I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 637

Zoe unceremoniously slapped his hand away.

"Commander Thorne, we aren't that close. Please maintain some boundaries," she warned, taking a large step back to put distance between them.

To prevent him from trying anything else, she quickly grabbed Lily's hand and clutched her phone tightly in the other, leaving no opening for Hayden to exploit.

Undeterred, Hayden shamelessly fell into step right behind her. Garrett followed closely, while Yara trailed at the back. Given that Hayden was technically her superior, Yara still harbored a healthy dose of professional caution around him. Before she realized it, she was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Garrett.

Perhaps Yara's presence momentarily distracted Garrett, because by the time he snapped back to attention, Hayden had already guided Zoe and the two children to the dining table and taken a seat.

Mr. Kendall Sr. and Sylvia Kendall were semi-retired and rarely woke up this early, while Arthur Kendall Sr. had an unwavering habit of meeting his friends for morning Tai Chi at the crack of dawn. The dining room was quiet, save for the staff laying out a lavish breakfast.

Yara moved to excuse herself, but Garrett caught her arm. "Officer Quinn, your job is to protect Zoe, but you aren't a servant or a hired guard. Sit down and eat with us."

Yara opened her mouth to refuse, but Hayden shot her a heavy, oppressive look. His words sounded like a polite invitation, but Yara heard the absolute command laced beneath them.

"Don't be a stranger, Officer Quinn. Eating is part of the job."

It was an order. Yara couldn't disobey Hayden's direct directive. As she sat down, both Garrett and Zoe exchanged bewildered glances. They had spent the last two weeks begging Yara to join them for meals, and she had stubbornly refused every time. Yet, with one sentence from Hayden, she caved?

Garrett's gaze swept over Hayden, a grudging sense of respect mingling with his wariness. He still didn't fully grasp the depths of Hayden's true authority, but the man clearly knew how to wield power. If he could force someone as inflexible as Yara to fall in line, he was dangerous.

Hayden got to play the doting father, while she had borne all the pain, and the Kendalls had done all the heavy lifting. Why did he get to swoop in and reap the rewards?

Zoe marched over, scooped Ian out of Hayden's arms, and handed him firmly back to the nanny. Surprisingly, Hayden didn't fight her on it. He simply checked his watch, smoothly giving himself an out. "It's getting late. Lily's class starts in twenty minutes."

Lily had been watching him intently the entire time. Secretly, she had been terrified her dad didn't know how to hold a baby and would drop her little brother. If he had, she vowed never to acknowledge him as her father again. But to her relief, she saw him look at Ian with incredible care—the exact same way he looked at Holden. No, it was even gentler.

"Mom," Lily asked suddenly, her voice piercing the quiet room, "Does Dad only like boys? Does he not like girls?"

Zoe froze.