Page 68 of Catcher

Ruby lifts her head from her mother’s shoulder. “Dad⁠—”

“It means…” I say, keeping my voice even, “… the man who put his hands on your daughter won’t be doing that again.” Her mother’s arms tighten around Ruby.

Her father stares at me for a long second. He doesn’t ask for details. Smart man.

His gaze drops briefly to the cut stretched across my shoulders before coming back to my face. “You planning on staying close?” he asks. There’s weight in it, not judgment or fear. Just a father figuring out how dangerous this is and whether the man in his living room is ready to finish what has started.

Ruby stiffens already bracing for an argument.

“Yes.”

Her father studies me harder now. “And my daughter’s safe under your watch?”

“Yes.” No hesitation.

Ruby’s eyes flick to me. I feel it without looking.

Her father nods once, but tension still rides his shoulders. “Because I don’t care what kind of trouble Robby’s in or who he owes, nobody’s using my daughter to settle it.”

“No one’s touching her again,” I say. The promise leaves my mouth before I think about it. Not because I’m trying to reassure him, but because I do mean it… every damn word.

Ruby’s mother looks between us, her hand rubbing slowly up and down Ruby’s arm like she’s trying to soothe the fear sitting under her skin.

“That doesn’t mean I need a watchdog,” Ruby says. There it is, that fire, that damn stubborn streak that makes me want to shake her and pull her close at the same time.

I turn my head enough to look at her. “Beg to differ.”

Her eyes narrow. “Of course, you do.”

“Good,” I mutter. “You’re catching on.”

Her mother glances between us, because even with fear thick in the room, she can feel whatever keeps sparking between her daughter and me.

Ruby catches the look and flushes. I’m too far gone to pretend I don’t know what’s there. Doesn’t mean I know what to do with it.

Her father clears his throat. “Ruby, honey, this isn’t about pride.”

Her head turns fast. “I know that.”

“Do you?” he asks, voice gentler than mine will ever be. “Because from where I’m standing, your brother dragged trouble to your door, and you’ve been carrying more than anyone should carry alone.”

That lands, and it should.

And her face tightens.

Her mother reaches for her hand. “We’re not angry at you.”

Ruby lets out a brittle breath. “I’m angry at myself.” Ruby looks down, her fingers curling into her palm.

Her father looks back at me. “What happens now?”

“We find Robby, find out who he owes, and make sure nobody uses Ruby to collect.”

“And until then?” he asks.

“She’s under the Kings’ protection,” I say, and Ruby scoffs softly before I cut my eyes to her. She opens her mouth, and I shake my head once. “No.”

Her spine straightens. “You can’t just no me.”