Page 127 of Out Of A Fix

“That’s good,” Darwin said, and we all turned to him. “I mean, if he was here to hurt Griff, I don’t want him to be able to do that.”

“Well, I’m sure he’s recovered by now, but until Deputy Chief Sampson gives us a report, we’re all gonna lie low and stay inside.”

“There’s a monsoon out there,” John grumbled. “What else are we gonna do? Thank God the electricity’s on so we can watch movies.”

Of course that was the moment the lights went out.

“Way to go, Grampy,” Tatum said, shaking her head.

Viola had to press her hand to her face to keep from laughing.

“Yeah, way to go, Dad,” Luke said sulkily.

That was it—Viola lost it, and as her mirth was contagious, everyone else joined in.

We had all played Uno in the dark for an hour and everyone wanted to keep going even when the power kicked back on. They even stopped complaining about my rules. Who didn’t stack Draw 2 and Draw 4 cards? That was madness.

Later that night, after Luke had carried Tatum to bed, I was sitting on the couch, listening to the rain, wrapped up in a blanket, wondering if I would ever be warm again. It had been hours, and still, my hands and feet were icy, as was the pit of my stomach. I’d started running through what-ifs, as I always did after an altercation, and Luke had been right. Not taking my gun with me had been stupid. Everyone, from my first training officer to Jared Colter, would have wondered how far up my ass my head was.

“What are you doing?” Luke asked, flipping off lights on his way to me. The only one still on was in the kitchen, over the stove.

“Sitting here thinking that you were right. I should have taken my gun.”

“Well, maybe stop berating yourself and focus on me instead.”

“I’m sorry?”

He held out his hand, and when I took it, he pulled me to my feet, peeling me out of the blanket and leaving it on the couch.

“But I’m still cold.”

“I will take care of that.”

I scoffed.

“What?”

“That was some cheesy crap right there.”

“Will you just come with me, please?”

I grunted but followed, thinking how good his hand felt in mine.

In his room, he locked the door behind him.

“Did you set the alarm?”

“I did.”

“You have to give me your phone so I can check all the cameras.”

“I put it right there on your nightstand.”

I had a weird thought, and he must have seen it on my face.

“No,” he rumbled.

“No what?”