Sworn to Protect Read Online Free PDF Page A

broke. So did his voice as he said, “I know, buddy. I’m coming. Just hang tight.”
    “Okay.” The kid’s voice sounded small and helpless. Nothing like the normally exuberant, self-assured son of a famous man.
    “See you soon.”
    Hanging up, he stuffed the phone in his front jeans pocket and dashed from the bedroom right past Daisy, down the hallway and into his study. There he ran to a four-drawer file cabinet, jerked it open, and rifled through the hanging files, as Daisy came inside.
    “You have guardianship papers for Drew?”
    The pain in his throat burned so badly, he could barely speak. He had to keep it together. “Yes. Brad had his lawyers set it all down legally, years ago, just in case anything ever—” Breaking off, he closed his eyes to stop the tears from escaping. “Brad’s estranged from his parents and would never trust them with his son, for very good reasons. Drew’s mother died of cancer when he was a baby, and Drew has no one else. Jesus Christ, he’s alone now.”
    “No. He has you,” she said softly.
    “Yeah.” Blinking the moisture away, he finally found the right file and quickly checked the contents. Assured he had the correct papers, he pushed unsteadily to his feet. “Thank you for coming, for being the one to tell me.”
    She shook her head. “No thanks needed.”
    “I have to go—”
    “I know, and I’m driving,” she said in a no-nonsense voice. “You’re in no shape to get behind the wheel, and you might need some backup when you get there.”
    In the depths of her beautiful eyes, he read the words she actually meant—y
ou might need a friend.
    “All right.” Pushing a hand through his hair, he nodded. A wave of gratitude washed through him at the thought of having Daisy at his side, helping him face the impossible. “I might at that.”
    Giving him a meaningful look, she held out her hand. He relinquished his keys without argument and he led her through the kitchen to the large, attached garage where he kept his truck, motorcycle, and a bass boat. Hitting the lock, she walked around and climbed into the driver’s seat of the truck, and he got in the other side.
    As she punched the garage door opener and started the engine, it momentarily crossed his mind how strange it was to ride as a passenger in his own truck. But the feeling was fleeting, drowned in a wash of numbness as shock set in. Grief would come later, he knew. Would hit hard. For now, he was on autopilot, doing what needed to be done, for himself and Drew.
    This wasn’t his first rodeo in this sort of situation. After his parents had been killed, after years of long, hard struggle to get himself and Shea on their feet, he’d never wanted to be in this position again.
    Brad was supposed to be at home, alive and well, taking care of his son.
    God. What happened? Why?
    “The house is in Nashville, right?”
    Daisy’s question brought him back to reality, and he nodded. “On the outskirts, north side. We don’t actually have to go into the city.”
    “Okay, just tell me where to turn.”
    They rode in silence for a few moments before she spoke again. “Do you have a bedroom ready for him?”
    So practical, his Daisy. Again he was grateful for her companionship. “There’s a room he always uses when he stays with me. I guess it’ll be his now.” He stopped to rein in the emotions threatening to tear a jagged hole in his calm. “It needs airing out, the sheets changed, the closet cleaned out for his stuff. . . . Christ, I don’t know if I can do this,” he choked. “What am I going to do with a teenage boy?”
    The warmth of her hand enveloped his, and squeezed. “You’re not alone. I’ll help you get the room ready and get him situated. The rest you’ll learn. You
can
do this and you will. He’s depending on you.”
    Clutching her hand like a lifeline, he nodded. “Okay.”
    It was far more than he deserved, and selfishly he wasn’t about to turn her down.
    He found himself