Page 24 of Her Protector Daddies

“You used to come here every Saturday with your Dad before things got really bad. A father-daughter tradition while your mother would get the morning to herself.” Shaking a napkin free of its folds, I spread it over Dae’s lap while he played with the crease in the menu.

“Given how traumatic the past few days have been, it makes sense that you would seek comfort in familiarity.”

“It’s creepy that you know that,” Selena said quietly, her fingers nervously toying with an empty sugar packet. “What are you, a psychiatrist now?”

“No. It’s my job to see what the police don’t. Learning behavior comes from understanding the people I’m looking for, and both you and your father had active Social Media presences when you were younger,” I explained. “I have to know people inside and out to do my job safely.”

“You don’t know me,” Selena replied, immediately defensive which I expected.

“I know enough.”

“You read a few posts online and think that gives you insight?” She snorted sharply, then glanced at Dae and cleared her throat.

“Diminishing my work won’t make you feel any more in control,” I pointed out. “For starters, I found you here and I’m willing to bet that you haven’t eaten here in years.”

Her eyes narrowed and her cheek indented as if she was chewing over the flesh on the inside. Then she tossed the empty packet down and clasped her hands.

“Sure. It’s been a while. You just got lucky.”

“I also know you’re lying about your father. And I didn’t even need to hear anything from you to know that.”

“Lying is bad, right daddy?” Dae piped up suddenly, and I couldn’t hide my smile. Ruffling his hair, I nodded.

“Yes, kiddo. It is.”

When I glanced back at Selena, she had a small, amused smile on her face and her hands moved to toy with the end of the single auburn plait that dangled over one shoulder.

I tried not to be distracted by how beautiful she was, especially when there was such pain in her gorgeous eyes but it was difficult. Appreciating how even the hint of a smile made her eyes sparkle felt like a requirement just in her presence.

“I understand your need to protect him,” I continued on with a softer tone and her eyes snapped back to mine. “It’s expected, and given everything you and your family have been through, then I expect it comes as second nature. You’ve been looking after him for years now, but Selena? Who looks after you?”

Her gaze dropped but I didn’t press further because the waitress arrived with our meal. She placed pancakes down in front of me and the smaller, chopped-up portion in front of Dae; then she pulled out a small coloring book and a box of crayons.

“I know you didn’t technically order the kid’s meal, but I thought he would enjoy these,” she said, hanging them over.

Dae immediately snatched them. “These are so cool!”

“Dae, what do you say?”

“Thank you!” he cried out.

“Yes, thank you,” I said.

The waitress waved off my thanks with a smile, then she went to collect my tea and more coffee for Selena. Once all the items were delivered, I tucked into a few mouthfuls of pancake. Dae suddenly slid out of his seat and disappeared under the table. He reappeared on the other side of the booth next to Selena and she flinched slightly at his sudden appearance, but there was no hiding the smile on her face.

“What to help me color?” Dae asked, thrusting a sunny yellow crayon at her. “Dad never stays inside the lines.”

“I like my creative freedom,” I chuckled.

“Uh— sure,” Selena agreed, taking the crayon. “And I promise I’ll stay inside the lines.”

An amicable silence fell as I watched them color, broken only by the occasional bite of pancake or sip of coffee. As they worked together, the tension around Selena seemed to dissipate, and I gained a glimpse of the woman she was before all of this.

The bright-eyed beauty was framed by stunning red hair that glowed gold in the sunlight trickling in through the windows, and it was difficult not to admire her.

Also, it didn’t take much to guess what Tyler and Selena had been up to before her vanishing act, given the tell-tale huskiness in Tyler’s voice over the phone.

Unlike him, I would keep this professional.

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