TIFFIN 3

102

HERO'S POV

"Why the fuck aren't we leaving yet?" 

I paced across the compound grounds, Eleanor still in my grasp. I knew it wasn't a good idea to curse with her so close, but I was going mental here. 

My wife had been blackmailed by the motherfucker that had attempted to kidnap her and could very well have succeeded this time. 

"We can't head in blind." Ezekiel frowned. "It's too risky." 

I ground my teeth together, feeling a pair crack. 

"Well, you tell Willard he better figure it out or I'm going myself." 

A bark sounded from the doors of the building, the captain looking like he'd aged a few years. 

"You will do no such thing! We don't know what Evengot has planned and if you go and piss him off... Look. I don't know what's going on. Our systems are down." 

A knot formed in my chest. 

"Isn't that what happened last time? Jesus. You need to update or some shit. She could be out there at his mercy!" 

As if sensing my distress, Eleanor whimpered. Doing my best to console, I kissed the top of her head. It seemed to work. 

Willard noticed this and grinned. 

"Do not worry, Mr. Tiffin. The government left us some high tech essentials. If we don't get the system up and running in the next few minutes, we're leaving. How's fatherhood treating you by the way? I remember my first daughter." 

I raised an eyebrow at this, despite my skittish behavior.

Captain Willard, a father? Not a soft, nurturing one surely. Then again, neither was I. 

Speaking of which, I needed to answer my dad's emails. Shit.  

"It's okay. I haven't done any of it correctly and I know I'm still messing up somehow." 

He shook his head, laughing. 

"That's how it works. We never do it right, but we can try. Nobody is perfect. All your children ever need is love and understanding." 

I nodded staring down at my daughter.

I would work at that. 

Ezekiel rubbed the back of his neck, eyeing us intently. 

Okay?

"You good?" I asked. 

He managed to chuckle, though it broke off painfully.  

"I have a confession. I feel like a jackass because I did it all the wrong way, but... I may have knocked my girl up." 

I couldn't help it. I snorted. 

E sent a glower my way. 

"Sorry man. It's just comical. Kylie is... Well... Kylie. We have a history and I never saw her as the sort to settle down." 

Ezekiel didn't seem any more impressed with this explanation. 

"Watch it, Tiffin. I should beat the shit out of you for ever sleeping with my woman." 

I could only laugh at this. We were fucking caveman, us and the rest of the men in our circle. 

Before we could go on with our conversation that made me feel damn old, a guard bursted out of the compound. 

"CAPTAIN, WE DID IT! SYSTEMS ARE UP AND RUNNING!" 

Willard nodded, fitting a helmet over his head. 

"Okay, boys. You heard my team. Head inside and gear up. Tiffin, you'll need to leave that precious girl. Don't worry. She'll be in safe hands."

I stared at Eleanor for a moment while she peeked at me with curiosity.

Yes. She meant the world to me. Everything that I'd been through had been worth it for her to exist.

Reluctantly handing her to a guard- who seemed uncomfortable- I headed inside to gear up.

Goddamn. Did they expect this to be that dangerous?

Sorry this is more of a filler chapter 💞

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