Claimed by My Silent Protector

Chapter Three

Abbey’s POV

Robyn makes a bee line for the table like the window, wanting to watch passersby whilst she waits for her milkshake. It only takes a few minutes for Daisy to reappear, carrying a tray with two milkshakes topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a wafer tube along with a plate holding two large cookies.

Giving our thanks, Robyn and I take our drinks, me holding the base of my daughter’s as she immediately tries to tip the glass toward her to reach the straw.

‘Mmmm’ the four year old sighs around the straw, ‘this is sooooooo yummy’ she tells me, grinning widely.

‘That good huh?’ I laugh, sucking down some of my own, and man! That is a good milkshake.

We drain the glasses quickly, each grabbing a cookie and eating them before I check my watch.

‘OK monkey’ I call out, drawing my daughter’s attention back from the window where she’s intently watching something outside, ‘it’s time to go. I need to get you to Mrs Fallow and head to work.’

Robyn’s face falls as she slumps into the chair, ‘I don’t want to go to Mrs Fallow’ she mutters.

I sigh, this is a newly developed issue, my normally easy going little girl has suddenly decided that she doesn’t want me to go to work and has started to revolt against spending time with our neighbour.

‘What? You like Mrs Fallow’ I reply, keeping my voice light, ‘she lets you watch TV and does crafts with you, and didn’t she say that you’d be going to the park today?’ I add, something that normally has my daughter racing for the door.

‘I don’t like the park’ Robyn huffs, crossing her arms over her chest as she scowls.

I laugh, shaking my head, ‘oooo you little fibber’ I tease, ‘you do so love the park! You would spend all day on the swings if I let you.’

My daughter turns her head away, refusing to meet my gaze, her feet swinging under her chair and kicking the table leg.

‘Stop kicking please’ I say quietly, giving her a chance to correct herself, but it seems my daughter also inherited my stubborn streak, as she kicks even harder, the glasses on top rattling slightly.

‘Robyn’ I murmur, my tone holding a warning because I don’t have time for this right now. I need to get to work, I’ve managed to pick up a couple of extra shifts which I desperately need as we’re only a few months from Christmas and Santa needs a little help, just like every year.

‘I don’t want to go to the park!’ the little girl across from me shouts, and my heart breaks when I see tears fill her eyes. ‘I don’t want to play with Mrs Fallow! Why do I have too? Why can’t you play with me? I want you to stay home!’

The tears start to fall, and I gather her to me, my baby fighting for a second before curling into my body as I place her on my lap.

‘I don’t want you to go’ she whimpers, clutching me tightly, ‘you always have to work, you never stay and play anymore, I don’t want you to leave.’

I swallow down the familiarly bitter taste of guilt as I cradle my child tightly.

‘I’m sorry baby’ I sigh, rocking her slightly, ‘I hate being away from you too, but Mommy has to earn money so we can have nice things.’

My daughter sniffles, her tiny body shuddering, ‘we can stop having birthday milkshakes’ she offers reluctantly, ‘I don’t mind.’

I swallow thickly, blinking back my own tears and force a smile to my lips as I push her back gently so I can look into her face.

‘That is very generous of you baby’ I murmur, ‘and I really appreciate you trying to help but Mommy’s work doesn’t just pay for milkshakes, it pays for our house and food for our tummies.’ As my daughter’s face falls further, I suck in a breath, searching for a way to bring back her smile.

‘I tell you what’ I add coaxingly, ‘how about you go and see Mrs Fallow today, and I talk to my boss and see if I can get tomorrow off and we spend the whole day together?’

Robyn’s face lights up as her mood instantly lightens, ‘we can go to the park?’ she asks eagerly.

I chuckle nodding, ‘well only if you are sure’ I muse, ‘I’m sure you just said that you hated the park . . ‘

My daughter’s eyes widen as she shakes her head, ‘I only hate the park with Mrs Fallow’ she replies quickly, ‘she doesn’t push me as high as you on the swing, she gets scared that I will fall, like a baby’ she adds with a growl of disgust.

I press a kiss to her soft curls, inhaling her shampoo scent, ‘OK, tomorrow we have a mommy, daughter day and see if we can’t break the world record for how high we can swing.’

‘OK!’ my daughter yells, jumping off me, her tantrum forgotten as I dig out some money for Daisy.

Waving to the café owner, Robyn bolts for the door, tugging it open as I follow behind, stepping out into the cold air as my daughter suddenly takes off with a shriek.

‘Uncle Mark!’ Robyn yells, and I look up just as my friend Hallick crouches down and scoops her up in his arms. My breathing stutters as my gaze moves to his right to find piercing chocolate brown eyes pinned to me. My mouth runs dry as I take in the hugely intimidating ex Navy Seal whose eyes drop down my body quickly before returning to my face.

Images of months ago flick through my head, memories that I tried to bury deep in the back of my mind surfacing, reminding me of how this man can get under my skin.

Forcing my eyes away from him, I approach Hallick, reprimanding my daughter for running away and getting my own attitude thrown back at me. Damn, my mother always said she couldn’t wait for me to have my own daughter so I could see just how bad I was and wasn’t she right.

‘That’s not the point young lady’ I huff, in response to her cheeky explanation to running off. The rest of my words are lost as a loud explosion sounds behind me seconds before my body hits the ground, a heavy weight pressing down on top of me as two large hands cradle my head.

My ears are ringing and I can smell smoke, an acrid stench of burning rubber and metal.

My eyes dart around as to look at as much as I can over the mass that is pinning me to the floor.

‘Robyn?’ I call out, ‘ROBYN?’ My voice becomes shrill as panic sets in, where is my baby? The ringing morphs slowly into something else, screams and . . crying. My throat tightens, that’s my baby crying, I’d know her fear filled wails anywhere, they are ingrained into my mind from over two years ago.

‘Mommy! I want my Mommy!’ my little girl cries and the weight on me eases slightly lifting away so I can finally see my baby who is wrapped in Hallick’s arms, her body squirming to get out of his hold as soon as she sees me.

I reach out instinctively, and Robyn races into my arms as soon as Hallick places her back on the ground, where I curl her tightly into my chest, drinking her in. She’s OK, my baby is OK.

I look up finally, Robyn clinging to me, and finally take in what happened, my mouth falling open as I see what is now the remains of my car, now just a twisted pile of warped metal and flames.

‘My car’ I mutter dazedly, ‘that was my car . . we were heading toward . . ‘

I look toward my friend who is staring at me, his jaw tense, and I can see the same thoughts flickering through his eyes that are racing through my own mind.

‘If we hadn’t have stopped to talk to you, If she hadn’t have

seen you . . Robyn and I . . . we would have been in there’ I whisper, fear

gripping me tightly.

Oh God . . they’ve found me.