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This one was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled and stained. His eyes were bloodshot and his hair looked like he needed a haircut and to comb it. His face was covered in stubble and he appeared blotchy and bloated. I didn’t know if he was drunk or something else. I’d seen drunks and drug addicts look like this. I made a mental note to check if they had a tox screen run on him. When I approached the bars, he gave me a once-over then turned his back on me. I was already pissed at him, and that made me even angrier.
“Ewing, turn your ass back around and face me. We need to talk. I’m Officer Cane.”
He swung back around and scowled. “If you’re a cop, why aren’t you in uniform?”
“Not all of us wear uniforms. I happen to be off today, but when I heard they were bringing you in, I had to come in.”
“Why would you care if they brought me in? Are you a fan?”
I snorted in derision. His eyes narrowed on me. He didn’t like that. Good. “No, I’m not a fan. I’m not a fan of men who shirk their responsibilities or lay their hands on women in anger. I’m here to see that you get what you have coming to you and to give you a warning.”
“Oh really, and what is it you’re going to warn me about? I’ll have you know, I’ve never laid my hands on any woman. Not in any way she doesn’t enjoy, at least,” he said with an oily smirk.
“You’re to stay away from Tonya and the kids. Until such a time you’ve been deemed stable enough to be around them, you’re not to have any kind of contact with them. They’re now under the protection of the Archangel’s Warriors and me. Failure to adhere to that won’t have things turning out in your favor. Also, you should know that she’s completed paperwork to get a judge to issue a restraining order against you. I figure a temporary one will be issued until we can have the hearing to issue a longer-term one. Any violation of that will land your ass back in here.”
He let out a loud sort of roaring sound as he lunged at the bars. He tried to reach me through them, but I was too far back. His face was distorted by the look of anger he had.
“If you think you or those fucking bikers Soleil hooked up with can keep me away from my wife and kids, you’re crazy. They belong to me. We’re getting back together. There’s no way she’ll get a restraining order against me. Wait until I talk to my lawyer. He’ll have all your asses.”
“They don’t belong to you and you’re not getting back together. She told me that would never happen. She did fill out the paperwork. You were arrested for assaulting her. I saw the bruises on her arms. You scared her and your children. Have your lawyer do what he can, but you’re not going to get your hands on them again.”
“What’s it to you? You fucking her too? I bet she’s letting all those bikers between her legs now, isn’t she? I should’ve known she’d be a slut, just like all women,” he yelled.
Fury washed through me. “Tonya is as far from a slut as a woman can get. She’s killing herself, raising those three kids. You can’t even pay fucking child support or for their health insurance like you’re supposed to. She’s worked and took care of them ever since the day they were born. She told me how you wouldn’t lift a finger to do anything to help with them or around the house. You’re a loser and you don’t deserve to be called a man, a husband, or a father. You’re a spoiled boy. She deserves a real man. Remember what I said. They’re under our protection.”
I walked off, leaving him screaming profanities at me. I ignored him. When I got back out to the guards, they were all wide-eyed. One of them grinned at me.
“I think you pissed him off. Good. The bastard came in here crying and yelling about how he didn’t do anything wrong and we had no right to arrest him.”
“He’s full of shit. Let me know when he makes bail. I need to make sure his ex-wife is aware.”
“Sure, no problem, Jake. See you later.”
Back out in the squad room, I found Tonya waiting anxiously with Gordon. She rushed over to me as soon as she saw me. “What did he have to say?”
“A bunch of bullshit. Nothing worth repeating or you listening to. I think we’re done here. Are you ready to head back to the compound or do you wanna go to your apartment and pick up more stuff for you and the kids?”
While she considered it, we said goodbye to Gordon. I wrapped my arm around her waist as we left. She momentarily stiffened, then relaxed when I didn’t move my arm. I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, but I did want to see how she’d react to a man touching her. The more I was around her, the more I was getting the feeling there could be something between us if we gave it a try.
In the end, we did go to her place, and she got more clothes for the four of them before we headed back. I tried to get her to let me take her to lunch, but she was adamant that was too much time away. I let it slide. Eventually, I’d find a way to get her to take time for herself and not feel guilty about it. I had things to think about and I needed to talk to Nyssa. She was the only one who knew Frankie and would know if I was doing the right thing. I didn’t want to risk getting my heart broken again. I didn’t think I’d be able to stand it.
As soon as we got back, she went to get the kids. Knowing I couldn’t get her to take more time for herself or to work while I or someone else watched the kids, I left her to her own devices and went in search of Nyssa. I lucked out and found her at their house with Hawk and Isabella. Hawk was the one to open the door when I knocked.
When Isabella saw me, she came running to me, screaming, “Jakie.” I swung her up in my arms and covered her little face in kisses. I adored her. Hawk and Nyssa had made me her godfather when she was born. It was the greatest honor.
“Izzy,” I shouted back as I kissed her, making her giggle that tiny girly laugh of hers. It never failed to put a smile on my face, no matter how awful my day was. Her skinny arms tried to strangle me as she hugged me close.
“Izzy, let Uncle Jake breathe. In fact, what did we tell you? You need to remember to call him Law now. He has a special name like Daddy does,” Nyssa chided her, as she came to greet me at the door with a hug and kiss.
“I know, but he me Uncle Jakie. I no wanna call him Law.” She pouted.
“Honey, Momma only wants you to be respectful. You know that your new uncles in the club get new names. You need to try. If it’s just us around, then I’m fine with you calling me Jake or Jakie, okay?”
She gave me a deep sigh and rolled her eyes. God, they were going to have their hands full when she got older. I didn’t envy them. “Otay, Uncle Law, I try. Come to play?”
“I came to talk to your momma and if I have time, I’ll play. If for some reason I can’t today, I’ll do it tomorrow. Deal? Terror or one of the other Warriors might have work for me to do.”
She had a hard time being two and understanding why her dad and other uncles could tell me what to do and I had to do it. The concept of being a prospect went right over her head. She gave me a beseeching look before wiggling to get down and running back to her toys. As she did, Nyssa asked the burning question on her mind.
