Ask Me If I Care (SWAT Generation 2.0 4)

She snorted and gestured toward Toomey.

“Why is he just standing there?” she asked.

My brows rose. “I have a bit to tell you. I need to do it now, though. There’s probably not going to be time later. I’m going to go around to all of the classes and make sure everyone knows that I’m there if I’m needed. And then I’m going to find Slone.”

Calloway scrunched up her nose, then gestured for me to follow her into my office.

When she closed the door, her eyes were curious.

“So…” I started off telling her what had happened, finishing with the SWAT team serving a warrant to arrest Bailey.

“That’s…” She paused. “That’s just unreal!”

It was unreal.

Even worse, it was real life.

“That’s so fucked up,” Calloway muttered darkly.

I agreed.

Just as I was about to change the subject, a hesitant knock came to my office doorway.

When I looked up, I was startled to find Slone standing there.

I was so used to seeing him larger than life that it took me a few moments to understand who he was.

And when I did, my heart literally broke.

Slone was a big guy. Well over six-foot-three if not more. He was muscled, and he was handsome. Never once had I seen him not dressed up and presentable. Today, though? He was wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, tennis shoes, and he had bags underneath his eyes.

And there was a baby in his arms and his backpack as well as a diaper bag slung over his shoulder.

And he was staring at me with his heart in his eyes.

“My mom had to work late,” he murmured softly.

I blinked, turning to look at Calloway.

She caught the drift and walked out, stopping to pat Slone lightly on the arm before she moved out of my office and shut the door quietly behind her.

“Slone,” I said softly. “Come in and sit down.”

He did, walking quietly to the chair that was across from my desk and taking a seat as if it was all automatic for him.

I don’t know why I started out talking to him about what I did, but I felt that it was needed. That he needed to know what was going on.

I also needed to get a promise from him.

“Do you know who I’m dating?” I asked softly.

Slone’s startled eyes came up to meet mine.

“The cop?” he asked. “Yeah. Everyone knows.”

I smiled softly.

“Did you know that he’s been working that particular serial killer murder case?” I asked. “He got the idea from a good friend, Ashe Trammel, who is also dating a SWAT team member.”

Slone didn’t say anything, but I could tell that I had his attention.

“Anyway, Ashe went to school to become a criminal psychologist,” I said softly. “And she went to a class that had one of the world’s best criminal psychologists speaking. While they were on break during that class, Hayes, my boyfriend, introduced that man to Ashe. And Ashe told him about her serial killer project. Which is when Hayes started to work on it, as well as his father, Vlad Greer.”

Slone blinked at me.

“Anyway, long story short, we have some of the best people in the world working on this case,” I said softly. “So I want you to rest assured that Abilene’s killer will be brought to justice. My man and my friends won’t stop until they’ve made it happen.”

The baby in his arms gurgled, momentarily bringing his attention off of me and to his girl.

“I gotta go to class,” he murmured. “My mom was supposed to meet me here, but yeah. There was an emergency and she had to stay. Mrs. Brennan is on the way to…”

There was a knock on my door, and Mrs. Brennan, the athletic trainer and another senior’s mother, showed with a smile on her face. From what I’d been told, Mrs. Brennan and Slone’s mother were good friends. And when Slone’s mother couldn’t watch her, Mrs. Brennan would.

“You ready for me to take her?” Mrs. Brennan asked, smiling softly.

Slone didn’t move.

Mrs. Brennan smiled sadly at him, then turned her gaze to me with a ‘what should we do?’ expression.

I didn’t really know what to say or do, either.

So I just let him sit there and think.

“How are you today, Mrs. Brennan? I heard that we had a football injury this morning,” I said softly.

Mrs. Brennan, the athletics director, smiled. “He’s okay. Was a new kid, but he was apparently being pretty rough himself. He only has himself to blame, I’ve been told.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I didn’t.

Instead, I looked at Slone, who’d yet to let go of his baby.

“Slone,” I said softly. “You can keep her with you.”

His eyes turn up to meet mine.

“I can?”

I nodded.

“I… are you sure the teachers won’t care?” he asked, sounding so hopeful that it nearly broke my heart.

Mrs. Brennan smiled and waved at me silently, disappearing from sight moments later.