Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Downstairs, as Matteo walked into the kitchen, Jack asked him, “How’s she doing?”
Matteo walked past Kendrick, Ace, and Isaiah and to the sink located on the granite-topped island.
“I think today was a lot for her. But she had fun. She’s up there in the bath, watching a movie.”
He washed his hands, dried them, and grabbed an onion from a pile of veggies in the center of the island. Next, he got a board and knife and started chopping as he continued.
“There’s still something going on. I get that she’s overwhelmed with all the changes. Anyone would be. But there’s something else there. She’s not ready to share it yet.”
Ace finished chopping the tomatoes he’d been working on, dropped them in the large pot atop the stove, and then turned back around to face the others at the island. “You think she’s in some kind of trouble, Matteo?”
He nodded. “I do. But she’s not ready to talk about it yet.”
“Well,” Jack said, “when she is, she’s at the right place. Helping Littles in trouble is our specialty.”
The other guys eagerly voiced their agreement. The Daddy Guard took their mission seriously. And it wasn’t just because it was their job.
Matteo figured they would have found a way to do it even if they weren’t being paid handsomely for it. Now that the idea was in their heads, they couldn’t shake free of it.
They chatted while they prepared dinner. Every now and then, Matteo would hear Iris and Cami in the house doing something. About twenty minutes in, Lana came home from work and hugged and kissed Ace before going off to change and clean up.
Kendrick eventually turned the TV in the kitchen on so they could hear the news. The TV wasn’t very big, hanging under one of the cabinets, and the group listened more often than they watched it. Matteo often stopped to see more, though, if one of the stories involved the police.
Around Los Angeles, they often did.
And there were times he knew the officers featured. But the Department employed close to nine thousand officers. So, he didn’t know the vast majority of them. But between him and the other Guard members, there was often a connection somehow.
That was true that evening. Thankfully, it was good news for a change. Matteo stopped prepping the meal long enough to watch the feature on the annual “Shop With a Cop” program that would be happening soon during the Holidays.
“You ever miss that?” Isaiah asked to no one in particular.
“I did plenty of shopping today,” Matteo told him.
The group laughed.
“I know how that goes,” Jack said. “Little Iris can run me all over town, going in store after store, it seems.” He chuckled. “But I do love spoiling her.”
“Oh, I loved spoiling my cutie,” Matteo replied.
It felt good to call Annika that, too.
My cutie.
“This is a good community outreach,” Jack noted, his eyes on the TV. “But sometimes I think the brass just does it to get good publicity.” He shrugged. “Still, it benefits shoe kids who are in need. So I guess it’s worth it, whatever the folks’ motive is down at the Parker Center.”
Matteo smiled. The Department had changed the name of HQ a while back, dropping the Parker moniker. But almost every cop he knew—at least the ones who’d been on the force for a few years—still referred to it by its old title.
Some habits were hard to break.
The news story ended and another came on, this one showing a state senator who was clearly excited about an upcoming partnership with the tech billionaire Edward Marlot.
“Oh man,” Isaiah said. “I don’t know what’s worse—the rich guy or the politician.”
The men laughed.
“They’re both rich,” Matteo pointed out. “One just has more money than the other.”
Before anyone else could say something, Annika walked in. Her hair was wrapped in a towel. She was wearing one of his t-shirts, and it swallowed her, looking like a dress—and a baggy one at that.
She was adorable.
“Sorry to interrupt. But where are those outfits you bought for me today? I think I want to wear the—”
Her eyes darted to the TV. She stepped closer, her jaw falling slack. And then, as if pushed by some unseen force, she was on the floor, curled up and singing “Moon River” once again.
Just like last night at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Matteo’s heart broke. But he couldn’t spend the time to reflect on it all right now.
His Little girl needed him.
He had her off the floor and in his arms in a matter of seconds.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” he asked.
A few heavy moments passed before the reply came in the form of a faint whisper.
“Nothing.” She sniffled, moved away, and dried her eyes. “I’m… s-sorry. Something must have… triggered… an anxiety attack. I’m so sorry.”
She turned around as if to hurry away, but Matteo reached out and gently took hold of her arm, keeping her in place. After spinning her around to face him once again, he pulled her close.
“No one’s ever going to hurt you again. You’re safe in Daddy’s arms.”
She broke down sobbing into his chest.
Matteo picked her up and carried her from the kitchen, taking her upstairs to his room.
His Little girl was hurting.
And Daddy would hold her close as long as she needed.