Jason
April was gone when I woke up that morning. Strangely, a sense of panic washed over me, seizing my heart and setting my blood to racing.
I calmed down right away, knowing she was likely downstairs making breakfast for Willa. But what the hell was I so afraid of? That April would be gone for good?
No way would she do something like that. Then again, she’d just learned that I was involved in an illegal business, that I’d already lost someone close to me because of it. Her fleeing in the middle of the night would hardly be the least rational thing she could do.
I took a quick shower and dressed, trying to plot out the day ahead of me. I had legitimate business to worry about, calls with clients in the Financial District who knew nothing of the rest of my business. Hopefully, they never would.
Scott was still working on his end, apparently. And his idea to have me step down…it got me thinking. Not that I wanted to do it, but that maybe, just maybe, more drastic measures would need to be taken.
I threw on some black jeans and a gray crew-neck shirt, stepped into a pair of white sneakers after, then headed downstairs. The smell of breakfast was in the air—sausage, eggs, and fresh coffee.
It was April’s doing, no doubt. It was hard to really say how much good she’d brought to my life. With her living at my house, I couldn’t wrap my mind around how much I’d missed something I’d gone so long without.
But more importantly, there was what she’d brought to Willa’s life. My daughter had gone too long without someone like April, a woman she could look up to, could count on.
Taking that away from her was unthinkable. But it wasn’t my choice to make.
Willa and April’s voices rose in volume as I approached the kitchen. I spotted them in their usual spots at the bar, April sitting next to Willa, the two of them smiling and laughing as they looked over the book open in front of them.
Neither of them noticed me at first. I crossed my arms and watched them for a minute, content to take in the sight my little girl with the first woman she’d connected with after losing her mother.
It was perfect, a scene of wonderful domesticity. And more than that, it was normal. Watching the two of them, I could forget for just a few moments about the world that existed outside of the walls of my home. It was just us—a family, almost.
I shifted my weight, the sound catching Willa and April’s attention. April looked up, a smile on her face. And Willa didn’t waste a second before hopping off the chair and bounding over to me and giving me a hug.
“Morning, Daddy!”
“Morning, Sprout,” I said, leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of her head.
“Shoot,” said April, hopping off her chair and heading back over to the stove, the sizzle of sausage in the air. “Got kinda wrapped up with Will, forgot I was making breakfast.”
I watched April go back to cooking, her hair tucked behind her ears as she stood at the stove, spatula in hand.
It was perfect. I let myself be caught up in the sight, Willa standing at my side and April cooking breakfast. It was so good, again, so normal.
And it was all I’d ever wanted.
Then I thought back to London, to the thugs who’d almost taken it all away from me. I knew the London group, knew they were mostly low-rent scumbags who couldn’t pull off a kidnapping to save their lives. But that didn’t matter—there were other people, those working for me and working against me, who posed an even greater threat.
Each day I spent involved in this business was another day I put April and Willa at risk.
One more day was one day too many. I had to do something. And it had to happen soon.
“You want some coffee?” asked April.
“I’d love some.”
“Then get it yourself. I brew, you pour.” She gave me a smile and a wink before turning her attention back to the stove.
I chuckled to myself. That was April—strong-willed and sweet all at once. I poured some coffee and sat down at the kitchen bar, Willa climbing up on the seat next to me.
“Are you going to be working all day today, Dad?”
“Sure am.”
“Well, when you’re done with work and I’m back from school, do you think we could go to the park?”