Page 71 of Never Say Never

"Your boss is an idiot if he didn't realize it. But it won't matter, he's next. We've given him plenty of warnings."

My heart started pounding for a different reason. "What warnings?"

Ai spat at my feet. "Wouldn't you like to know?" His knowing smile irked the fuck out of me.

I was rational. I could calm down and think things through. I just needed to take a step back and breathe. Before my mind caught up with my actions, I was already taking another swing.

Vibration from the collision traveled over my hands and up my arms. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. Ai should have kept his mouth shut. Mentioning York was a bad move. My irrational brain wasn't letting up. The idea that there were threats against what was mine sent me into a frenzy.

Ai’s skull made a sickening crack against Harmony and it echoed in the otherwise empty container. A smile crept up on my lips as I did it again and again. The third hit to his skull resulted in a wet, squelching noise. The same sound a pumpkin made when being smashed. I yanked my bat back, hair, blood, and brain matter clung to her once-clean metal.

I flung the bits off and started swinging again. I didn’t give a damn if Ai was alive, dead, or a vegetable. No one, and I meant no one, would hurt York or the girls.

I had to give Shelly a few days off. She’d been hovering since I’d been on leave and it was driving me insane. I didn't know why she was being so overprotective, but I continued to tell her that me and the girls were fine. Even now, she was texting me while I got the girls ready to take them to school. I sighed.

York: Yes, we're fine. I'll need you this afternoon, but I'm going to take them to school.

Shelly: Are you sure? You shouldn't push yourself too hard. I can take care of the girls.

York: I know. Thank you, I appreciate it. We're fine. Please pick them up today.

Shelly: Yes, Mr. Washington.

I almost put my phone away, but I continued to stare at my messages after exiting my and Shelly's. Paul's text from the night before was still right there. Say it. Two words, he'd only said two words, but it was as if he was baiting me out. What did he want me to say? Did he want me to admit what I was pretty damn sure I already knew? My fingers hovered over the keys, ready to finally give him a response, but they fell away.

I couldn't.

Saying what was really in my head would shatter whatever we had before. If it was true, I had to fire and arrest him. However, if it was false, I knew he would never trust me again. How could he? Accusing someone of this level of crime, of being part of a mob family and hiding out in the FBI, it was dangerous. If I moved wrong, I could be killed. I was already getting threats.

"Daddy, we're ready!" Navy called.

"I'm coming. Let me put on the alarm."

I had an alarm system installed on my unit and cameras as well. Maybe I was being paranoid. After all, these weren't the first threats I had ever received in my line of work, and I knew they wouldn't be the last. This time, however, felt different. I couldn't shake the sensation that it had to do with the crime families. They weren't to be underestimated. As much as I viewed them as violent, disgusting, idiotic neanderthals, I knew they were good at inflicting their brand of brutality on the world. They didn't distinguish between right and wrong, young or old. I had to protect my daughters.

"Daddy, are you coming?" Nyra shouted.

"Yes, sweetheart. I'm coming."

I grabbed my briefcase, wallet, and keys before I went to the door. Once the girls were out in the hall, I typed in the code and shut the door as soon as it was armed. I took both of their hands as we entered the elevator.

"You two behave today," I said. "No switching classes."

"Awww," Navy whined. "That's not fair."

"Yeah, that's not fair," Nyra added.

I shook my head. "I'm not going to argue about it, okay? No switching."

"Fine." They both sighed.

The two of them never failed to keep me on my toes. Even with life being hard and confusing right now, they put a smile on my face. Only one other person managed to consistently get that out of me, and I didn't want to think about?—

"Daddy, when is Paul coming over again?" Nyra asked, tugging on her lip anxiously.

"Stop that," I said as I tugged her lip free.

"Yeah, we haven't seen him in ages!" Navy added. "When is he coming? He said he would do my hair next time."