpful. Especially the ones that helped him pick out her bras and stuff, because he knew fuck all about that shit.

Chapter 7

By the time they made it back to the car, she was tired and cranky, so he made the guys stop to get her a hot dog from one of those stands, because she’d followed it with her neck craned out the window. He wasn't sure the other drivers appreciated the illegal U turn Jameson made in the middle of the busy street, but he didn't much care either.

When she fell asleep on his shoulder, her mouth smudged with ketchup, he cleaned her up with the tissue she had scrunched up in her hand. He wondered what was going through her mind, wished she could tell him. Did she have a good day? Was she happy? Did she miss her mom? That last thought gave him pause. How the fuck could he fix that if that were the case? He could always have the woman snatched, but that shit would give gramps a coronary for sure. Maybe he’d call her when they got back to the house.

"Okay boss, so while you were doing your marathon shopping..." Before Garrett could finish his statement, they were rear-ended. The car lurched forward and to the side sharply, but Jameson's quick thinking brought them back under control again. Jenna woke up in a panic until Andros calmed her down somewhat.

With nothing but his eyes he conveyed to his men what needed to be done. He knew it was no accident and he knew there was no way he was going to retaliate in the middle of the city, not with her in the car. Jameson made it onto the expressway driving under control, as Garrett kept his eyes pealed on the car behind them. He'd already made note of the plate number, because he knew they were gonna lose the clowns as soon as they got out of the heavy traffic. It was an hour or more of hard driving through winding roads as they entered the valley.

Andros kept his little Jenna preoccupied with talk about her shopping, so she didn’t notice how fast they were going, or that the men were on high alert. He kept himself on an even keel as he asked her about her new clothes and any and everything to sidetrack her from what was going on around them.

All the while the murderous rage boiled just beneath the surface of the laid back veneer. He wanted to rip their throats out with his bare hands. Had she not been there, he would’ve taken them on without a second thought. But nothing must happen to her. Not while there was breath in his body.

When they got a good thirty feet ahead and rounded a corner, Andros kissed her hair, opened his door and rolled out, as Jameson slowed down.

"Angel."

She started screaming for him until Garrett distracted her, but she never stopped looking out the window searching for him. Jameson pulled off to the side up ahead and out of the way in waiting. It wasn't long before they heard the rapid recoil of gunfire and the two men grinned, they had no doubts their boss had taken care of business.

Jenna was keening low in her throat when she saw her Angel walking back to the car, and before either of the men could stop her she was out the car and running.

She never stopped calling his name, until she reached him and threw her arms around him.