Page 60 of Moonlight & Matrimony
“I apologize. He shouldn’t have been allowed to enter the building, but our security code has been disabled due to a system upgrade,” Catherine explains.
“That’s unacceptable!” Luca seethes. “You’ve endangered every child in this building, and I would like to speak to the owner.”
“I understand. She is out of office today but I can have her give you a call. In the meantime, we did have something to discuss. If you’ll just follow me into the office. I’ll have Meghan return Rylin to her classroom so we can talk.”
Rylin waves as she follows Meghan down the hallway, my nerves vibrating as she disappears into her classroom. We follow Catherine into the small office decorated with children’s drawings and soft pastel colors. My heart aches as I spot a drawing of Luca’s house, with three stick figures holding hands on the front lawn.
“Please, have a seat,” Catherine says, her tone soft but serious. Once we’re settled, she folds her hands on the desk in front of her. “I’m afraid we had an incident today involving Rylin.”
Luca leans forward, his face lined with worry. “What happened?”
Catherine takes a deep breath, as if steadying herself before speaking. “Another child made some disparaging comments to Rylin regarding her father —” she says, pausing before rushing to clarify. “Austin. It seems they overheard something at home and repeated it here. You know how kids can be. Rylin retaliated. She was very… forceful with her words.”
Luca’s jaw clenches as he looks over at me, his expression filled with a fierce protectiveness that has my heartbeat stuttering for a beat.
“What happened with the other child?” I ask.
“We spoke to him and his parents about not repeating things he doesn’t fully understand, emphasizing the importance of leading with kindness. But we do have to address Rylin’s response as well.”
Luca shifts in his seat, a stern expression marring his handsome face. “She was defending herself.”
“I understand, and given the circumstances, her reaction is understandable. But we want to help Rylin find ways to express her feelings that don’t escalate conflicts and cause harm to others. We’re concerned about how this might affect her in the long run, especially with all of the sudden changes at home.”
“Please don’t pretend like you know anything about our situation. You should be more concerned about your fucking security,” I snap, barely able to contain my thinly veiled anger. Luca places a hand on my thigh, calming me with a simple touch.
“I apologize if I overstepped.”
Before I can respond, Luca cuts in. “Can we just take her home?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll bring her in.”
As soon as Catherine leaves the room, Luca turns to me, his gaze softening. “She’s tough, Ivy. None of this is fair, but she’ll be ok.We’llbe ok.”
I nod, hating the uneasy feeling taking root in my chest. The details of the incident are vague at best, but I heard enough to know that my business has gotten around town so much that it’s coming right back around to my daughter. And fuck if that doesn’t make me feel like the biggest piece of shit. I’ve done everything in my power to keep her separated from all the drama, but in a small town like Oak Ridge, the efforts are futile.
Rylin rushes into the room, throwing herself into Luca’s arms, and my heart melts instantly at their easy affection.
“Here’s her backpack,” Catherine says. “We’ll let you know if anything else comes up. See you tomorrow Ry.” She smiles softly at my daughter, and we turn to leave.
As Luca leads us outside, Rylin rests her head on his shoulder, finding comfort in his presence. His thumb traces a soothing pattern along my palm as I savor every brush of his skin against mine. Weariness seeps into my being as I continue to fight this relentless battle between Austin and me. It’s exhausting, both mentally and physically. Everything in me is telling me to take Rylin and run, but I know he would still find me.
“Ry, time to go!” I call up the stairs. With her first supervised visit looming, Rylin’s been stalling.
“No!” she calls back, and I’m certain I hear the telltale stomp of her foot against the hardwood. This girl and her sass are going to be the death of me one of these days.
“Don’t make me come up there, Rylin Jade.”
Luca approaches, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Can I try?”
“By all means,” I say, gesturing for him to lead the way.
Luca jogs up the stairs two at a time. I trail behind, intentionally keeping my distance but remaining close enough to see through the crack in the bedroom door. Rylin’s little legs dangle over the side of her twin bed, and I can’t help but notice how small she looks, so fragile and yet there’s a stubborn set to her jaw that I recognize all too well.
“Hey, Bug. Ready to go?”
“Uh uh,” she says, shaking her head and sticking out her bottom lip. Luca crouches down at her feet, carefully grasping her hands.
“Why not?” he asks, his voice steady and unwavering.
