Ty's chance *An Animals MC Novel*

Chapter Fifteen.

When Chris got up the next morning he checked the clock, confused at first because it was after nine and Hannah always got him up before eight, she was a morning person like her mother and insisted they always eat breakfast together before he went to work.

He sat up listening for any sign his daughter was up, and simply had let him sleep but the house was silent.

He walked from his room to hers checking her bed but saw no sign of her, her bed wasn't made and her stuffed batman was gone.

He checked the bathroom and found it untouched, going downstairs he didn't find Hannah in the kitchen, living room, dining room or spare bathroom. After a moment of hesitation, he opened the door to the spare bedroom and found Hannah.

She was still in her pajamas and had climbed into bed with Zoey. Both of them lay on their left sides facing the door, Zoey contorting her body to wrap around the small child and hold her close.

Deciding to let the pair sleep he turned and walked to the kitchen, it felt good to sleep in even a little bit. He started the coffee and then feeling inspired began making homemade blueberry pancakes, Hannahs favorite.

If he had to guess the little sneak had been at the top of the stairs when Zoey came and after she was sure that her dad was in bed had snuck down to crawl in bed with her.

He was mixing the batter for pancakes while sipping his coffee when Zoey and Hannah entered the kitchen, Hannah hurrying over to climb up on the island to sit.

He was going to scold her but changed his mind, there wasn't much point since Zoey would rise to help her and he would be outnumbered.

"Morning Daddy!" Hannah cried happily.

"Morning Princess, you hungry this morning?"

"Starving!"

"How about you?" He asked, turning briefly to Zoey.

"Yes, but I wish you had gotten me up I would have made breakfast."

"Nonsense, you need to rest after last night."

"Okay, I'll just go freshen up," she said.

She ruffled Hannahs hair before exiting the kitchen, he watched her go then turned to begin pouring the pancake mix into the pan.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to Zoey's face?" She asked.

He froze, up until now he had kept Hannah sheltered from the horrors of the real world. Even knowing her dad was a police officer he still managed to shield her from the things humans did, he never had to explain to her there were bad people.

He turned off the stove and then turned to her with a heavy sigh.

"Someone hit her," He said gently.

"Why?"

"Because...because some people aren't like your daddy. There are some people who are very bad people."

"You told me it's not nice to hit."

"It's not, it's never nice to hit someone especially a woman, what that person did is terrible."

"Are you gonna stop him from doing it again Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes, yes I am. I promise." He said, wondering when he decided to do something about Lonnie.

"I don't want someone to hurt Zoey," She said.

"They won't, I promise and baby nobody will ever hurt you like that either. Not while I'm here."

"Okay."

"Zoey is going to stay here with us until she feels better, I don't want you asking her about it okay? We don't want her to feel bad."

"Okay."

He turned back to the stove turning it on just as Zoey entered the kitchen and took a seat on a bar stool near the island Hannah was perched on.

Chris turned and tossed some pancakes onto a plate sliding them in front of Zoey.

"How are you feeling today?" He asked going back to making more pancakes.

"Sore." She admitted.

"Let me look," He said.

He turned from the stove rounding the island and she turned on her stool, carefully he took her face in his hands, his thumb brushing the bruise around her eye.

"Does it hurt when I press on it?"

"A little but it's not the worst."

"Does it affect your vision?" He asked, staring into her eyes.

"No."

"I don't think anything is broken just really bruised...Asshole," He shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"You better be fine by next Saturday it's the annual mayor's ball I need my date." He said going back to the pancakes.

"Oh, I thought you would be taking Claire, I didn't even get a dress."

She took a bite of pancakes and winced when she began to chew.

"Claire will be there and I might steal a dance but come on, this has been our tradition for years."

The mayor through a ball every summer to honor police, firemen and other members of the community. Chris had always taken his wife until the year she got sick, then she suggested he take Zoey, they had gone together every year since.

"I'll have to try and get a dress."

"Take Hannah a day and go shopping I'm sure she needs one too," He said glancing at his daughter who beamed back at him.

Childcare was provided at the event which meant Hannah could play with her friends while Chris and Zoey mingled.

"Okay, we will go a day this week. Ten pounds of concealer I'm sure I can be presentable." She said with a shrug.

He gave a small nod as he served Hannah her pancakes and then turned back to make his own.