Montgomery shook his head, running a hand over his head. “I don’t know, man. I don’t want her to be afraid of everything, but is she ready? You’re spending more time with her than I am. What do you think?”
Zeke thought about the stories Nina had told the day before. About being held captive. About the things Gwendolyn Lennox did to her and the others.
Zeke ached to keep her hidden. To lock her up in his bedroom and forget the outside world for a year or two. To keep her sated and safe. But that made him no better than Gwendolyn. Locking her up and throwing away the key was the same thing Nina had been through. He couldn’t do it.
“I don’t know if she’ll ever be ready,” Zeke answered honestly.
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Mont sounded defeated, like he’d already failed Nina.
They both did. They stopped looking for her. They accepted the reports from the police that she was gone. They listened to the statistics. They assumed she was dead.
They were wrong, but she paid the price for their faith in the people who should have found her. No one knew where Nina went that night. They had no leads.
Which Zeke wondered now if it was intentional. Gwendolyn had cops in her pocket for years. Her and her father before her.Why had they never assumed someone was pulling the strings and keeping Nina’s whereabouts a secret?
“Maybe we should just stay here,” Montgomery said. His sigh was one of sadness and regret.
“No. I have an idea.”
“What is it?” Montgomery asked.
“Carousel park.”
A smile lifted Montgomery’s lips into a smile Zeke hadn’t seen in years. Childhood memories and joy flicked across Mont’s face, his nod a solid agreement. “That’s perfect. She always loved carousels. How did you remember that?”
“I remember everything about her,” Zeke said honestly.
Montgomery looked at him, but the door opened upstairs and both men watched Nina return to the living room.
Zeke’s mouth went dry when he saw her. She wore another of the outfits he bought her the day before. Jean shorts ended at mid-thigh and hugged her thick legs. Smooth, creamy skin led to bright pink socks he ached to pull off her feet inch-by-inch.
Zeke let his gaze travel back up her legs and over her shorts to a pink top that matched the socks and draped around her curves in loose, flowing fabric that did nothing to calm his raging desire.
“Cute,” Mont said, reaching for her and pulling her against his side.
Zeke could only grunt. He shifted once the two of them walked past him, hoping Montgomery didn’t notice the erection Zeke was sure he’d have all damn day.
Fuck.
Nina pepperedthem with questions about where they were going while Zeke drove. He needed space between him and Nina, and told Mont to sit with her.
It didn’t help. Her scent filled his SUV, blending with his own. She’d used the same shampoo as him, and every whiff of his own scent made him think of her. Of how it would smell differently on her when he pressed his nose to her neck. How it would taste when he kissed her skin.
He cleared his throat and reminded himself they were going to a family place. A place where he’d scare all the kids with his tattoos and gruff appearance, but would scare the parents if he was walking around with a hard-on pointing at their kids.
By the time they made the forty-five minute drive to Olcott, Zeke had himself under control. He parked a few blocks from the Olcott Beach Carousel Park, close to the shores of Lake Ontario.
Nina got out of the SUV and looked around. “Where are we?”
Montgomery chuckled. “His idea.” He jerked his head toward Zeke. “Carousel Park.”
Nina’s mouth dropped open in a surprised O, and her eyes filled with tears.
“We don’t have to,” Zeke hurried to say. “We can go somewhere else.”
Nina threw her arms around his neck and hugged him close. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Zeke closed his eyes and held her. He still expected her to be gone when he opened his eyes, but she wasn’t. She was real. And she was there. “You’re welcome.”
