I almost slump in relief, but now’s not the time to let my guard drop.
The man doesn’t seem to notice the sirens or doesn’t care. He remains in front of me, the anger in his face going nowhere.
The sirens stop with a half-gurgledyipoutside Picnic & Treats. I don’t dare shift my attention from the assailant to glance out the window. Don’t dare to check if the cops are here responding to Anastasia’s 9-1-1 call, or if they’re outside the building for some other reason.
Murmured voices surround me, but I can’t hear what’s being said. The tapping of fingers on phone screens accompanies the voices—the soft music before all hell breaks loose in a movie.
The door chime jingles again, and two officers enter the café. The man turns to them, his makeshift weapon drawn and ready.
I briefly register one of the cops is Noah, a friend of mine. Then I turn to the girls and gesture for them to get down. The four of us duck under the table. We aren’t the only ones. Chairs scrape across the floor as people scramble to get out of the way.
Lord, please tell me we’ll make it out of here unharmed.
5
GARRETT
My living roomwas designed for the comforts of a grown-ass man and not a toddler. Many of the ornaments—like the ceramic vases and glass candleholders—decorating the built-in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace are easily broken. The houseplants are potentially poisonous to a curious child.
And the rest of the house isn’t much better.
“I’ll put you up in one of the hotels in town for the next few days,” I tell Athena. “If she is my daughter?—”
“She is,” Athena says softly. “She’s your daughter.”
“If she is my daughter, I’ll need to childproof the house and buy supplies.” I unfold from my end of the sectional and stand. “Does she sleep in a crib? Or a bed?”
“A crib.” Athena’s face pales as I draw closer to where she and Peony are sitting on the couch. The freckles on her nose and cheeks become more noticeable, and her hand returns to her pendant. “But she’ll be ready to switch to a toddler bed soon.”
Peony glances up from her picture book to where I’m standing. Fear widens her eyes, and she whimpers, burying her face into Athena’s side.
I crouch, making myself smaller and hopefullyless intimidating. “I’m not gonna hurt you.” I lower the pitch of my voice, hoping my tone is a soothing lullaby.
My words don’t seem to make a difference. Her little body trembles, and her face remains buried against Athena.
At a loss for what to do, I turn my head to Athena for suggestions. If I am Peony’s father but she’s scared of me, it will only make things more challenging. Perhaps if I knew what I was doing, it would help. But I don’t. Raising a kid isn’t something they prepare you for in the Marines.
Athena releases the pendant and drops her hand to her lap. “She’s shy around most people, but more so with men.”
Shy? If her reaction to Kellan and me is any indication, she’s a helluva lot more than shy.
“She just needs a little time to get to know you.” Athena’s gaze slides to Kellan. “To get to know both of you. You’re one of her uncles, right?”
He gives her a stiff nod.
“He’s Kellan,” I tell her.
“And Lucas and Troy are your other two brothers. Kenda told me about them. You all joined the Marines after college. And you will do everything to protect those you love.” She kisses the top of Peony’s head. “It’s gonna be okay, baby girl. You’re safe. Those bad men won’t hurt you.” The words are softly spoken on Peony’s temple, but loud enough that Kellan and I can hear them.
“Bad men?” I share a confused frown with Kellan.
“The two men who sent Kenda to heaven.” Athena’s voice catches, and she hangs her head, her shoulders slumping.
“She witnessed what happened?” My gaze falls on Peony so Athena knows whichsheI’m referring to.
“We both did.” She drags in a stuttering breath. “The three of us had left a clothing store when Peony realized she’d dropped Poppy somewhere inside it. Kenda had to make a call, so Peony and I returned to the store…and then…”
Athena squeezes her eyes shut, and her hand goes to the pendant again.
