CHAPTER 11

Levi

“CADE!” I SHOUT, RIPPING my latex gloves off. Muttering a half-assed apology to my client, I shove my cell into my pocket and rush out to the main room. Grabbing my keys, I’m pulling on my sweatshirt when he comes flying out of his own room, holding an unopened package with a fresh needle in it.

“What? Everything okay, man?”

“No. No, everything is not okay. Emmy called and something happened.”

Cade’s eyes widen in shock and he pulls off his glasses.

“Lily?”

Shaking my head, I rein in my anxiety and pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I don’t know. Emmy called me crying, said they needed me. I don’t know, they’re at the park downtown. Can you have Syd reschedule the guy when she gets back from lunch? I’ll call you.”

Without waiting for an answer, I run out to my truck, turning the key and flooring it out of there. Our shop is only about five miles from where they are, but I hit every red light. Every stop sign has a wait. When I get about a mile from the park, I watch cruisers go racing past me, sirens blaring. My stomach begins to roll, nausea threatening to erupt.

Please let my girls be okay.

Not bothering to give a shit, I drive straight through the red light in front of me. As I close in on the park, I pull my truck to the side of the road, trying to see through the madness. One ambulance is parked at the opening, and there are police officers everywhere. Stumbling from my vehicle, I race toward the crowd.

“Emmy!”

An officer steps in front of me, placing a hand to my chest.

“Sir, we aren’t letting people through. You need to step back.”

“No, my girlfriend called, said they were here and needed me. Please, what happened?”

Looking down at a small notepad, he looks me over and sighs.

“Are you Levi Jackson?”

Holy fuck.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Follow me.”

Walking behind him, my heart starts racing. I have no idea why they’re being so secretive, unless something really awful has happened. He takes me around the back of a cruiser and then I hear it.

“Daddy!”

I almost pass out when I turn around and Lily is flying into my arms, her face red, hair wet and matted from her tears. Scooping her into my arms, I bury my face in her tangled hair and take a deep breath, thanking God and whoever else can hear my thoughts.

“Oh, baby, what happened? Are you okay?”

She shakes her head against me and I gently shush her, squeezing her as tight as I can without hurting her. Looking at the officer, I see Emmy sitting on the step of the ambulance, clutching a handful of tissues to her chest.

Fuck. They’re both okay.

I try to get her to come over but she ignores me. Now I’m really freaking out. What the hell is going on?

“What happened? I need answers, Officer. Why is my daughter so terrified?”

“Mr. Jackson, there was an incident a little while ago. Your daughter was the victim of an attempted kidnapping. Ms. Reese scared the perp off, and we’ve now opened a full investigation.” Tucking the small notebook into his breast pocket, he excuses himself for a moment.

Looking down at Lily, I hate the tears burning in my eyes, but Jesus Christ. Who would try to take my child? And Emmy saved her? Holy shit.

“Oh, Lily. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, baby. Are you hurt?”

Lifting her head from my neck, she nods, pointing to her arm. Fury rises in me when I see the giant purple bruise in the shape of a hand. I gently run my finger over it, placing a soft kiss to the sore skin.

“Daddy’s got you, okay? You’re safe now, Lily bug.”

“Emmy got me, Daddy. Emmy ran after me and saved me from the mean man.”

“I know. Emmy is so brave and strong. Let’s go tell her, okay?”

Lily nods and I shift her around so she’s settled on my hip, making it easier to walk with her. Carefully I walk us over to the ambulance where Emmy is sitting. Coming to stand in front of her, I can see how hard she’s shaking, and her eyes are red and swollen. I reach a hand out to her but she flinches, avoiding eye contact with me.

“Em, come here.”

Shaking her head, she hiccups through her tears, and I exhale loudly. Keeping Lily tight against me, I reach out and grab her shaking hand. When I have a tight enough grip, I pull on her and she gives up the fight, standing up and falling into my chest.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers, fisting my shirt in her free hand.

“Stop it, baby. It wasn’t your fault. Shh, it’s okay. I got you.”

Wrapping my arm securely around her shoulders, I lock her and Lily tight in my embrace, keeping my girls safe in my arms.

“It wasn’t your fault, Em. I’m not angry with you. I don’t blame you.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her how much I love her. If at any moment before today I wasn’t confident about my feelings, I am now. She’s completely devastated and torn up over something that happened to my child, and she protected her.

I love her.

God, how can she even think for a second that I’d be angry with her?

“Mr. Jackson, we understand the frustration. This investigation is not closed, but as we have zero leads to go on and very few pieces of evidence, there is nothing more to be done at the moment.”

I can tell the detective in front of us feels bad, but I don’t care. I want to know who the fuck tried to come after Lily, and I want to know right the hell now. Emmy is upstairs with Lily giving her a bath, keeping her distracted from the events of today.

Once Emmy calmed down enough, she was able to give a more detailed account of what happened. Now we’re home, trying to figure out the next step. It’s only been seven hours since the attempt, but I know what this guy is telling me.

No evidence.

Nothing they can do.

Basically it’s over.

Well, fuck that.

After talking a few minutes more, I walk him to the front door. Closing it behind me, I lock the deadbolt and turn to head upstairs, finding Emmy standing behind me.

“Hey, sweetheart. How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. How are you doing?”

Shrugging, I walk past her to the kitchen, opening a cabinet to grab the can of coffee. After setting a pot to brew, I turn to lean back against the counter. Emmy is just looking at me, arms crossed over her chest.

“What?” I ask.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Someone tried to kidnap my daughter. They left bruises on her tiny arm. Yes, Emmy, I’m perfectly fucking fine.”

When she doesn’t answer, I turn away from her, ashamed at how I just snapped. But in seconds, her arms are circling my waist from behind and her head drops to my back.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whisper, gripping her hands in mine.

“Don’t be.”

“Where’s Lily?”

“Asleep. She asked me to read her a story after her bath and she fell asleep before the end. She’s safe in her bed.”

“Thanks to you, Em.”

Turning around, I circle her waist with my arms, pulling her flush to my body. Tucking a loose strand of her soft hair behind an ear, I give her a small smile.

“Of course, Levi.”

Her voice is quiet and I can tell the events from today still have her shaken up, so I bend down and grab her just under the ass, lifting her so I can carry her over to the couch. When I sit us down, Emmy stays on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” I mutter against her hair, burying my face into the softness of it.

“Nothing.”

Not wanting to upset her any further, I hold her tighter and settle back against the cushions, making myself comfortable. She sniffles against my skin, and that’s it for me. Pulling her from my chest, I force her to sit up, heart clenching when I see the tears, how upset she is.

“Em, what is this? Baby, I get it. I thought I was gonna pass out when I got to the park, but she’s safe. You kept Lily safe, so why the tears? Did something else happen?”

I brush at her tears, but more quickly replace them.

“Levi...” Her blue eyes, red-rimmed and swollen, meet mine.

“Em.”

“I love you,” she whispers. Her entire body is trembling as she leans forward to kiss me, her touch hard and insistent.

My hands tangle in her hair and I pull her back, looking deep into her eyes.

“You what?”

“I love you, Levi. I love you more than anything else in this world, except maybe Lily. I just wish I had been enough for you both.” Emmy’s eyes fill with tears once more and she climbs from my lap, rushing out of the room. I’m left sitting in stunned silence, unsure of what to even do.

She loves me? And what the hell does she mean, ‘had been enough’?

I get my answer a moment later when I see her cross the kitchen, grabbing her purse.

She’s leaving me.

Standing up, I follow after her, preparing myself for a battle. No way in fucking hell is this girl walking away from me.

Not. Fucking. Happening.