Takeoff (Open Skies #5) - Becca Jameson Page 0,36

kids?”

Her eyes went wide as she shook her head. “No. God, no. I’m the end of the line with regard to whatever genes I have.” She swallowed. “Add that to your list of reasons why no man would want to date me. You’d be a great dad. You will be. I’m sure.” She looked away.

He squeezed her hand. “I can understand not wanting to have your own biological kids, but you could adopt you know.”

She sighed, her shoulders falling. “No. I wouldn’t take that risk either. What if I got sick and they had to take care of me like I did with my mother? Do you know what that does to a kid, Deacon?” She met his gaze. “It’s horrifying. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

He nodded slowly. He understood. He did. He hated how lonely that made her, but he understood. Plus, it solidified his own feelings. It wouldn’t matter what he said or did or how much they might enjoy each other’s company. The moment she found out he would be moving two kids into his life, she would bow out. He was incredibly selfish to keep it to himself, and with every passing day, he was growing more and more selfish.

A knock at the door shook him from his pity party, and he grabbed the throw blanket off the back of the couch and tossed it over her before padding toward the door.

When he opened it, he gasped, his gaze going right past the man with the pizzas to the yard in front of them.

“What the fuck?” Raeann asked from behind him.

“Yeah, there’s a fire in your yard,” the pizza man muttered unnecessarily.

Deacon turned to find Raeann had at least wrapped the blanket around her shoulders as she approached.

“Call 911.” He handed her his phone, then jogged past the stunned pizza guy to determine how serious the fire was. It appeared contained. It was growing, but no nearby trees seemed to be in danger of igniting yet.

Two neighboring condo owners came outside. One of them ran to the side of the building and returned moments later dragging a hose. “Jesus,” he shouted. “What the fuck is that?”

Deacon could see that it was a cross of some sort. But that wasn’t all. It had a straw person attached to it. It was some kind of voodoo. He glanced at Raeann to find her talking on his phone in the doorway.

The pizza guy was still standing rooted to his spot, jaw open. He was about seventeen. He opened the warming bag, slid out the pizza, and set it on the floor just inside the door. “I’ll just leave that there,” he shouted over the water and the ensuing chaos as he jogged toward his car.

By the time the flames were out, Deacon heard sirens in the distance, and several other neighbors had gathered outside.

Raeann disappeared, closing the door, but she returned two minutes later wearing a sweatshirt. Thank God. She was breathing heavily as she approached, no doubt furious.

A fire truck pulled up, but by then the flames were out. It was difficult to tell what had been burning, but Deacon had seen it clearly. He hoped Raeann had not. He reached for her as she approached and pulled her into his side.

A police car arrived moments later, and the officers who exited came straight toward them, their gazes on Raeann. She patted Deacon’s chest. “These are the same cops who came earlier. I called them.”

“Ah.” He turned to extend a hand and introduce himself.

The woman, whose name tag read Hendrix, nodded toward the condo. “Let’s go inside.”

The crowd was growing, especially since the fire truck had arrived, sirens blaring, so Deacon was beyond grateful to move into the condo. He kept a hand on the small of Raeann’s back as they entered.

Raeann was hugging herself, arms crossed. She started pacing when they shut the door.

“You okay, ma’am?” Hendrix asked.

“Please, call me Raeann. And no. I’m pissed.”

“I get that.” Hendrix’s brow was furrowed in commiseration. At least Deacon could tell she was kind.

“Have you seen this kind of thing before?” the other officer, Parks, asked.

“Many times.”

Deacon cringed. Apparently, he wouldn’t be protecting her from anything by not describing what he’d seen then.

“It’s like some freaky voodoo thing they use,” Raeann continued. “They put up a cross with a straw body on it like a scarecrow and then burn it.”

Parks looked like he was in shock. Frankly, Deacon felt the same way. What the absolute fuck was wrong with