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“Go home, Jared,” she hissed, her fingers twisting in the back of my club cut. She gave it a light tug, and while I wanted to get in this guy’s face, I gave in, allowing her to direct me back until she felt like we were at a safe distance.
Safe enough that if Jared decided to run his mouth, I wouldn’t be able to reach him before he tucked his tail and ran.
I folded my arms across my chest, half of my body standing protectively in front of Missy, her hand still wrapped tightly in my colors.
Jared looked between us like he was trying to figure out exactly what the fuck was going on. “This isn’t the end of this conver—”
“Yes, it is.” His body jerked at my sharp tone. “You come at her again, try and make an issue out of this, get in her fucking face, and I’ll end you, baby daddy or fucking not.”
His glare was forced, the fear in his eyes far stronger than his attempt to outstare me as he bared his teeth for a second and turned, storming off toward a run-down red Toyota parked at the curb. Neither Missy nor I moved until he pulled away, tires spinning as he swerved out onto the road.
“Mama!”
Her hold was gone instantly.
“Mama, where’d Daddy go?”
Missy dropped to her knees just in time for a little girl in blonde pigtails to leap into her arms. “He went home, baby girl,” she croaked before subtly clearing her throat. The little girl reached up, using her thumbs to wipe away the residue of tears from Missy’s cheeks. A gesture it seemed like she had done many times before. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Play now?”
Missy’s eyes quickly flickered to me before she plastered on a smile and inhaled deeply. “This is my friend, Hawk,” she introduced. Her tone was sweet and smooth and so fucking sexy. Sure, there was something about this woman’s fierce nature that drew me in, but it was something else completely to see that hard ice she seemed to protect herself with begin to melt.
“Hewwo, Hawk.”
The unsure whisper brought a smirk to my lips, and I dropped to one knee. She watched me cautiously from her mom’s lap, Missy looking relatively amused by the interaction. “It’s nice to meet you. Katie, is it?”
“Kadey. With a D, not a T.”
“My bad. It’s nice to meet you, Kadey.”
It took less than a second for her to slip from her mom’s arms and take three awfully slow steps toward me. “What is those?” she mumbled, her fingers brushing the patches on the front of my cut.
“They are my patches.”
“I has a teddy called Patches.”
“Kadey,” Missy interrupted with a light chuckle. “I need to talk to Hawk.”
Kadey continued to stare at my club colors, her little head tilted to the side as she tugged at the sleeves of her Minnie Mouse sweatshirt.
“I will play with her while you talk.” My sister’s soft voice startled me for a second, a reminder I’d left her across the park when I went on my angry stampede.
“Shit, sorry,” I cursed. “Missy, this is my sister, Grace.”
“We play?” Kadey questioned, instantly forgetting me and turning to her new best friend. She grabbed Grace’s hand, dragging her toward the playground before Missy could even open her mouth to protest.
“She’ll be fine,” I told her, getting to my feet and offering her my hand. “Grace is my complete opposite, and she has three-point-five kids of her own.”
“Point five?” Missy smirked, allowing me to pull her to her feet.
“Did you miss the large basketball she has shoved up her dress?” Her laughter was soft but warm, and I was fucking addicted instantly. “So, does your ex spend a lot of time yelling at you in public places?”
She dusted the grass off her knees, letting out a loud snort. “Yes, often.” I couldn’t control the way my fingers rolled into fists, my gut telling me I should’ve dragged the bastard into the middle of the closest lake and concreted his shoes. Men who broke down women shouldn’t be breathing. I’d spent the first part of my life being taught that was how things should be—women were inferior and made for breeding. It took me a long time to realize that having a strong woman beside you wasn’t detrimental to you as a man.
If anything, it made you stronger.
Because, just like in chess, queens always protect their kings.
