Page 26 of Her Protector Daddies

“You’re lucky I don’t snap the bracelets on you,” Tyler snapped, striding across the parking lot toward us.

“Is that a promise?” I smirked, dragging my gaze slowly down his sexy body the closer he got. To my left, Jay grumbled something as he buckled Dae into the car.

“Don’t start,” Tyler snapped, stopping a foot away with his hands on his waist just above his weapon belt. “Do you have any idea what the fuck?—.”

“Hey!” Jay snapped, straightening up and closing the car door. “Okay, now you can swear.”

“—the fuck could have happened to you without us here to protect you? Did what happened at the hospital not show you how determined these people are?”

A few strands of his brown hair shifted loose as he talked, which was a slight distraction. I almost wanted to press his buttons more but I’d put him through enough. That and Jay had been so sweet to me, bringing his son and everything which had put things in perspective just enough for me that I knew I didn’t want to be hunted like this. Not when Dae was around.

I’d only known him for what felt like five minutes but if the people hunting me somehow managed to track us and Dae got hurt? That would be the end for my soul.

“I’m sorry, okay?” I replied, trying not to bristle to Tyler’s anger. “I just… I’m sorry. We had a good ride, and you were distracted so I just…” I waved one hand to show my escaping and Tyler groaned.

Jay and Tyler exchanged a look – with Jay looking rather accusatory – then he turned to me. “Alright, you said you would tell me everything and now that a LAPD representative is here, talk. And quickly.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Bailey?” I asked, glancing past them to the parking lot and road beyond. I didn’t fancy having to repeat all of this to Bailey later.

“Uh..” Tyler stuttered slightly and my eyes locked on him.

“What’s wrong?”

“Bailey is caught up at the station,” Tyler said, looking between me and Jay. “He’s dealing with the fallout of the man that fell from the roof. Has to answer a bunch of questions about foul play.”

Tension swept through my chest and I frowned. “What? Why? That asshole fell, right? And hold up – he tried to kill me so what’s the big deal if he ended up red mist on the sidewalk?”

“He was a valuable witness,” Jay said, crossing his arms over his chest and darting his gaze repeatedly into the car to check on Dae. “Even criminals deserve their day in court.”

“Not when Bailey’s around,” Tyler scoffed lightly.

“Hey, that was never proven,” Jay snapped back. “Anyway, he could have given us valuable information that linked to Andrés or your father. Now he’s telling us nothing.”

“Hold up.” I raised a hand and pointed at Tyler. “What do you mean not when Bailey’s around?”

They exchanged a glance and Tyler groaned faintly. “Over the years, Bailey has racked up a few complaints against him about strong-arming informants. Particularly after his sister died. Her death seemed to shake his belief in the justice system and there were a few accusations that he took matters into his own hands.”

“Only because he threw a punch once or twice at a scumbag drug dealer. His sister OD’d,” Jay explained in a low voice. “Drugs that likely came from Andrés supply, so he did what he could to get a lead. I would have done the same.”

“My god, that must have been terrible for him,” I murmured, unable to fully understand what he went through but given how close I’d come to something similar with my father, I could empathize.

A flash of pain crossed Jay’s face and he half turned away, focusing on his son in the car. I wanted to press more but before I could, Tyler continued.

“Bailey justifies the one case that was brought forward because the information he acquired saved lives, but it’s not a good mark on his record. Now, they’re just making sure that he can’t be accused of shoving that asshole off the roof.”

“He always gets too close to his cases,” Jay remarked.

I had to admit, that was a little hot. At a glance, Bailey had looked like a by-the-book kind of guy and yet now I’ve learned that he gets too close and handles things a little rough. It was definitely hot to think that he killed that bastard for hurting me, but I know that’s just a fantasy. He was a cop and clearly a good one.

Still, I could dream.

“So.” Jay sucked air in past his teeth and leaned against the car. “We spilled a little. Now it’s your turn.”

Crap.

“Okay,” I nodded, squinting slightly as the sun glinted in my eye. Facing down both handsome men was nerve-wracking but somehow, talking about my father was even scarier. I felt like I was betraying him in some way by confessing everything I knew, but at the same time maybe they could help him.

“I did lie. But only because I was scared for him. He wasn’t in the right headspace; in fact, he rarely is these days, and I just didn’t want anything to happen to him.”

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