Page 30 of Kodiak's Heart

Chapter Ten

Emersyn woke up to a set of small fingers tickling her side. She peeked through her lashes and saw blonde curls and big, green eyes inches from her face.

“Mama Em.” Ruby still hadn’t learned the art of whispering.

“Mmm,” Em murmured, and Ruby pounced.

“I is up!” she exclaimed. “I was yooking for you, but you was gone. Now, you’s here.”

“I am, baby bear.” Emersyn snuggled Ruby close, smoothing her hair back from her face. “Didn’t you like the slumber party with your aunts?”

Ruby shook her head, a scowl forming on her face. “I don’t yike them. They say they gonna take me and keeps me safe.”

“Of course, they want to keep you safe, baby. We all do.”

“They gonna takes me way from you. I don wanna go.” Ruby cried as she clung tightly to Emersyn.

“Hey, there. No one’s taking you from me.”

She cradled Ruby in her arms, trying her best to quiet the little girl’s sobs. Fury burned in her gut. What was Ruby talking about? Had Malachi’s sisters really thought they could plot to take Ruby from her? Over Emersyn’s dead body. She’d tried to be nice, accepting, and even forgiving because they were Malachi’s sisters. But this? Plotting to separate her from Ruby? There were other places they could go. She’d speak to Malachi and put another plan in motion.

Finally, Ruby’s tears dried, her sobs turning to hiccups. “Let’s go take a shower, then we’ll get some food. Are you hungry, little bear?”

Ruby shook her head even as her tummy rumbled. Emersyn lifted a brow and poked softly at the little girl’s tummy. “Something in there’s hungry. Maybe, it’s your bear. Is that it?” Emersyn ran her fingers over Ruby’s belly and sides until she was a squirming mass of giggles. The joyous sounds soothed nerves left raw by the crying jag, but Emersyn’s temper remained, burning steadily inside her.

She chased Ruby into the bathroom, but the quick shower Emersyn had planned turned into thirty minutes. It took another thirty to get them both dressed. She braided Ruby’s hair back then scraped hers into a ponytail. She took a few more minutes to tidy the room, putting their things back into the cases Laramie had brought in. Then she doublechecked Ruby’s backpack.

“Why don’t you grab your bag for me, while I get these.” Emersyn grabbed a handle in each hand and pulled them behind her as she left Laramie’s room.

“Awe we yeaving?” Ruby asked, sounding very happy at the prospect. “Go fine Daddy.”

“Not yet, baby. But I thought you might want to check out one of the cabins with me. I bet we could find one perfect for the two of us.”

Ruby nodded. “I yike owny us. An Yawamie. I yike my Yawamie.”

“I know you do,” Emersyn agreed as they made their way upstairs. The corridor was clear so she set the bags by the door but kept Ruby’s backpack with them as they headed to the kitchen. Matheus was the only one in there.

“Good morning.” He turned toward them as soon as they entered. “How’d you sleep? Did you enjoy the slumber party with your aunts?”

Ruby growled and shook her head, which Emersyn preferred to the tears from earlier. Emersyn picked her up and sat her in the booster seat she’d used the morning before.

“How about cereal this morning?” Matheus asking, bringing two boxes over to set in front of Ruby. She clapped her hands and pointed at the one Emersyn was sure had the highest sugar count. “Great choice, kid,” Matheus agreed with a wink then poured a bowl for Ruby and himself.

Emersyn grabbed the milk and handed it to him before locating spoons for them.

“You want a bowl?” Matheus asked.

“I’ll pass,” she murmured. Anger still boiled inside her, and she was loathe to add any food to the mix. Instead, she reached for the coffeepot and poured a cup, sipping it while she watched Matheus with Ruby. “Where is everyone?”

He shrugged at the question. “I slept in this morning, but I’m sure they’re all around here somewhere. Laramie’s probably in his office.”

Emersyn sipped her coffee while keeping an eye trained on Ruby. “I think we’ll track him down when Ruby’s finished.”

“You can go now if you’d like,” Matheus offered. “I’m happy to keep an eye on Ruby.”

Emersyn saw Ruby’s spoon pause as Ruby glanced up at her. “Thank you, but no. Ruby’s spending the day with me. In fact, we’d like to find a cabin we can use for the remainder of our time here.”

“Nonsense,” Matheus said with a wave of his hand. “You’re family. You should stay here at the main house with us.”

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