Chapter 4 New daddy
Kade
It was easy to locate the room JJ was in, and a wave of relief washed over me the moment I saw her sound asleep. She was spread all over the bed in the cutest way possible, making me chuckle to myself.
She was so much like him sometimes, it was a bit scary.
I took off my jacket and got into bed, though I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. Definitely not with Killa so close by and after our little show earlier.
I can't believe this is my life now.
I was married to my enemy and living in his house.
And he fucking kissed me.
A part of me had been trying to forget that little stunt, but it was kind of hard to.
My phone dinged, bringing me out of my thoughts. I checked the device and it was a message from Nikita.
Stay safe. It read.
I let out a slow breath as I thought about how she must be feeling. She literally had to watch her son's killer take her grandchild.
My grip on the device tightened.
I will fucking kill you, Killa.
My phone dinged again.
It was a message from Raze. She was reminding me of the deal we had brokered for tomorrow. I texted back ok.
I turned to look at JJ. Watching her sleep finally calmed me down a little. I knew we had just entered a whole new world, and for the first time in a really long time, I was scared. Not for me but for my child.
"Mama." I felt tiny hands pushing me gently. I opened my eyes to see JJ's smiling face. "Open your eyes," she said, using her hands to literally pry my eyes open, even though they already were.
I smiled as I grabbed her hands. "Why do you have so much energy, child?" I asked, sitting up and pulling her into a hug.
"Because, silly, I now have a new daddy," she said nonchalantly while I tried not to show the shock I was feeling. "My teacher told me, when mommy gets married, I will have a new daddy," she continued, staring at me with innocent eyes. "Let's go to meet him, Mama."
I had no idea what to say to that, and I was grateful when my phone started ringing.
It was Ryder. I guess he was finally back.
"Morning, boss," his voice rang through the device, but my attention was on the five-year-old jumping on the bed, requesting to see her new…daddy.
Fuck me.
"I will be coming to the house. Tell Raze to get someone who will follow back and stay here with me," I said before he could say anything. I hated talking business over the phone. You never know who might be listening.
I ended the call at that and turned to look at a grinning JJ. I almost facepalmed.
"Sweetheart, listen." I held her shoulders to stop her from jumping up and down. She stared at me eagerly with those beautiful eyes she inherited from him. "Remember that conversation we had about your dad?" I nodded my head slowly so that she could follow me.
"You said Papa was killed before I was born," she said, folding her lips. I shook my head to ignore the tug on my chest.
"So, I may be married, but he isn't your Daddy, ok?" I held her cheeks, lifting her face to look at me. The look on her face almost broke me, but I would be damned if I allowed my child to call her father's killer Daddy. A shiver went down my spine just at the thought of it. "I am sorry, sweetheart, ok?" I pulled her in for a hug and her tiny hands wrapped around me.
"I know, Mama. My teacher said he is my step daddy," she said lowly.
"He is not that either." I hated arguing with her, and that teacher of hers needed to shut her damn mouth, doing too good a job. "He is your…Uncle." I tasted bile the moment those words came out, but that was the only response I could think of. "Ok? Calling him Uncle."
I heard her sigh a little before nodding her head slowly.
Fuck, I hated disappointing her. It was one of the reasons I told her what happened to her father, instead of giving her the false hope of him traveling or some shit. I will try my best to protect her, but she's in a dangerous world and there are some things I can't protect her from.
"I love you, baby," I said, kissing her head a little longer than necessary.
"I love you too, Mama," her sad voice replied. We lay there for a while. I had no idea how long, but I knew I needed to leave this room and face whatever shit was waiting outside.
Killa and I still had unfinished business to tend to.
And just then JJ's stomach grumbled, making both of us laugh, and I tickled her a little.
"Mama, stop," she said amid giggles.
I smiled and finally decided to stop her funny misery. I picked her up, making her grumble. I knew she hated when I carried her.
"Mama, I am a big girl." She folded her tiny hands and scoffed. I shook my head at her antics before opening the door. I kissed her cheeks sloppily, knowing she hated it as well. "Eww, Mama." She buried her head in the crook of my neck while I laughed my ass off.
I immediately stopped in my tracks and my face turned serious when I saw who was leaning against the wall next to JJ's room.
My hand immediately reached for my back, but I wasn't strapped.
Fuck.
My grip on JJ tightened as I stared daggers at the person. I made the mistake of leaving my gun inside, but my eyes were watching him like a fucking hawk.
"Morning," he said, pushing off the wall with a smirk on his face. JJ wanted to lift her head, but I pushed it down.
"What do you want?”
