Chapter Four

Eric

"Ezra?" Eric didn't know if his eyes were playing tricks on him or what the fuck was going on.

Ezra's eyes dropped to the badge hanging around his neck.

Oh, oh shit! Eric was still supposed to be undercover, and he had just majorly screwed up. Remi was going to be pissed. And Eric had totally behaved. He'd waited behind the SUV when Dane and his team had stormed the complex. This was not his fault!

"What the hell!" Ezra demanded.

"I can explain," Eric blurted. That was the first thing that came to mind in order to calm Ezra down. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to say, however.

Ezra sucked in a sharp breath. His soft brown eyes were glittering. Eric had never seen the young man so pissed. Or beautiful. Eric really wanted to kiss Ezra.

"What is that?" Ezra pressed the badge hard against Eric's chest.

"I'm a cop," Eric admitted.

"No shit!" Ezra raised his voice.

A small soft cry sounded behind Ezra.

"Fuck!" Hands went to his hair before Ezra tugged hard. That was when Eric noticed that Ezra appeared to be utterly exhausted and on the verge of losing his shit.

"Hey!" Eric captured Ezra's thin wrists into his hands.

Ezra's eyes swam with unshed tears. "I just got her to sleep," he said hoarsely. "Again."

The poor boy was beyond exhausted and at his wits' end. Eric might not know what was going on but that didn't matter if Ezra needed him. Every protective instinct inside him rose up.

"Okay," Eric said calmly. He forced Ezra's hands out of his hair but kept hold of one wrist. He stepped past the threshold and into the small apartment. Training had Eric calculating everything he needed to know with one quick glance around the place.

While the space was small and filled with worn furniture, it was also clean and obviously the home of a small toddler. A tiny bundle was lying on the couch, staring up at him with watery eyes.

"What's wrong, pretty girl?" Eric asked as he approached. Eric wasn't the best with ages, but the toddler was probably between two and four. The adorable little one was dressed head to foot in a rainbow onesie.

Ezra was clinging hard to Eric's arm.

He bent to brush his palm over the little one's forehead, sweeping the blonde wisps out of her eyes. Her pudgy cheeks were pink and her red lips chapped. It appeared that she wasn't feeling well.

"Hi there," Eric said softly.

"That's Annabelle," Ezra told him.

Eric nodded, although he didn't take his eyes off the toddler. "She's been sick?"

Ezra's sigh was long and sad. "For two days. Her fever has finally come down though. I think she's on the mend."

"May I?" Eric asked. He reached for the toddler but hesitated.

"May you what?" Ezra sounded suspicious.

"Pick up your daughter," Eric replied. There was no doubt in the world that this little one belonged to Ezra, and they were blood related. Her eyes, nose, cheeks, those she had gotten from Ezra.

The little girl raised her arms to him, but Eric waited for permission anyway.

"Sure. Just be careful." Ezra hovered at Eric's side.

Eric knew what he was doing. He slipped a hand under the toddler's head and waist. He lifted gently, bringing the baby to his chest. Eric straightened before turning to Ezra.

"Is there anyone else here?" Eric asked. He should have searched the apartment before letting his guard down. He was trained better than that. Eric also trusted Ezra.

"It's just Annabelle and me." Ezra peered around his apartment. "I…"

"You need sleep," Eric told his boy. And Ezra was all his. Wasn't it obvious that Ezra needed him? There was no good reason for Eric to have run into his boy this way. Fate. This was fate and Eric wouldn't let anyone argue with him.

Ezra's eyes went to his daughter. "It's been hard," he said. "She's been sick and the music and the traffic…"

There were so many questions that went through his mind? Was Ezra alone in this? Where was Annabelle's mom? Ezra's family? Priorities. Eric needed to work on the big things and trust everything else to fall into place.

"Has she seen a doctor?" Eric asked. There was a small clinic by the station that had good doctors Eric knew well. The cops in the city often had to drop in with small injuries they received in the field.

"Yes, she's seen a doctor." Ezra's voice was sharp. He reached for his daughter, but Eric turned away. The way that Ezra was swaying, Eric feared he would fall over.

"Hey! I didn't mean anything by the question." Eric gripped the back of Ezra's neck. "I'm just making sure that this precious girl has what she needs. Then I'll take care of you."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me or my girl!" Ezra stated.

"I didn't say you needed me to. I said I was going to. It's obvious that you're exhausted. Your baby girl is sick. And you need a hand."

"I can take care of us," Ezra argued. His voice lowered, wavered, and he sounded lost.

"Ezra." Eric squeezed the back of his neck. "I'm not saying you can't. But from the look of you, you haven't slept in a few days. But this apartment is clean and appears to have everything a toddler needs. I'm not questioning your parenting."

Ezra's gaze dropped down to the badge that Eric wore.

"I'll also explain my badge," Eric promised.

Ezra's lips pressed together. He did not seem responsive to Eric's words.

"Please," Eric added. "I can explain everything. If you'll let me."

"Fine."

"Will you sit?" Eric asked. He didn't want to force Ezra, but the boy was barely remaining on his feet.

"Sure." Ezra dropped down to the couch although he didn't look away from his daughter.

Eric patted the toddler's back as he rocked her. He knew that sitting himself might upset the little one so he remained standing. "I was placed undercover within the casino at the request of Jesse Lambert and my lieutenant." There wasn't a whole lot that he could share but Eric had to tell Ezra as much of the truth as possible.

"Mr. Lambert knows you're a cop?" Ezra demanded.

"He does."

"Okay, at least that's something." Ezra's glare came down several degrees.

"I've been working undercover for him. I can't tell you the details of the case. I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean to snap at you," Ezra said. "It was just a surprise."

"I bet." Eric grinned. "I had no idea that you lived here."

Ezra's shoulders stiffened.

"Not judging. You should have seen my last place. I just would have been more careful knocking on doors." Eric patted Annabelle's back as she began to babble. "And I had no idea that you had a daughter."

Pressing his lips together, Ezra nodded. "Only a few people know about her. I try to keep my personal life away from work."

That was concerning. Was Ezra running from something? As a cop Eric could imagine many different scenarios that he could have suddenly involved himself in. "Her mother?"

"I'm a single dad. I have full custody. The paperwork is in my room."

"I believe you." Eric was also relieved.

"Annabelle's mother and I met in college. We hooked up at a frat party. She didn't want a child. At least not at the time. She also didn't want to have an abortion. She was talking about adoption, but I said I wanted her." Ezra's gaze when to the little bundle that Eric held. "I haven't regretted the decision once since she was born."

It didn't sound like the first time that Ezra had to justify his life.

"Ezra." Eric stepped closer to the couch. "I am not questioning how you live your life."

"But I'm too young to have a kid."

"No." That wasn't Eric's place. "I can just see that you're having a rough night. If there isn't anyone else, then I want to help you."

"Why?" Ezra demanded.

It was a legit question. "You don't know me well, but can you at least trust me? Understand that I will not do anything to hurt you or your baby girl?" It wasn't not like Eric could fall to his knees and confess that he wanted Ezra to be his. Daughter or no daughter.

"Because you're a cop?"

"Because no matter what my job is, I do care what happens to you."

With a sigh, Ezra flopped back against the couch. "I trust you."

Those words warmed Eric's heart. He heard Dane calling out for him. He held up a finger to Ezra before strolling to the door that was still wide open. Eric stuck his head out. "Hey!" he called softly.

Dane did a comical double take when he spotted the toddler in his arms.

Eric grinned.

"What the fuck, man!" Dane demanded as he stalked forward. Maverick never left his side. Damn, Eric wanted a dog. Did Ezra like pets? This little girl needed a big dog to protect her as she grew up. Hmm, the ideas were forming.

"Language!" Eric admonished. "I'm holding a baby!"

Dane rolled his eyes. "I can see that. Why are you holding a baby?"

Eric tilted his head toward the open door behind him. Dane stepped into the apartment at his heels. Eric grinned.

"Are we questioning a suspect or—"

Eric growled. "He's not a suspect!"

"Okay."

Eric would have loved to continue teasing his friend, but he could see Ezra becoming irritated. "Ezra, this is my best friend and teammate, Dane Rawlings. Dane, this is my Ezra."

Dane's face lit up.

Uh-oh. Eric hadn't meant to let the my slip.

" The Ezra?" he asked, way too happy.

Ezra had risen to his feet. Eric didn't like how pale he was.

"What do you mean the Ezra?" Ezra demanded.

Dane chuckled. "And the baby?"

"She's mine!" Ezra stated, moving closer. He stood in front of Eric like he was going to protect them.

"Feisty," Dane commented. "But I'm pretty sure whether he's your Ezra or not that he's not supposed to know that you're a cop."

Eric shrugged. "I'm blaming you."

"Me?" Dane's eyes widened.

"You did tell me to canvass the neighbors. I was following your order."

"Bastard!" Dane growled.

"Little ears!" Eric glared as he placed his free hand on the side of Annabelle's ear. "You need to watch your language."

"My language." Dane repeated. "You cuss more than me!"

"Not anymore," Eric decided. His entire life was going to change. It was more than just Ezra. Ezra was obviously a package deal. Family. Eric had been making a family of his own since bringing Brandon home. It looked like they'd just added to their little group.

"What is going on?" Ezra demanded. He even stomped his foot. Cute. So cute. Not that Eric would ever tell Ezra he thought that.

It was Dane who answered. Eric really needed to decide how to pay his best friend back.

"That guy there"—he pointed at Eric—"has been crushing on a little barista but hasn't made a move because he is currently on a job," Dane said. "It turns out that this cute barista has a little girl that we didn't know about, and my partner is currently holding her inside the smallest apartment I've ever seen. I now have to figure out how to explain to our boss why this barista who shouldn't know Eric is a cop knows that Eric is a cop."

"I won't tell anyone," Ezra told him. He took a step back and Eric wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I know you won't, but we still have to tell our boss," Eric said.

"Are you going to get into trouble?" Ezra asked him.

"No, baby, Dane's going to get into trouble."

Dane snorted.

Ezra gave him a confused frown.

"It'll be fine," Eric assured him.

"You have a crush on me?"

Why had Ezra remembered that part of Dane's story? Couldn't he go back to being worried that Eric was going to get in trouble? "I plead the fifth."

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to work," Dane said unhelpfully.

"It's not."

Eric huffed. "This is not how I wanted you to find out. I was supposed to start romancing you."

"I…I'm so confused," Ezra said.

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Eric had been flirting. Hadn't Ezra realized it?

Ezra shook his head before he swayed. His complexion turning green under his pale face.

"Dane!" Eric shoved the toddler at his friend and Dane scrambled to hold her. Eric caught Ezra as the boy went limp.

"I don't feel so good," Ezra mumbled.

"Fuck!" Dane spat as he gently held the toddler up against his massive chest.

Eric picked Ezra up and carried him over to the couch. The boy was smaller than Eric had realized. Light. Crouching next to Ezra, Eric ran his hand over Ezra's head as Ezra blinked at him. His boy was burning up.

"It's okay. Just rest. I'll take care of everything," Eric promised.

"Annabelle?"

"Dane has her. He's great with children."

"Okay. I'm just going to sit here for a minute."

"Don't lie to him," Dane whisper-shouted. "Come get this baby."

Eric stood. "I'm going to pack a few things for them. Hold her."

"Eric!" Dane followed behind as Eric walked into the bedroom.

"What?" Looking around the bedroom showed more of Ezra's ingenuity. There was a twin bed covered in a dark blue quilt pushed to the wall. The small, raised toddler bed, painted pink, with white and yellow daisies was adorable. There was a matching two-drawer dresser that Eric was guessing belonged to the little girl.

"What exactly is your plan here?" Dane asked.

Eric crossed the room. "I'm going to pack a small bag and take them home."

"They are home."

Eric noticed a black backpack next to the twin bed. He grabbed it before turning to Dane.

He had to blink twice. Leaning against the doorjamb, Dane took up the entire width. The precious girl in his arms seemed even smaller. Thinking quickly, Eric pulled his phone out and snapped a picture, capturing Dane's scowl. It was still an endearing image.

"What was the question?" he asked.

"They are home. Why are you packing a bag?"

"Because I need to watch over them. Ezra obviously picked up whatever bug that little cutie has."

"This might be bordering on kidnapping," Dane pointed out.

Eric scowled at his friend. "I'm a cop. I'm not going to kidnap anyone."

Dane lifted a brow.

Fuck! Was he right? No, of course not. Eric was going to ask Ezra's permission. He just wanted to make sure that once Ezra agreed to come home with him that Eric was ready to leave.

It wasn't hard to figure out what the baby would need to come home with him. Eric hoped he wasn't crossing boundaries when he searched through a pile of clothes on the floor folded neatly and appearing clean. If Ezra or Annabelle needed anything else, then Eric would go out and buy it for them.

Eric stuck his arm through the strap of the backpack then turned to Dane. Annabelle was content babbling and smacking Dane's chest as the big man held her close.

He really wanted to take another picture.

"Don't even think about it," Dane warned.

With a shake of his head, Eric strolled across the room. He stopped when he reached Dane.

"Are you sure about this?" Dane asked quietly. "You didn't know about the baby, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Eric admitted. And he would wrestle with the unfamiliar feelings that he was pushing down later. "It doesn't change anything for me. He's mine."

Dane stared at him hard until he nodded. "Okay." They returned to the living room.

Maverick sat on guard halfway between the couch and the front door which was still open. Fuck! It seemed like the dog had more sense than Eric did at that moment. Eric was a cop! He should know better than leaving his boy so vulnerable. Sure, there were cops all over the complex, but Eric was not thinking straight. He just wanted to get Ezra and Annabelle home.

"Hey." Eric leant over his boy.

Ezra jerked awake. "Annabelle?"

"Dane has her. Do you have a car seat?"

"Where are we going?" Ezra looked around frantically, but Eric could tell that his eyes weren't clear.

"I think you're sick too?" He placed his palm on Ezra's forehead. Fuck! Ezra was burning up.

"Maybe. My throat hurts."

Did Ezra need a doctor? Eric wasn't one to panic but this was a new situation. There was someone at home that could help him though.

"Car seat?" Eric asked again.

Ezra nodded.

"Come on, baby. We're going to fix everything. I promise." Eric helped Ezra off the couch.

Dane was walking around the apartment turning off lights as Eric directed Ezra out with his arm around Ezra's waist. He spotted a set of keys hanging on a hook by the door. Eric grabbed them. The timeline for romancing his boy had completely gone off track but Eric would just roll with it.

* * * * *

Ezra

Confusion. Burning. Motion sickness. Anxiety. Ezra was pretty much lost and the only thing keeping him from losing his shit was the fact that he could hear Annabelle talking happily behind him about lights or something. Well that, and the attractive and attentive guy driving the big SUV. Ezra didn't even know where they were going. Had he asked?

"Where are we going?" Why was his brain mush?

"My house," Eric said. He gripped Ezra's knee.

Ezra placed his hand over Eric's. It was nice to have something to hang on to. "I don't feel well," he admitted. He should have called Dom. He wouldn't be in this position otherwise.

"I know," Eric said. "It's going to be fine. We'll get Annabelle settled and you into bed. I have someone that can check you out."

"I have insurance," Ezra made sure that he told Eric. The perks of working for Jesse Lambert were why Ezra had worked so hard to get the job. "Good insurance."

"That's great. My brother is a nurse. He works part-time at the hospital. He'll be able to tell us if we need to get you to the doctor."

"Nah, I took Annabelle. The doctor said she needed to work it out of her system. He didn't even prescribe her any medications."

"That's good to know. I'm not surprised that you caught the bug while taking care of her."

"She's such a sweetheart even when she's sick. She just wants to be held and cuddled."

"Don't we all," Eric commented.

"I know I do." Oh damn, Ezra didn't mean to say that. "I mean—"

Eric's warm chuckle filled the quiet vehicle. "I know what you meant, and I approve. Let's make sure you aren't sicker than we think, and you can have all the cuddles you could ever want."

Ezra nearly made Eric swear to keep that promise but that was probably silly. This entire night was just unbelievable. He was shocked seeing Eric in jeans, a black T-shirt, and a gold badge around his neck. Eric was a cop. That was nuts!

"You're really a cop?"

Eric stiffened. The fingers on his knees tightened. Ezra curled his fingers around Eric's. He didn't want Eric to pull away.

"Yes."

"Should I be worried about working at the casino? Is it safe?" Even though he needed the money and benefits, he couldn't risk himself. He was all Annabelle had.

"I don't think you're in any danger. We're investigating some of the employees but it had nothing to do with you," Eric confirmed.

"Us?" Was Eric spying on them? "Wait! Did you investigate me?" Ezra demanded. Anger cleared his mind. The fogginess easing away.

"Everyone at the coffee shop is good. Most of the employees are, in fact. It's just a few…and I didn't investigate you. My lieutenant ran a basic background on every employee in Lambert Entertainment, but he didn't share those reports. He provided relevant information on some targets. You weren't included."

Ezra didn't even know why he was so irritated. It wasn't like he had anything to hide. Well except for the fact he was raised by assholes but that wouldn't be in his background. Actually, he did know why he was so pissed off. He had fallen for someone who had been lying to him for months. Ezra hated liars. His entire upbringing had been full of lies.

"I will explain what I can after I talk to my boss."

Was that good enough? Something to think about when his head wasn't pounding and he didn't feel like throwing up. Closing his eyes, Ezra leaned his forehead against the cool passenger-side window. It felt amazing on his hot skin. There was really no doubt that he'd picked up whatever bug his sweet baby girl had brought home from daycare.

"Just rest. We'll be home soon."

They weren't going to his home. Ezra hadn't ever had one of those. Never had a place that he knew he would be safe and unconditionally loved. That was what home meant to him.

His parents had only shown him affection if he had made them proud. The others in the church had been far more involved in his raising than Ezra now knew was normal. It was one of the reasons that Ezra kept his circle small. No one would ever make decisions regarding his baby girl except Ezra.

Home was a pipe dream that Ezra had given up on until he'd been blessed with his little girl. She made him want things that seemed to be out of reach. Someday, Ezra told himself. Once he had more money, was better established, he would give Annabelle everything he'd never had. Ezra just needed more time.

He must have dozed again.

He jerked as Eric gently shook his shoulder. "I'm awake."

"I'm going to get Annabelle out of her car seat, then I'll come around for you. Just give me a minute."

Even though Ezra wanted to insist that he was fine and he could take care of his girl, he realized that it was safer to allow Eric to handle her. It wasn't easy to give up that control. Annabelle had always been his. No help from family. He barely trusted a few friends to even be near her. He should probably call Dom. Was Ezra seriously going home with someone he barely knew and relying on them to care for him and Annabelle? What was wrong with him?

The door opened and only the seat belt kept him from falling out.

"Easy there. I got you." Eric reached over and unbuckled him.

Fuck it! Ezra leaned against Eric as he was helped from the SUV. The house he was directed to surprised Ezra. The green grass was well-maintained, thick, and gorgeous. Living in the desert, most of the homes tended toward rock yards. It must cost a fortune to keep up. Did that mean that the backyard was just as nice? A big, beautiful backyard was something that Ezra had always wanted for Annabelle. The residence was also a lot bigger than Eric would need for just him.

Eric wasn't married, was he? At that horrifying thought, Ezra stopped walking, jerking Eric to a stop as well.

"What's wrong? This is my house. Let's get you inside."

"Are you married?" Ezra asked.

"What? No! Why would you think I was married?"

"It's not like I actually know anything about you!" And didn't that just suck. "I didn't know you were a cop, after all."

"Okay, that's fair. But I'm not married. I did mention my interest in you at your apartment. Or Dane actually brought it up, if you remember. It's a long story but it's just me and my brother." Eric continued to urge him forward.

Oh yeah. The big, tattooed cop. He'd said that Eric had a crush on him. A crush. That word sounded so silly when Ezra was sure they both wanted to fuck each other's brains out. Oops, maybe Ezra shouldn't think like that. His cock didn't need any more excuses to become interested around the older man. Think about something else, Ezra scolded himself.

"Brother?" Eric had mentioned this brother before.

"Brandon. He's a nurse. I want him to check you out."

Oh yeah. "Sure."

The front door opened as they reached it. A small, younger version of Eric stared back at him dressed in mint-green scrubs. He shifted from foot to foot as he stared at Ezra with wide eyes.

"I came home and you weren't here," Eric's brother said. He didn't look happy. "Who's this?"

"Brandon, meet Ezra and Annabelle. Ezra, my little brother Brandon. Bran, Annabelle has been sick for a few days and it appears that Ezra might have caught the bug."

Immediately the younger guy, Brandon, reached for him. "Oh! You poor thing! There's a nasty bug going around that lasts about forty-eight hours." He pulled Ezra away from Eric before towing him into the house, talking the entire time. "Let's get the two of you settled. If Eric would have given me a heads-up, I would have been prepared."

"I don't think he expected to run into me," Ezra offered.

"It's a good thing that he did if he brought you here—he must be worried."

"He's kind of overprotective," Ezra shared.

"You have no idea. We'll exchange notes about him later. Right now, let's get you settled in one of the guest rooms."

"Annabelle," Ezra said.

"Don't worry about that cutie. Eric will take care of her while I check you out." They reached the hall. "You don't look completely comfortable but let me assure you that nothing bad will happen to you or your precious angel while you're here. I have the personal number of nearly every cop in the city. Eric made sure of it. You're safe here."

Ezra might not have any reason to believe Brandon but for some reason he did. His instincts were screaming at him that he was in good hands. As exhausted as Ezra was, he needed this help.

Brandon opened a door before leading Ezra into a dim bedroom. "Eric's room is right next door. We can put Annabelle to the left of you."

"I want her in here with me," Ezra insisted.

Pursing his lips, Brandon stared at him. "Compromise. You need rest. Good, solid, uninterrupted sleep. Let us take care of your girl but we'll keep your door open and bring her in when we check on you."

The last of his energy was quickly leaving him. "Please." Ezra swallowed hard. "She's all I have."

"I swear on my life that your little angel is gonna be fine. You don't know me, so I don't really have the words to convince you. If you know anything about Eric though, you should believe that he would do whatever he needs to do to keep all of us safe." Brandon squeezed his hand.

"I do trust Eric," Ezra confessed.

"Good. Let's get you lying down."

Ezra collapsed on the bed, hoping that he wasn't making a horrible mistake.