Page 138 of Daddy’s Fortitude

She stared out the window of the car, trying not to turn and look at Ammo. But to her shock, he reached over and placed his hand over hers.

Then he pulled her hand over to his leg and held it there.

What was he doing? He’d never held her hand like this.

She gave him a questioning look.

“You were digging your fingernails into the palm of your hand,” he said to her quietly as Gwen and Dominic spoke in the front seat. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Right. She didn’t think she’d actually been hurting herself, but she didn’t argue, especially since she liked the feel of his hand over hers.

Maybe she should just drink up these few moments before she had to say goodbye to him, because she’d never have them again.

They reached her house and Ammo let go of her. He turned and gave her a look. She knew what that look meant, ‘stay put until I come and get you.’

As if she would dare move.

Aimee undid her seatbelt as he walked around the front of the truck. When he opened the door, he didn’t seem to be happy. “You undid it yourself?”

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I undo it?”

He grunted. “Let me do it next time.”

Okay, this was making less and less sense to her. Maybe it was because he’d been in jail all night.

It was probably because he hadn’t had enough sleep. He just wasn’t thinking clearly. He seemed to be fixated on her seatbelt. Perhaps that was helping him feel more in control.

That had to be it. He’d had control ripped away from him by being arrested and placed in jail, so he was trying to get some back however he could. God, maybe she should have been a psychologist. That was smart thinking.

He helped her down, then his hand went once more to the small of her back. She tensed, glancing around, wondering if that guy was watching her, if he was thinking that she should get rid of Ammo now. But she couldn’t see anyone strange along the street. There was no sign of that truck the guy had been driving when he’d followed her and Kirsten.

God. Just thinking about that scared her. Was it any wonder she hadn’t slept at all last night between worry over Ammo and the threats from that asshole?

She hurried up to the front door before pausing to search through her handbag. Where was it?

Oh, here it was. She dropped the key as she attempted to get it into the lock. Crouching, she picked it up and tried again but her hand was shaking too much.

Deep breath.

Calm down.

Ammo stood really close behind her as Gwen and Dominic waited on the sidewalk rather than the porch. Probably a wise idea since the floorboards of the porch were kind of rotten.

“You going to tell me what’s going on?” Ammo said quietly.

“Nothing’s going on,” she said with a soft laugh.

“I can tell something’s wrong. The question is it from more than just being by yourself all night? Did you eat?”

“Um, I can’t remember if I ate.” She tensed, waiting for him to scold her.

“I thought that might be the case. That’ll be why you’re shaking,” he said. “We need to get some food into you.”

Maybe they should focus on him rather than her. She wasn’t the one who had been locked up in jail.

“Did you eat?” She glanced over her shoulder at him. He looked just as tired as she did.

All right, maybe not quite as tired as she did. And he still looked just as handsome. God, he was gorgeous. She needed to memorize how he looked right now, so she could keep that image with her always.