Loving Him (Him Series Book 1)

Twenty

Kyle closed his eyes. "Lord, watch over Izabelle. Keep her safe. Help her not to be afraid."

I took his hand lending some of my strength, and he smiled down at me but I knew needed to see his sister and make certain she was ok.

We moved quickly.

Since my clothes were still wet, I borrowed a t-shirt and sweats from Kyle. Both of them swallowed me. I tied the t-shirt at the waist and pulled the drawstring on the sweats as tight as they would go, trying to look presentable.

Kyle checked his phone again. "Why didn't she call me?"

"She probably didn't want you to worry." Izabelle protected Kyle like he was her own child. "She didn't call me either. Dad thought I would want to know."

"I'll have to thank him. I don't know what Izabelle was thinking."

Fifteen minutes later we pulled into the parking lot of the sheriff's department, but before we walked through the glass doors Kyle threaded his fingers with mine and faced me. His eyes raked over me in a quick but thorough perusal, and he frowned.

"Lucy, if we go in together your dad is going to know we've been together, and he's going to assume things." His gaze tangled with mine. "Rightly so. You're wearing my clothes."

I inhaled a shaky breath. "You're right. You should go."

"No. Your dad called you."

I knew how much it cost him to suggest that because Kyle was obviously worried about his sister. I shook my head. "You need to see her, and he did ask me to call you."

"We'll go together," he said with a curt nod, his expression resigned.

I felt the chill of the air-conditioning as soon as we entered the office.

"Lucy, what are you doing here?" Officer Kate asked, noting the way I was dressed and that my hand was still firmly clasped in Kyle's.

"Dad called." I smiled, acting like it wasn't unusual for him to do that at this time of night. "Could we please see him?"

Kate, who was in her late twenties, eyed Kyle like he was something she wanted to eat. Tearing her appreciative gaze away from him, she answered, "He's in his office. You can go on back."

"Thanks," I said, leading Kyle away from her eager eyes.

Dad was sitting behind his desk in his worn black leather swivel chair, and he'd just hung up the phone when we walked in. Taking in the situation and not missing a single detail, Dad shot up, and alarm coiled inside me. I stepped between them shielding Kyle from my dad's furious gaze.

I couldn't see his expression, but Kyle's hands fell on my shoulders, giving me a reassuring squeeze an instant before he stepped from behind me to face Dad, who looked angrier than I'd ever seen him.

"Dad, please," I begged, placing my hand on his arm. "He means a lot to me."

"I see that." The words were clipped. "He doesn't need you to protect him." He paused. "Or maybe he does," Dad smirked.

Kyle didn't take the bait. "Sir, this isn't what it looks like. We were caught in the storm. I gave Lucy dry clothes."

"It's true," I confirmed, seeing the scathing look Dad fired at Kyle.

"I suppose you two were sitting around at your place reading the Bible," he mocked. Dad rubbed his temple wearily. The gesture reminded me of Kyle.

"Please, sir." Kyle cleared his throat. "I just to see my sister."