“What if Eve doesn’t have time?”
My boss pulls in a breath. “You sound overly concerned, Marshall. Please tell me you aren’t involved with this woman.”
I have never lied to the captain. Nor have I ever gotten personally invested in anyone on the job.
“Shit,” my boss murmurs when I don’t respond. “Do I need to fucking pull you off this case, Marshall?” His voice rises. “I’ll yank you out of there in five minutes if you’ve gotten involved with this woman. You know better. Christ, Marshall, you can’t keep her safe if you’re fucking her.”
I wince. “Don’t talk about her like that, man.” I don’t like the tone of his voice or the implication.
Silence. Finally, he responds. “Shit.”
“And don’t even think about pulling me off. It’s not an option. If you do, you’ll find my resignation letter on your desk before the end of the day. She’s my responsibility. I’m keeping her safe. No one else.”
“I don’t fucking believe it. Ten years you’ve been working for me. Never once have you made such a bad judgment call. This woman’s life is at stake, Marshall. Do you get that?”
I stop pacing, facing out the window. I’m seething. I grit out my next words. “I understand that better than anyone alive, and I won’t let anything happen to her if it’s the last damn thing I do on this earth. You hear me?”
“Oh, I hear you. I just know you’re wearing blinders now.”
I close my eyes, my jaw so tight it’s a wonder I don’t break a tooth. “I’ve got this. Just fucking get me an ID on that guy.”
“I’m doing my best. Please, for the love of God… Oh, Christ. You are not going to listen to me, are you?”
“No.”
“Great,” he drawls out sarcastically. “Be careful, Marshall. I mean it.”
I end the call and drop my chin toward my chest.
“Daddy?” The timid voice behind me makes me spin around. Eve is standing in the doorway. She’s shaking and looks like she might cry at any moment.
I rush over and sweep her off her feet to carry her in my arms back to the living room. I poke her belly as I sit in the armchair with her on my lap. “You weren’t supposed to leave the table.”
Her lip trembles. “I didn’t mean to, but you were shouting and cussing and… It was about me, wasn’t it?”
I sigh. “Yes, but I don’t want you to worry. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Should I tell her everything that I know?
“Okay.” Her eyes are wide, and I don’t think she wants details right now. I don’t think her little can handle them.
“Listen, Daddy needs to make a few more calls. Can you be a good girl and watch cartoons while I do that?”
She nods. “Yes, Daddy.”
I lift her up and swing her around in a circle until she smiles. Finally, I settle her in the corner of the couch before grabbing the remote and flipping through the cartoon channels. “Which one do you like best?”
“That one,” she announces when I pause at one with a pink pig.
I head back to the bedroom, find her stuffed unicorn, and return to snuggle it in her embrace. I lean over and kiss her forehead. “Stay right here. I mean it. Give me ten minutes.”
“Okay, Daddy.” She leans against the arm of the couch looking very small, her legs curled under her, her unicorn clutched tightly in her arms.
This time when I enter the bedroom, I close and lock the door before heading for the bathroom and lifting up my phone. I don’t want her to hear me. I’ve done enough damage for one day.
The first call I place is to Roman who picks up immediately. “Colt. Everything okay?”
“No. Not even close. We need to talk. You have some free time today?”
“Absolutely. Can you come here to my home?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. I assume Eve is with you?”
“Yes. She’s…little.”
“Good. Lucy is always little at home. They can play together while we talk. Anyone else you think needs to hear this?”
“Yes. Julius, since he’s your manager. Davis because he’s been in the loop from the beginning.”
“I’ll call Julius. You call Davis. I’ll text you my address. See you in an hour?”
“We’ll be there. Thanks.” I end that call and hit up Davis next.
Luckily, he too answers on the first ring. “Hey, Colt.”
“You free this morning?”
“Of course. What can I do?”
“Meet me at Roman’s. He’s calling Julius too. I’ll explain when we get there. The girls can play while we talk.”
“Sounds good. See you soon.”
I draw in a deep breath and head back to the living room. When I pick up the remote and turn off the television, Eve groans. “Hey, I was watching that.”
I sit on the coffee table and level my gaze at her. “Television is a privilege, not a given, Evelyn. I turned it off because we need to go.”
She humphs and crosses her arms. “Where are we going?”
“Master Roman’s house.”
She eyes me suspiciously. “Like a playdate?”
“Sort of. You can certainly play with Lucy. Britney will be there too.”
“There’s stuff you aren’t telling me.”
I take her hand and hold it lightly in mine. “Yes, there is, baby. I need you to trust me to tell you later, okay. You’re not in the headspace for it now, and it’s not urgent.”
“Am I in danger?”
“No more than yesterday, and you have my word that I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
“Now, let’s get some panties on you.” I smile.
She glances down. “I’m going to wear this?”
“Yes. And a coat of course.”
“I’ve never left the house little,” she tells me, her eyes wide.
“Today, you’re going to. Today, you’re little all day. Besides, Lucy and Britney will be little also. You can play with them while the Daddies talk.”
I sweep her off the sofa and carry her to the bedroom before depositing her on her feet. After grabbing a pair of panties from her drawer, I help her step into them before I find
