I poured her a cup of coffee and added the sugar and creamer. Maggie walked over to the pantry and pulled out two store bought muffins, handing me one.
“If we put our coffee in the to-go mugs, we can leave now.” She stood in the middle of the kitchen, not making any attempt to relax.
With that I reached into the top cabinet and pulled down both mugs. We poured our coffee over and before either of us could give it another thought, we headed back to the garage. Maggie walked ahead of me, and when she went to round the Mercedes, I stopped. “We’re not using that car. Not for a while.”
I led her to the SUV. The windows and body were both bullet proof, not to mention all the additions Nick had wanted done to keep his people as safe as possible.
“Does this have as many bells and whistles as those secret service vehicles?”
I gave her a smile. Snow Protection Gear, the branch of Snow Enterprises I had initiated, either provided or had been in negotiations for most branches of government. The Secret Service had kept their provider and did not have a contract with us. Which was why I could confidently answer her. “This one is safer than the one used by the secret service.”
She stared at me, her mouth hanging open. “Seriously?”
“Maggie, my company provided the protective armor for this car, I am very serious.”
With that, her mouth closed and the drive across town to her parent’s place was quiet. It was a different silence to the night before though. That had been filled with tension and secrets that needed to be spilled. In the fresh light of day, the silence was filled with excitement and only a small amount of worry at what Fred could do. I pulled up to her parents’ place and a different kind of fear took hold.
Harry Bauman was protective of his girls. Sure, I knew he trusted me, but that was before he found out his daughter was living with me. Before he knew I was fucking his daughter. And one look at me or Maggie and he would know.
He opened the door before either of us could knock. “After what I’d heard on the scanners, I was expecting you last night.”
“We didn’t want to disrupt them last night.” Maggie spoke before planting a kiss on his cheek.
He raised a brow at her. “And what? Six-thirty in the morning is not a disruption?”
She ignored him and walked inside, leaving me alone with the man who had been the only father she’d known. “Morning, Sir.”
His eyes narrowed, searching my face. “Anything I need to worry about?”
“No sir. I’m taking care of all of them.”
He nodded and allowed me to walk past. “I’m trusting you here, Snow. Don’t make me regret that. By the way, the kids have been awake since before dawn. They were taking sunrise photos with Tess.”
“Yes, Sir.”
We walked into a cozy living room where all hell was in the process of breaking loose.
“But, Mom.” Hayden’s voice was cracking and he was close to tears. “You promised I could stay today and grandpa said he’d take Ethan and me go-carting.”
Maggie shook her head. “You can do it another time. The go-carting track is not going anywhere.”
“No.” Hayden stamped his foot and folded his arms as he glared at his mom. “No. You’ll just forget your promise next time too.”
Her words were soft but I could see the anguish on her face. “Baby boy.”
“Don’t call me that.” He raised his voice. “I’m not a baby. I want to stay. I hate you.”
Her face paled and I could tell the words hit like a dagger to her heart. Maybe he was angry, and maybe he was disappointed, but at that moment he needed a father. Whether he wanted it or not.
As calmly as I could muster. I walked over and nodded at him . “Let’s go talk in the kitchen.”
“I don’t want to.” He stiffened his shoulders and faced me.
I was not backing down though. “I didn’t ask, I said let’s go talk somewhere else. Are you walking on your own, or am I carrying you?”
I felt everyone’s stare’s around me but I kept my focus on the little boy who needed to test the boundaries of the adults around him. Hayden swung around and stomped off to the kitchen.
When we reached the kitchen I lifted him onto a stool and I sat in the one next to him. I wanted to make my point but I didn’t want him to be scared of me.
