Page 92 of Velvet Corruption

“I love the park! And Eva is funny,” Rosie said. “It’s just cold. Oh, can we get ice cream after?”

I laughed, warmth cracking through my chest. “How about some hot cocoa instead?”

The park came into view, and I spotted Julian’s car already parked. He stood beside it, scrolling his phone. Normal. Routine.

I forced out a breath, my hands finally entirely loosening their death grip on the steering wheel. This was fine. This was good. Rosie and I would have fun with Julian. We would coparent, like grown-ups.

I wouldn’t let Kieran ruin this for me.

I pulled into a spot, feeling Julian’s eyes on me as I shifted the car into park. It took all of my focus to turn off the engine, to make my body move with some semblance of normalcy. I needed to look relaxed, easy, like my life wasn’t falling apart at the seams. I could do that for a morning. For a few hours, at least.

I could do it. I had to do it.

I opened the door and stepped out, smoothing my coat down, schooling my expression into something that wouldn’t give me away. Something calm. I wouldn’t let Julian see it. He’d notice. He’d ask. I couldn’t deal with that right now. I needed him to think I was fine.

“You okay?” he asked, voice light but careful. Too careful.

“You look—”

“Like I haven’t slept in weeks?” I offered dryly. I didn’t want to tell him that it felt like someone was watching me…that it had felt like that for weeks.

It was probably just in my head. I was safe. More importantly, Rosie was safe.

Julian huffed a laugh. “I was gonna say tense, but sure.”

He shut his car door and joined me on the sidewalk, watching as Rosie scrambled into my arms. I knew the look in his eyes, the concern he wasn’t saying out loud.

He’d seen me like this before, when I was first appointed ADA. Times when I should have been more in control, when I let myself unravel just a bit. He had that same look then, the same silence now, waiting for me to fill it with reassurance I didn’t have.

“I’m fine,” I said, forcing the words out before he could ask again.

“You need to relax. This is supposed to be a good thing,” he said. “Now. Where’s my most favorite, beautiful little girl?”

“Daddy!” Rosie shrieked, throwing herself out of my arms at Julian.

Julian caught her easily, lifting her up like she weighed nothing. “Oh my god, did you get heavier? What has your Mami been feeding you? Is it…weights? Has she been feeding you weights?” he asked. “Wait. Maybe she’s been feeding you tree trunks.”

“I can’t eat tree trunks. My mouth is too small.”

“I think that’d be the least of your problems, mi amor,” I said.

Rosie laughed harder, her little arms wrapped tightly around Julian’s neck as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

His voice softened. “I missed you, tesoro.”

Rosie beamed. “I missed you too, Daddy.”

Something in my chest twisted, but I ignored it. This was good. This was normal.

Julian set her down and took her hand. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go say hi.”

This wasn’t about me.

This wasn’t about Kieran, or my sleepless nights, or the way my gut twisted every time I thought about the election. This was about my daughter. About giving her something normal, something stable, even if I didn’t feel stable myself.

Julian kissed the top of her head before setting her down. “Did you bring your mittens, Miss Independent? It’s freezing out here.”

“I’m not cold!” Rosie insisted, but the way she shivered and grabbed my coat betrayed her.

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