Page 75 of Bastian

Huh.

“Morning, boss,” Shaw mutters, taking a sip of his coffee while Banning nods in greeting. Taking a seat, I take a sip of my black coffee and flip through the pages of today’s paper, only to find no new stories about me. Smiling to myself, I direct my question to Banning. “She get home alright?”

He nods once then takes a big bite of his waffles. With his mouth full, he replies. “She got up early and spent a few minutes with the little lady here,” He smiles at my daughter with so much affection that it humbles me. “She even did Ella’s hair real pretty, huh.” He twirls one pigtail making her giggle, and in return, we all smile softly at my kid. “She sure did, Benji. Mommy is da best.” She speaks with her mouth full. “Sorry.”

Poking her nose, I tell her. “Nothing to be sorry about.”

Banning takes another bite of his waffles and then turns back to me. “I drove her back to her place.”

She ran.

Things got real, and she ran, and I don’t blame her. As I said, I expected it. I don’t mind, though. I enjoy the chase, and if I had to, I would spend the rest of my life chasing her. That’s how gone I am for the woman. “Thank you.”

“The president just thanked me with witnesses around. Why look at that, cousin...hell must be freezing over.” The fucker looks at his cousin, Shaw, and acts like a silly schoolgirl. The fucker really does test my patience. He is lucky he’s the best I have, and my girls adore him. On the other hand, Shaw has the good sense to ignore his elder cousin. Instead, he turns to me after chugging down what is left of his coffee. “Now, boss, I’m telling you, that woman avoids you like the plague.”

“Oh, hush, Shaw-Bear. My mommy loves my father. Isn’t that right, dad?” Sighing, I nod at my child.

“That’s right, my heart.” I curl my lip at the two idiots in distaste, and then I proceed to read the newspaper.

“Oh, dad!” Ella bounces in her seat with a half-eaten sausage in her hands and a huge grin on her cherubic face. “I know something you don’t know…”

Shaking my head, knowing blackmail will soon follow.

Folding the paper, I place it back on the table and give Ellaiza my full attention. “What do you want for the information?” I cut to the chase because I know my daughter. She loves me, I know this, but she loves blackmailing me, and she loves negotiating even more, even though she has no need for it. I would give her Shaw’s heart by cutting it out of his chest if she asked me to.

Ella taps her chin twice and thinks about it carefully before answering. “I want a baby sister.”

She asked for a dog last time.

I should’ve known a kid brother or sister would follow. She’s been blabbering for months now about her friend, Kyrie’s newest family member.

A little girl.

Huh.

“Done.”

Both men at the table choke on their breakfast. “Bastian.” I ignore Banning’s warning tone and offer my daughter a small smile. Proud that she’s already a ballbuster. She’ll make a great politician or white-collar criminal, I have no doubt. “Spill it.”

“Mommy took a plane.”

I freeze, and my grip tightens on the coffee mug so much that it could break any second now. I’m always a step ahead, I knew she would run away, I just didn’t anticipate her to leave the State.

“Do you know where mommy went?”

“I do.” That’s all she gives me. I love my daughter. I really do, but she’s testing my patience.

“Where did mommy go, Ellaiza?”

“Gweese.” She keeps chewing on the sausage.

“Greece?”

“That’s what I said.” She rolls her eyes at me before adding. “Look!” She picks up her tiny pink phone that I got her for her sixth birthday and turns it my way so I can see the screen. Reaching forward, I gently grab it and look at the picture on the screen. It’s a picture of Arianna boarding an airplane, smiling brightly, and looking as beautiful as ever. Giving the phone back to my daughter, I smile at her and then turn to look at Banning, who is looking at me as if I’ve lost my goddamn mind.

I have.

“Contact Baron and ask him to cancel all my meetings until further notice.” Then I look at Shaw. “Get the plane ready.” Shaw nods, then he rises from his seat and leaves the room.

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