My daughter was having the time of her life while her mother was still freaking out inside. Not only would I never forgivemyself, but Hudson would punish me until a week from Sunday for being so reckless.
And I wouldn’t blame him.
Tim followed closely behind as we climbed the stairs leading to the deck, moving in front of me before I touched the doorhandle.
“Ms. Sciascia. Please stay here while I check the house. Okay? Judge Armstrong wouldn’t be happy if anything happened to you. I owe that man a lot and I don’t want to disappoint him.” I had to give the officer credit. He was doing a very good job of keeping his voice even while telling me in no uncertain words not to ignore his command as I’d done earlier.
“Okay. I’ll wait right here. Won’t we, sweetie?”
She nodded her little head, suddenly launching into her jabbering mode about seeing a crab or a fish or something. Sadly, my mind had drifted, split in half. One side was still condemning myself with images of what could have occurred likely to linger long into the night. The other was caught by the respectful way with which Tim had said Hudson’s name.
In complete reverence.
Hudson was risking everything to keep us safe. He was even calling in favors that I’d taken lightly, as if what he was doing was a burden on me.
Seconds ticked by, enough time I was nervous once again. When Tim reappeared, it was obvious my face registered the way my stomach continued to churn.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, every muscle in his lithe body tensing.
“I’m fine.”
He visibly relaxed. “Good. Everything is in order.” As soon as I walked inside, he closed the door. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
“Tim,” I said as I faced him. “Do you mind hanging around? I’d like to ask you a few questions. Besides, you must be thirsty. I haven’t seen you drink anything since you arrived early this morning.”
“I’ll be happy to stay but I’m fine. I’m not trying to interfere with your life.” He seemed surprised. Did no one else bother to show him an act of kindness? Sympathy tugged at me. While the reason was simple and I was highly emotional, I was determined he’d agree.
Bella was getting wiggly in my arms. She’d managed to cover me with sand. “Trust me, Tim. You’re not interfering. Please make yourself at home. The kitchen is just down the hall. Hudson would want you to grab a drink. It’s brutally hot outside. You did me a favor. More than that. You saved…” I tried to laugh it off since I had Bella in my arms. “Anyway, there are sodas and bottled water. I’ll be right back after I clean this little monkey up.” I tickled her tummy again until she giggled.
He nodded, still uncomfortable. Maybe I was breaking another set of rules. I might as well continue with the streak. “She’s fine, Ms. Sciascia. No harm. Just a little girl exploring her boundaries. Right, Bella?”
She peered at him sheepishly.
“Come on, you. Let’s get you cleaned up so we can have a snack. What do you say?”
“Yay, Mommy.”
I whisked her from the room, still taking sharp breaths.
After washing away the sand, I pulled the big fluffy towel around her shoulders even though doing so wasn’t needed. “You worried Mommy.”
“I did?”
“You left the house without telling me. That made Mommy sad.”
While I was obviously jaded, I couldn’t help but think my sweet little girl was the kindest in the world. She never liked to make anyone unhappy. My eyes filled with tears again. Sniffing them away, I rubbed her face before removing the towel. “Why don’t you head to the kitchen. I’ll be right there. Maybe some cheese and crackers.”
Her little clap was another hard punch in the gut. After she ran out, I slumped down against the bathroom vanity. If anything ever happened to my daughter, I couldn’t make it any longer.
Now I understood Hudson’s insistence. I’d seen the haunted expression in his eyes every time he looked at Bella. Maybe the sadness had something to do with the death of his sister. If so, why did I feel like he’d lived through another nightmare?
His care about my daughter was nothing I’d expected, although I was no longer certain what that was. To some men, like my ex, children were a burden. To Hudson they seemed the most special little creations on the earth. While he hadn’t interacted much with her, his protectiveness allowed me to see another side of him.
I dropped my head into my hands briefly before wiping my eyes. Crying wasn’t going to do me any good. I needed to regroup andhold tight. Maybe this would all be over soon. Maybe Hudson would find a way to send Jacob Jones back to prison.
What if that wasn’t enough? What if the cartel he worked for came after me for revenge? There were too many what-ifs that I had no answer to.
“Enough,” I hissed as I stood. Time for my daughter to have a snack.
