Page 65 of Grumpy Player

“Daddy?” Syd says.

“Yes, Sweet Pea.”

“Mommy’s friend, Warren, isn’t a nice man. He was touching Ellie and she got angry,” Syd shares.

“What?” I ask in shock.

“Ellie wasn’t happy with him,” Syd repeats.

I’m seeing red. Ellie didn’t say anything about that when she told me about her day.

“Was he okay with you, Sweet Pea?” I ask.

She nods. “He didn’t really talk to me. I was by Ellie’s side all day. I held her hand and stayed close to her, but when I went to see the animals at the zoo Warren was talking to her and Ellie got angry.”

“Okay. Why don’t you give me a few minutes. I need to check on Ellie. Then we can make dinner together.”

“Daddy, I don’t want to go with Mommy tomorrow. I want to go to school,” my daughter says.

“You’re going to school tomorrow. I don’t want you to worry,” I assure her, and I kiss the top of her head.

I head straight for Ellie’s room because my daughter isn’t the only one I am feeling protective about. I’m seeing red right now.

I knock once. No answer. I knock again. No answer.

Fuck it.

I walk inside the room and I see the bathroom door open.

I pinch my eyes shut and keep my head down.

“Ellie, it’s me,” I call out.

“Omg,” she says, sounding alarmed. “Connor, what is going on?”

“I need to speak with you, now,” I say to her.

“Now? I’m kind of in the bath,” she replies awkwardly.

My body is radiating with anger at Warren and a fierce need to make sure she is okay.

“Ellie, you’ve basically seen me naked in the bath. I need to talk to you, please,” I repeat, and my tone softens when I say that last word. “Can you drape a towel over the bath or something?”

“I’ve got a lot of bubbles going on in here. You can’t see anything except…”

“Except what?” I ask in return. She is killing me right now.

“Maybe a little bit of boob,” she replies.

“I’m okay with it if you are.”

“I’ll just slink into the water a little more,” she offers. “Okay, come in.”

I open my eyes and walk inside the bathroom. The scent of lavender and mint assaults my senses as my eyes land on her. Her wet shoulders, the top part of her breasts since her nipples are emersed in water.

“Connor?” Ellie’s voice pulls me from my obvious staring.

I blink. “Sorry.”

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