In Need of You

Chapter Twenty

He watched Sabrina walk inside the precinct with a basket in her hands. Madeline strolled by her side with a smile. They were perfect the two of them. Everything about Sabrina was screaming for Kevin to love her right. Elisha didn't know what kind of woman he had on his hands. Had he known, he'd be placing her on a pedestal. He'd be putting that ass to sleep every night. He'd be letting every other man know that she was his. And if they tried to step up to her, a brotha would be dead by the wayside.

Kevin nearly frowned, watching her kiss Elisha on the lips. Elisha picked Madeline up as they walked toward the break room. He eyed Ava, who sat across from him. A smile tugged the corner of her lips as she slowly turned back to her computer screen. 

Getting up from his desk, Kevin stretched. He glanced at Captain Alders' office, hoping he wasn't inside and made his way toward the break room. It was perfect timing too since it was around the time he'd take lunch. Opening the door, he looked Sabrina directly in the eyes. Her black spiraled curls hung near her left eye in a side-swept part. Her brown skin reminded him of how he used to lap honey off the biscuits his mom used to make him as a kid. 

"Sabrina, right?" He smiled, flashing his teeth. 

"Yes," she replied, looking at the silver ring on his index finger. "I'm sorry about that. I was heading to the restroom."

"You're good," Kevin said. "I was in your way." He held his hand out in the direction of the ladies' restroom. He watched her hips sway from side to side. 

He glanced at Elisha, whose eyes stayed focused on him despite Madeline sitting in front of him and rocking in her chair as she bit into a muffin. For a moment, he swore he saw jealousy in Elisha's eyes. 

"This must be little miss Madeline," Kevin said as he walked to the refrigerator. He saw the child glare at him. Her smile never left her beautiful face. 

"I am," she replied. She stared at Elisha for a moment with big eyes, holding her chocolate cupcake in hand. "Daddy, can I have your cupcake?"

Elisha laughed while shaking his head. "Why little one? Mommy gave me this one."

"But I really don't like chocolate that much," she replied.

Kevin nearly dropped his bowl of chicken and dumpling soup from what he heard. There was no way in hell that, that child recognized Elisha as her father. He really had an impact on that little girl, but it wasn't like he couldn't change that dynamic, Kevin thought. Still, he had to be careful. If she felt that her new daddy was being pulled away from her, that little girl would act out. But if she saw that he was a bad person, she would flee to him. 

This couldn't be done too fast, Kevin thought. If he rushed it, Sabrina would never go to him, and Elisha would have his head on a silver platter. Mama used to say that anything worth having it's worth fighting for. That woman was everything to him and then some. She just had to come around to seeing things his way. 

"Relationship Goals," Kevin said. He placed his bowl of soup into the microwave and set it to two minutes. "I've got to get started."

Elisha laughed. "Relationship Goals? Man, that shit's for Instagram."

Kevin placed his hand over his heart while smiling. "Damn! There goes my inspiration."

"Ohh!" Madeline said. "Mommy said you can't say bad words."

"No little one," Elisha said. "She meant that you can't use bad words."

She stared at Kevin with a smile and placed her thumb and index finger over her chin and cocked one eyebrow. "Oh yeah," she replied, laughing.