Page 17 of Daddy’s Perfect Pair

“Noted, Officer McKinnon. Be aware there is more than one gunman, and a mother and children are being held hostage inside the home. Backup is on the way. Over,” dispatch says through the radio and Tom curses.

“What the fuck is wrong with people?!” He shakes his head in disgust as we turn onto Adams Drive.

“Understood Dispatch. Over,” I state, laying the radio down as we pull up to the house.

“We need to wait for backup,” Tom says, watching me double check to make sure everything on my vest is in proper order.

“I’m aware,” I grumble just before two more shots ring out, and kids start screaming.

Picking up the radio, I call back. “Dispatch, this is Officer McKinnon. We are on the scene and more shots were just fired. Permission to move in? Over,” I ask, praying I get the go ahead.

I’m not sure I can handle seeing dead children right now.

“Officers Cannon and Perez will be there in under a minute. Wait for their backup. Over,” dispatch says just as the other cruiser comes into view.

“Understood. Over.” I toss the radio down, and Tom and I get out of the cruiser as the other officers do the same.

We’reall lined up on the far side of the cruisers with them nose to nose in case shots are aimed at us as Cannon pulls the megaphone to his mouth.

“Police!” he continues to announce our presence, and I send up a prayer that we can save them in time.

Trey

“God, it’s been a long week,”I groan into the empty space of my apartment as I flop down on the couch. I’ll let Jewel and Pete know I’m home in a few minutes, but I just need a second to breathe.

For the first time in my life, I hated being away on a business trip because I missed them. Before, it was a matter of missing Lilly and not speaking to her much, but now that she’s a mom with her own life, I don’t feel as bad about leaving her.

She’s with Landon now, and I know that no matter what happens to me, she’s safe and cared for.

Jewel and Pete have each other too, but I know he’s been working a lot over the holiday season to give others with young children some time off, which leaves my little jewel home alone a lot, and I know neither of us like it.

I know she’s a Switch and Little, but I also know she loves to be surrounded by the people she loves most, and that circle is small to her.

I could tell during a couple of calls that she was worried about my being away, and I have a few ideas of why, but I need her to voice those concerns so I can help lay them to rest.

As her Daddy and Dom, it’s my job to make sure she knows there is nothing for her to worry about. But I also know that level of trust will take time, and I don’t have the best track record when it comes to relationships, and they both know it.

I also need to believe that they both know how different they are to anyone else that has come before them in my life.

With a sigh, I take my phone out and get ready to message them when Julie’s name flashes on the screen.

Smiling, I hit the answer button. “He—”

“Daddy!” I’m met with anguished sobs that reach down into my chest, squeezing my heart so hard I can’t breathe.

“Jewel, baby, what is it?” I’m already standing and grabbing the keys to my car, uncaring that I’m in the same clothes I just spent hours flying home in. All that matters is getting to my little girl right now.

“He—he’s i—in surgery,” she wails down the line.

“Who is? Peter?” I ask, an uneasy feeling building in my gut.

“Yes,” she whisper cries, and I fall against the nearest wall as everything around me spins.

“Okay,” I say, internally telling myself to be calm. There are hundreds of reasons he could be in surgery right now, and Julie is an emotional person. Peter is her main person, and anything could set her off. “Tell Daddy what happened, little jewel,” I guide her, reminding myself to fucking breathe so everything comes back into focus.

“He was at work,” she sobs, trying to breathe as I guide her so she can get the story out. Knowing he was at work makes this being something normal a lot less likely, and I need to get to them both.

Fuck.

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