I Love You, I Hate You: Part 2

“Some kid threw a rock at Molly.” Danika twists the cap off of Molly’s water and wets the hem of her shirt, cleaning the cut enough to show a tiny scrape beneath the split skin.

“Who?” Heat climbs my neck. I glance around the playground but no one looks like a sorry piece of rock throwing shit. Molly points behind her to the swing and frowns. “The kid in blue?”

Molly nods, her lip quivering.

Him? That scrawny little red-headed fucker? There’s a whole other swing no one’s using. Why the hell did he kick my daughter off hers?

Danika must see the gears turning because she shoots me a warning look, “Logan, he’s just a kid.”

He may be a kid. But he’s a kid who’s going to learn some respect. Ignoring Danika’s sigh of disapproval, I stomp across the mulch towards the swing. This park isn’t landscaped with rocks. The little fucker must have been digging in the dirt by the tree to find one. “Hey!”

The kid stares me dead in the eye with an intensity most adults wouldn’t dare. Not because I’m intimidating, but because it’s downright rude and uncomfortable. “What do you want, old man?”

Old man? I’m twenty-two. Not sixty. Didn’t this kid’s parents teach him manners? “Did you throw a rock at my daughter?”

I don’t get to answer. A burly looking man, who’s twice my age and size comes out of nowhere. “Is there a reason you’re talking to my kid?”

Dude looks tough, but when it comes to defending my daughter, I’m tougher. “Your son threw a rock at my daughter. I want him to apologize.”

The guy laughs—a full bellied, deep, laugh. “The little bitch shouldn’t have taken so long.”

“Excuse me?” Fire burns through my veins, coloring the world a shade of red I haven’t seen since high school. This dude is lucky I’m not eighteen anymore, without a job or a family to think of or I’d beat his ass in a heartbeat.

“You heard me.” The kid’s dad steps closer. “Your little bitch of a daughter didn’t say anything when Kimber said it was his turn. So, since she ignored him, he made her listen.”

My daughter can’t say anything, but that’s beside the point. I close most of the distance between us with one more step. My hands clench into a fist at my side. “What kind of man are you to teach a boy to beat up on a girl?”

“The kind who’s not afraid to whoop her pussy of a father’s ass.” The kid’s dad shoves me in the chest and I couldn’t be happier.

I reach into my back pocket with one hand for my badge and grab the man’s wrist with my other. I may not have my cuffs on me but that doesn’t mean I can’t restrain him. Belts are good for more than holding your pants up. “You, sir, are under arrest for assaulting an officer.”

The man sucker punches me in the nose, but doesn’t run. He swings at me again. This time I’m ready and rear back before he can find my face. I keep my guard up, resisting the urge to strike back. The way people are these days, someone is probably recording this with their phone and will spin the situation into a police brutality story. Besides, I know Danika. She’ll call Ryan and he’ll—

“Hey!” Ryan yells, running across the grass with a few of the guys from the squad. “What the hell is going on?”

The kid’s dad pauses for a half second, probably assessing the situation. I’m sure he figured he could take me and show his son that he’s a man, or whatever. But one against five, five cops for that matter, his odds are shit. The dude bolts, leaving his boy on the swing, who quickly hops off and runs after his dad. Ryan tilts his head for two of the guys to chase after them.

“How is it I’m always having to save your ass from one thing or another?” Ryan guffaws. He claps his hand on my shoulder and walks with me back to Danika and Molly.

I hold my hands out and Molly leans into my arms. Her soft tears must have intensified because her breaths are shaky. “That kid hurt my daughter. I wanted an apology. Not for me, for her.”

Ryan rubs Molly’s back, but she doesn’t know him yet. Her tiny arms tighten around my neck. A stranger danger reflex. “Shhh. “I kiss the side of her head. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

32

Logan

“Are you sure you don’t mind watching Molly? It’s your day off.”

Do I mind watching my daughter? Never. I’ll take every moment I can get with her, even if she is down for a nap in her room. “I’ve got this and so do you. You’re gonna kill this interview.”

Danika smiles and looks up at me with her big Bambi eyes. Things between us have been great the past few weeks and they're only getting better. “You think?”

“I know it.” I take Danika by the elbow and pull her into me. I love how we fit, her body against mine. We were made for each other. “You’re going to be the best substitute teacher Mangrove Elementary has ever seen.”

I dip my head, claiming her lips with a simple kiss, one that doesn’t say enough. I need to tell her how I feel. Ask her and Molly to move in with me. They’ve lived with Sarah long enough. I've proven I’m here for my girls every way I can. There’s no reason for Danika to say no.

“I should go.”