Page 66 of Unruly

Except she did find him …

Standing in the doorway of her husband’s downstairs office, she watched Cece bend over on her father’s desk to get closer to the speaker of the phone she was talking into.

“Hi, Cece,” said a familiar voice. “How is my goddaughter today?”

Catherine tried not to let her irritation bubble up at Zeke’s voice on the phone, but it was fucking hard. There were rules to be followed in their business for a reason. It kept them all safe. It bothered her to think that Zeke had not considered any of them when he made his choices regarding his … wife.

Or whatever.

“I misses you, Uncle Zeke,” Cece said.

Cross frowned, but Catherine saw him quickly hide it when Cece looked his way.

“We’ll come over soon,” Zeke promised. “And then you can meet Aunt Katya, huh? How does that sound?”

“Okays!”

Everything was always okays to Cece.

She was too little to understand.

She had no concept of danger.

Catherine stayed where she was in the doorway as Cross said goodbye to his consigliere and best friend. Her husband didn’t seem to notice her standing there as he reached for a remote, aimed it toward the stereo, and hit a button. Instantly, Cece’s favorite pop song blasted through the speakers.

On top of her father’s desk, in her sparkly shoes and sky blue dress, Cece danced. Carefree, and happy as could be. Cross reached out to their girl, she took his hands, and he swayed back and forth with her to the beat.

For the moment, Catherine let their sweet scene take away her worries and stress. It was only when Cross snagged Cece off the desk into his arms, and then spun them both around, did he finally see Catherine in the doorway.

Cross hesitated in his steps, and then blinded Catherine with a sheepish grin. “Hey, babe.”

Cece noticed her, too. “Hi, Ma!”

“Nobody thought to invite me to the party?”

Her husband chuckled, and set their daughter on the floor. He quickly shut the music off, then handed Cece her pink tablet.

“Go play for a bit, bambina, okay?”

“Okays!”

Cece darted out of the office, hugging her tablet to her chest. Once she was gone from view, Cross turned to Catherine.

“How did that meeting go with John?”

“About how I expected,” she admitted.

Cross frowned. “Not good, then.”

“We worked something out.”

“Good, good.”

Catherine’s gaze drifted to the phone on the desk. “So … you invited Zeke over and her, too?”

Cross sighed. “Her name is Katya, Catherine.”

“I know.”