She swallowed, suddenly shy. “Okay. Yeah. I’d like that.”
“Good girl,” he said, the words wrapped in warmth that made her heart stutter. Then he stood, offered her a wink, and tipped his hat before strolling off like he hadn’t just completely knocked the wind out of her.
Sydney stood frozen in the hallway, cheeks burning, butterflies having an absolute riot in her stomach.
She hadn’t even made it to breakfast yet and it was already the best day she’d ever had in her entire life.
Including the day she got Banana.
Speaking of, she turned right around and ran back to her bedroom, regardless of Levi’s warning about running, to go grab her best stuffed friend so she could tell her all about her upcoming date.
Chapter Ten
Levi
Levi stirred the pot on the stove, the scent of garlic and butter mingling with the soft clink of utensils behind him. Roland was reorganizing the already organized stack of mismatched plates for the third time, his brow furrowed in quiet frustration.
“We should’ve gotten that second-hand toy chest from Gavin when he offered,” Roland muttered. “Or that extra beanbag from Megan’s playroom. We don’t even have coloring books, Levi. She’s going to think we’re unprepared.”
Levi glanced over his shoulder, a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “We are unprepared. That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?”
“That’s not helpful,” Roland grumbled, adjusting the placemats again. “She’s coming over to our home. What if she wants to be Little? What if she needs to color to feel safe and we’re just standing here like idiots with spaghetti and no crayons?”
Levi let the spoon rest against the edge of the pot and crossed to him, placing a steadying hand on Roland’s lower back. “Hey,” he said, voice low and grounding, “we’re not auditioning for theperfect Daddy contest. It’s just dinner. Just one night to see how things feel. We don’t need a nursery to care for her.”
Roland looked up at him, worry softening into something else. “You’re really calm about this.”
Levi’s hand slid up to the back of his partner’s neck. “I’m not calm,” he admitted. “I’m holding it down because one of us has to.”
Roland chuckled and leaned into the touch. “Because you’re the serious one?”
“Because I’m the boss and we both know it,” Levi teased, brushing his thumb just behind Roland’s ear. “And because I know the second we see her in this space, everything else will melt away.”
That earned a little breath of a laugh from Roland, the kind that said he believed him even if he didn’t quite feel it yet. Levi loved that about him—how Roland could be anxious and fussy and still trust Levi to steer them steady.
He kissed Roland’s temple, lingered there for a moment, then pulled away with a reluctant sigh. “Speaking of things that need to melt away,” he said, moving toward the hallway cabinet where he’d stashed his phone, “Greg’s been sending more messages.”
Roland stiffened behind him. “To Sydney’s phone?”
“Yeah. Must’ve figured out it’s not her answering anymore, though. He’s… escalating.”
Levi unlocked the phone and opened it to the screenshots he’d sent himself. He worked hard to control the anger at seeing them again and handed over the phone so Roland could look.
Roland’s eyes skimmed the screen. His face went pale. “He thinks we’re brainwashing her? That she belongs to him?” His voice dropped, rough with something like fury. “He’s unhinged.”
“Yep.”
“And he’s threatening to take her?”
“Not in so many words, but the intent’s there,” Levi said grimly. “We’ve got security monitoring all the entry points. Derek already flagged her file in the system, so everyone knows to keep an eye on her and to be on alert when on perimeter duty.”
Roland’s jaw clenched, and Levi could see the fire rising under the surface—the way his partner’s protective instincts lit up when someone threatened the people he loved.
“He’s not getting anywhere near her,” Levi said quietly. “Not while she’s under our protection. Not ever.”
“Damn right,” Roland growled.
Levi reached out, took his hand, and squeezed. “We’ll tell her tonight. Not all of it—just enough to let her know she needs to be careful.”
