ever touch you when you don’t want to be touched.”

“I told him to stop and he wouldn’t.” She forks a big piece of omelet into her mouth.

Rachel nods. “I understand. I’m glad you told him to stop. Using your words is good.”

“But he won’t stop, and everyone laughs.”

“If it happens again, can you go to your teacher?” Rachel asks gently.

A smile lights up Cassie’s face. “I like Miss Tammy.”

Rachel pats my daughter’s hand. “Good, I bet she’ll put a stop to it.”

Rachel stands to refill her coffee, and she has a stricken look on her face. Cassie grabs her kids iPad and turns it on, and we move out of earshot.

I take her mug and pour her another cup, and our eyes meet.

“It’s not cute and it’s not sweet for any boy to be rough with her,” Rachel begins. “I can’t believe her playground monitor said that. It’s not an acceptable sign of affection, Jaxon.”

I shake my head. “Playground bullies. I’ve had my share.”

She frowns and puts her hand on my cheek. “What did you do?”

“I learned to fight, real fast. Good thing too. I never would have survived juvie if I hadn’t learned how to defend myself early in life.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

I shrug. “It’s the past. I’m worried about Cassie. It’s different for girls.”

“Very,” she says. “Condoning or justifying behavior at this age, teaching girls it’s okay to be mistreated leads to women staying in abusive relations.” She swallows hard and turns from me, but I stop her and drag her back.

“Rach,” I say, and put a hand on her shoulder, only to find her trembling. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m…it’s harmful to teach little girls that it’s okay to be mistreated.”

“You’re right.”

“My mom taught me that at a very young age. Maybe because she was in her own bad relationship and couldn’t get out. She didn’t want to see that happen to me.” She lets out a humorless laugh. “In the end I didn’t fall far…”

Her words die on her lips, and as Cassie munches away on her breakfast, I pull Rachel to me. “You got out, Rach. You’re safe now. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She nods, but there is worry, skepticism in her eyes when she pulls away.

“You and your mom were close?” I ask, wanting to know so much more about this beautiful woman.

She nods, plasters on a smile, and says, “I’d better get ready. I don’t want to make Cassie late for school.”

She hands me her cup. “You’re not staying for breakfast?”

“I’ll grab a muffin.”

I nod. “Do you work tonight?”

“No, night off, thank God.”

“Have dinner with us.”

“Daddy, are we having spaghetti,” Cassie calls out and I freeze. Jesus, I hope she hadn’t overheard anything we were saying.

“Probably,” I say.

“How about I make that salmon you picked up at the market.” Before I can answer, Rachel turns to Cassie and calls out, “Do you like salmon, Cassie?”

“No, but Daddy makes me eat it.”

Rachel laughs. “I bet you’ll like it the way I make it.”

“Probably not,” Cassie says and we both laugh. I give Rachel a tap on the ass to get her moving. “You’ve got forty-five minutes, and don’t think about walking. If you do, you’ll be sorry.”

“Oh, really?” she asks, a bit of intrigue in her eyes.

“Yeah, I’ll stop the car, put you over my shoulder and toss you into the back seat.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“You want to try me?”

“Ah, no.”

“Good, now go.”

I walk her to the door, and when I’m certain Cassie isn’t looking, I give her a quick kiss.

“I probably shouldn’t stay over anymore. That was risky this morning.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“You’re going to have to stop making me too weak to move.”

I grin at her. “I’ll do my best.”

“I know, you always do your best and that’s why I can’t move my legs.”

She gives me that weird little finger waves that rocks my cock and bolts down the stairs. I watch her sweet ass in those tight yoga pants until she’s out of sight, then head back to the kitchen to get Cassie’s lunch packs. Since Rachel got her dressed and her hair done, the morning is going to go that much smoother.

I toss Cassie’s plate in the sink, gulp back my breakfast, and prepare her lunch. Since we have a few minutes to spare, I let her go play on the swings in the back yard while I tinker with Rachel’s car and wait for her to appear.

I totally forgot to tell her that I found a radiator core for a good price from my buddy’s junk yard. If it gets here quick enough, I should be able to have her car ready sooner rather than later. That though hits like a punch to the gut. Once I’m done, she’ll no longer be in my house, my bed. Dammit, maybe I should draw this vehicle repair out a little longer. At least until Thanksgiving. I mean, she said she was a great cook, and Cassie and I sure could use a decent meal on Thanksgiving.

Shit, how is that for illogical thinking at its worst?

Just then my phone vibrates and I pull it from my pocket. Since I fully expect it to be Rachel texting me, a little jolt of excitement pulses through my veins. Except when I see who’s calling, my heart crashes against my ribcage.

“Everything okay?”

Rachel’s voice pulls my focus and I slide the phone back into my pocket. “Yeah, fine.”

She angles her head, her eye moving over me. “Are you sure? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Cassie comes running toward us, and that saves me from having to answer. “All set, kiddo,” I say, and open the back door for her. “I’ll be right back. I just have to grab her backpack and lunch.”

I hurry through the house, unease racing through me as I pull my phone from my back pocket and look at Sarah’s message. Hey jay.

Jay, that was her nickname for me. She used to use it when she was being

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