Page 122 of Protector

“Is, uh, Kate here?”

“She’s sick and needs her rest right now,” I stated flatly.

Proving that love turned people into idiots, he tried stepping around me to get into the apartment. “Look, I’m her husband. Just let me check on her—I’m a doctor.”

Giving up any pretense of being a nice guy, I planted my palm in the center of his chest and led him out onto her front porch with a growl. “Nate, can I call you Nate? Look, I don’t wanna be that guy, but that’s my baby girl in there. You feel me?”

His throat bobbed up and down in a swallow, and he nodded.

I took another step forward, enjoying the way he looked ready to jump out of his skin. “Now, I believe that fair is fair, so I’m gonna give you a warnin’. Stay the fuck away from her. If she wants you, she’ll come find you. Disregard that, and you’ll find out just how bad Kate’s ‘biker daddy’ is. Alright?”

Goblin had filled me in on the things he’d said to my little girl the last time they were together; the things he’d accused her of doing all because his ex-wife had been a psychotic bitch. If he wanted to pin shit on someone, I’d gladly step up and volunteer.

His face went ashen as I grinned and threw an arm over his shoulder before leading him down toward the parking lot. “Jesus Christ, Nate. You’re shakin’. I didn’t hold a gun to your head…yet.”

“R-right. I’m just parked—” He pointed at multiple cars. “Over there. I—just tell her I hope she feels better.”

“I won’t,” I said with a chuckle. “Ain’t your goddamn secretary. Now, you might wanna get a move on before I change my mind.”

The tires on his black BMW screeched across the parking lot, and I walked back upstairs, shaking my head. The old me would’ve killed him and told Kate he died.

I’d gotten soft.

Hell, maybe I was turning into Wolverine in my old age, giving out warnings and shit.

Jarvis met me at the front door. “Was that him?” I nodded, and he grinned. “Wish I could’ve seen the look on that asshole’s face. Are we sendin’ him to the Reaper?”

“Nah, Jarvis. Poor fucker’s in love.”

He slammed his laptop shut, the muscles in his neck straining as he nodded. “Well, Sullivan called while you were downstairs. He said it’s best if we go without colors for the time being. And, uh, he’s runnin’ a trace on that IP address. Between the two of us, we should have something shortly. If you’ve got this, I’ll just take off.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “I’ve got this under control. You just head back to the clubhouse.” Feeling like an asshole for pushing his buttons, I added, “Really appreciate all that you’ve done for her, Jarvis.”

“Thanks, Pres.”

I locked the front door before going back to the armchair. It was pointless. I was up again within seconds, unable to sit still.

“Nate?” The handle on the bedroom door rattled, and Kate appeared, using the wall to support herself. Her dark hair was drenched in sweat, and her usually bright green eyes were glazed from fever.

She might’ve been the spitting image of her mama, but as she stumbled toward me, all I could see was my little girl.

Daddy, can you come to my tea pawty?

I crossed the room to her. “Katydid, let’s get you back to bed.”

She shook her head and stabbed a finger in the direction of the front door. “No…it’s Nate.”

“Sweetheart, you’re not well. You need to be restin’.”

“Jolly Giant,” she croaked. “I’m fine. See?” She managed two steps before falling into the back of the couch and then collapsing onto the carpet in a flood of tears. Her hands dug at the fibers like she was building a sandcastle.

Daddy, I builded a towah all by myself. Don’t bweak it!

I lifted her in my arms, but she didn’t struggle, just watched me with a curious expression on her face. I’d forgotten how her cat-like eyes seemed to bore right through my skull as if reading my thoughts.

“Grey?” she whispered, and I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, suddenly fighting back the tears. When Dakota told Celia she wanted a relationship with me, I’d been ecstatic, but with Kate, things were different.

She’d known that fairy tales were bullshit since the age of six; had been forced to learn that her heroes weren’t invincible.

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