Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
A lex held up a hand to stop Liev mid-sentence as he reached for his phone, buzzing on the desk. His body immediately tensed when Madison’s voice came through clearly agitated.
“Alex, I’m so sorry to bother you, but… The daycare just called. Jax is sick. I need to pick him up, but Cami and I have an interview with Cary Weaver in twenty minutes. I?—”
“I’ll get him.” His response was instant.
A beat of silence, then a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I owe you big time.”
“Relax, Madison. He’s my son, too.” The words rolled off his tongue so naturally it took him a second to realize he’d said them. “I’ll bring him home.”
“Thank you. I’ll be home as soon as I can, but it might be a couple of hours.” He could hear the hesitation in her voice.
“He’s a human child. I’ll figure it out.”
“His diapers will be in his bag, and I put his medicines in the medicine cabinet.”
Alex frowned. “We have a medicine cabinet?”
“Upper cabinet to the right of the coffeepot. Dosage is on the bottle.” She paused. “You’re su?—”
“I’ve got it, Angel. And if I need to, I’ll drive him to your office. Go. Do your interview.”
Madison had been acting strangely for the last several days—ever since she returned from her trip. She had filled him in on her attempts to get the interview with the victim’s ex-girlfriend and how unfriendly the town had been—something he planned on addressing after a decent amount of time passed, following the end of her podcast, when no connection would be made between the two.
“What’s the emergency?” Liev asked, falling into step beside him as Alex hurried to his car.
“Jax is sick.”
“Is it serious?”
“Probably just another cold.”
He felt Liev’s gaze on him.
“What are you supposed to do about it?”
Good question. He’d seen Madison give Jax medicine before.
How hard can it be?
Alex had never felt so out of place in his entire life as when they stepped into the bright, overly cheerful daycare lobby, the walls plastered with cartoon animals and colorful posters. The scent of disinfectant mixed with apple juice hung in the air.
The receptionist looked up from her desk, her eyes widening slightly. Her gaze riveted to the tattoos on Liev’s neck. She blinked, composing herself quickly.
Before she could respond, a woman with heavily styled hair and an overly friendly smile appeared.
“You must be Daddy?” She purred and licked her lips, giving him an obvious once-over.
Liev unsuccessfully smothered a laugh behind him.
Alex kept his expression blank. “I’m here for my son.”
The woman—her nametag read Cheryl —tilted her head, her eyes lingering a few seconds too long. “Of course. Poor little guy’s been having a rough day.” She gestured for him to follow her down the hall. “This way.”
As they walked, Cheryl kept glancing at him over her shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve seen you here before. We usually see… Madison.”
Alex ignored her.
“Always running around, so busy. Must be hard on her.” Her voice dripped with faux sweetness, setting Alex’s teeth on edge.
Liev shot Alex a sidelong glance, barely containing his amusement.
When they reached a large room at the end, Cheryl leaned against the doorframe, blocking his way. “It’s so nice to see a hands-on daddy. We don’t get enough of those around here.”
Liev snorted, but Alex wasn’t amused as he scanned the room for the familiar blonde head. His alarm spiked when he didn’t see him.
“Where is my son?” Alex tried to keep his voice as even as possible. Madison had enough trouble with this daycare, and he didn’t want to make it worse.
But if he didn’t see Jax in the next sixty seconds, he wasn’t sure what he would do.
Cheryl blinked, startled by the bite in his voice. She straightened, finally stepping aside. “We tried calling Madison. Several times.”
Her tone had his hackles up. “Where. Is. My. Son,” he bit out.
The woman’s eyes widened. “Sarah just took him for a diaper change. She’ll be right back.”
Another staff member entered the room with Jax in her arms, and Alex let out a breath. Then his frown deepened. Jax’s face was flushed, and his little body was curled in on itself as he rested his head on the young woman’s shoulder. He looked miserable.
Jax’s breathing was shallow and labored, and Alex’s own chest constricted at the sight of him.
“Hey, buddy,” he said softly, stepping closer.
The toddler’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice, and when Jax reached out for Alex with a whine, he thought his heart might burst.
“He’s been fussy,” the younger woman said apologetically. “Fever hit him fast. We were just about to call again.”
Heat radiated from the tiny body in his arms, and he could hear a slight whistle when Jax breathed.
That doesn’t sound normal.
Jax whimpered, nuzzling against Alex’s chest, and he instinctively adjusted his hold, rubbing circles on the small back. His gut twisted at how small and fragile the boy felt in his arms.
“He’s been sick a lot lately,” Cheryl said, her tone too casual. “We gave him the cold medicine from his bag, but he’ll be due another dose in three hours. We’re concerned because he’s been sick so much this year. I know Madison’s career is important to her, but these types of children need more attention.”
Alex felt Liev shift to alertness behind him.
“These types of children?” he asked, silkily.
Cheryl shifted uncomfortably, realizing too late that she had crossed a line. “Oh, you know… babies with, um, difficult starts. His mother?—”
“His mother,” Alex cut her off, his voice razor-sharp. “Is none of your concern.”
Her lips pursed. “If Madison would?—”
Alex’s eyes snapped to hers, his voice dropping dangerously low. “Mrs. Kovalyov.” The woman blinked at him. “You may call my wife, Mrs. Kovalyov.”
Her face paled. “I didn’t mean?—”
“I don’t care what you meant.” He narrowed his eyes. “I want Jax’s things. Now. And then I want to speak to the owner.”
Cheryl stammered something unintelligible before scurrying off to gather Jax’s belongings.
Liev leaned in, voice full of amusement. “You do subtlety well.”
Alex didn’t respond, his focus entirely on Jax.
By the time they got back to the house, Jax had drifted into a light sleep. Alex handed the diaper bag to Liev and went in search of the medicine. He opened the cabinet Madison had mentioned, and it hit him how many things had changed when he saw the brightly colored plastic bowls and plates on the shelves. Locating the medicine, he thrust the bottle at Liev.
“What do you want me to do?” His cousin looked horrified.
“Read the instructions.”
“Why can’t you do it, Daddy ?”
“Just because I’m holding a baby doesn’t mean I can’t kill you,” Alex growled.
“I thought that chick eye-fucking you at the daycare said he doesn’t get it for another three hours.”
Alex glared at him. “I want to have it ready for when it’s time. In case Madison isn’t back yet.”
“I’m not sure how I feel about this.” Liev gave him a strange look.
“What?” Alex shifted Jax to his chest.
“This.” He waved a hand. “It’s so… domestic.”
Alex narrowed his eyes and brought a large hand up to cover Jax’s exposed ear. “I can still snap your neck with one arm full. Want me to show you?”
Liev laughed and then immediately covered his mouth when Jax lifted his head with bleary eyes before his lids drooped and he relaxed into Alex.
“Sorry,” Liev mouthed.
Giving his cousin a death glare, Alex carried Jax to his newly-decorated room. Laying him gently in his bed, he brushed a hand over the toddler’s damp curls. Jax stirred, but didn’t wake.
“You’re going to be fine, buddy,” Alex whispered.
Liev appeared in the doorway. “Need anything?”
“No. We’re good.”
“Are you still going tomorrow?”
“Why wouldn’t I? Pick me up for the airport at five.”
Alex thought about his trip the next day and felt a surprising reluctance to leave. However, this trip to visit some of their developments had been planned for months, and he would only be gone for a few days.
A month ago, he never would have hesitated.
Alex sat on the edge of the full-size bed beside the toddler’s smaller one, his eyes never leaving Jax. His phone buzzed with a message from Madison.
Wife
How is he?
Alex
Sleeping. Still has a fever, but he seems comfortable.
Wife
This interview is running a little long.
Alex
Everything is under control.
The dots next to her name appeared and disappeared a few times.
Wife
Thank you for taking care of him.
He stared at her message for a moment before typing his response.
Alex
Always.