Read Online A Father's Fight: Blake and Layla #2 (Fighting #5) by Jb Salsbury - Free Book Online

folds it up and shoves it into his pocket. “It’s nothing,
just some leftover ends to tie up with my adopting Axelle.”
    I stare at him, waiting for him to meet my eyes, but he doesn’t.
I have no reason to doubt him, but something doesn’t feel right. I slide a
strand of my hair between two fingers and twirl. “What kind of leftover ends? I
thought it was all pretty cut and dry.” He doesn’t answer, and panic speeds my
breathing. “Blake?”
    He exhales hard and drops his head. “Dammit . . . fuck.”
    My nerves, already shot from my nightmare and jumpy from waking
Blake, vibrate with panic at the defeat I hear in his voice. “What?”
    He rubs his eyes with one hand. “I was hoping . . . shit.”
    I crawl up onto the couch, and he shifts to sit up next to me.
“What the hell is going on, Blake?” My stomach somersaults.
    He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the paper then sets his
worried eyes on mine. “I was hoping to keep this from you until I figured out
what it means.”
    My eyes widen. “Blake, you can’t keep anything from me,
especially if it’s about Axelle!”
    He cringes and I rip the folded up paper from his hands.
    “I just want to keep you safe and the baby safe. I didn’t want
you to get upset . . .” He continues to talk as I unfold the single page email
that’s from the Las Vegas Police Department.
    Blake,
    As per your request, I’m notifying you that, on December 21 st ,
the birth records of Axelle Rose Moorehead were requested by someone in
Spokane, WA acting under “Anonymous.” That same day the individual also
requested the divorce records of Layla Marie Devereux.
    That is all the information I have for you at this time.
    Det. Dave Hodgeson
    Las Vegas Police Department
    My pulse thunders in my ears, my hand shakes, and I can’t seem to
focus enough to ask one of the many questions swirling through my head.
    “I’ve had Dave keep an eye on things for me, just for a little
while. After Stew went to prison, I worried he had someone out there, a silent
partner who might go sniffing around. I honestly didn’t think Dave would find
anything, but . . .”
    A dull ache forms between my eyes. Unavailable. “Do you think it has something to do with . . . with .
. .” I can’t say it, but a look of understanding washes over his face.
    “I don’t know, Mouse, but I don’t want this shit hitting us out
of the blue when we’re not expecting it. ‘If you want peace, prepare for war.’
Remember? I was keeping my finger on the pulse just in case, and thank God I
was.” He cups my face, forcing my eyes to lock with his. “Whatever happens,
we’ll be ready.”
    “If it’s someone from my past, what could they possibly expect to
gain from birth records and divorce records?” I guess it’s possible that Stew
has his lawyers working on something, but I’m not as worried about that. The
police have his confession, so he’ll be locked in jail until Axelle is grown
and has a family of her own. But, if anonymous and unavailable are the same then . .
. A flash of my nightmare has me curling into Blake.
    “So what now?” I hand the email back to him, and he folds it up
and shoves it into his pocket.
    “Now, you go back to takin’ care of yourself and our baby while I
take care of this.”
    I grip his knee, imploring his eyes. “Blake, I want—”
    “No.” He pins me with a powerful glare. “No one will get near you
or Axelle, do you hear me? You focus on getting this baby here whole and
healthy, Axelle focuses on getting into UNLV and what new music she wants to
download, and I take care of this.”
    I blink a few times, considering how best to respond. Fact is
he’d be insane to think I’m going to stay out of this. I’ll always protect my family.
“Alright.” I nod and knot my fingers together in my lap, hoping he doesn’t see
my lie.
    “Alright?” His unbelieving tone followed by silence calls my eyes
to his.
    “Yeah.” I shrug.
    He narrows his glare.