Chapter Thirty

"Babysit? You gotta be out of your mind. I don't sit babies," Ian stated as he flopped himself down on the couch. It was Thursday and all week someone had been at the house constantly to watch Madeline but today Bethany and Andrew were going together to some more appointments to prepare for the wedding Saturday, Cavanaugh had gotten a paying job mowing several yards since he said he didn't like sitting around and doing nothing while using Nicole's money, Nicole had to work and so did Leslie. That left Ian.

"Nicole, I can just call in," Leslie said doubtfully as she entered the living room. "He doesn't seem like he can take care of Madeline." Hell as far as Leslie could tell, Ian seemed to have trouble taking care of himself and he didn't seem to like her or her daughter very much.

"Wait just a damn minute!" Ian exclaimed as he stood back up. "I guarantee I can watch that girl just as good as the rest of you can."

Nicole nodded, "They'll do fine," she assured Leslie.

Leslie hesitated before finally sighing with defeat. She needed to work all the hours she could and save up the money she could. She wanted to pay Nicole rent and she also needed to save up to pay the lawyer for her divorce from Frank. Other than being a little on the grouchy side and having a bit of a lazy streak, Ian didn't seem like a bad man. And Leslie trusted Nicole's judgment. If she thought that Ian would be okay to watch Madeline then Leslie would trust her.

It wasn't until twenty minutes later when Ian found himself alone with Madeline that he wondered what exactly he'd been thinking. He sat on the couch and the girl sat in the chair with her head in her hands as they stared each other down.

"I'm bored," Madeline stated.

"You look like a girl to me," Ian replied as he leaned back against the soft couch cushion and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Are you gonna play with me?"

"How about we watch some television?" Ian offered and Madeline nodded before jumping from the chair and crawling up on the couch beside him. Ian grumbled at her closeness and then grabbed the remote and clicked the television on. He found a show that he knew she liked. It looked like some kind of talking piece of holey cheese who had a fat pink friend and a buck toothed squirrel girlfriend, but if it kept her quiet then Ian would keep it on.

Ian found himself smiling when Madeline scooted closer to him and giggled at the television. Then he quickly replaced that smile with a scowl. He was determined not to let this girl get under his skin. Her or her mother. All week he'd managed to keep his distance but now he and the kid were going to be alone for at least six hours.

Ian was a damn outlaw. A lawbreaking, rule bending man who took what he wanted, hurt who he wanted and never looked back. He sure as hell wasn't the type of man who let a cute little five year old get the better of him.

They watched episode after episode of the talking cheese show and finally Madeline looked up at him, "I'm hungry."

Ian raised his brow as he glanced down at her innocent, round face and shrugged, "So?"

Madeline rolled her big blue eyes, "So go cook for me."

Ian laughed and shook his head, "You go cook."

"I'm a kid!" Madeline exclaimed.

"A girl kid... You're like a woman, only smaller. So go cook." Madeline glared at him and then threw herself back against the couch with a sigh, "Mommy was right."

Ian frowned, "Oh yeah? About what?"

"You. She said you're a lazy bum."

Ian growled, then growled again when he realized he was starting to sound like Jamison and Cavanaugh. He stood up quickly and stuck his hands on his hips, "What do you want to eat?"

"Lunch."

"I don't think it's lunch time," Ian stated.

Madeline laughed and rubbed her stomach, "My tummy doesn't wear a watch."

Ian tried to fight it but realized he couldn't as laughter bubbled up out of him, "I reckon mine doesn't either." he admitted. "Come on out here and we'll see what we can dig up."

They made their way into the kitchen and Ian opened a cupboard, "What do you want?" he asked and Madeline grabbed a chair from the table and scooted it across the floor. Ian made a face at the noise and then grinned when Madeline climbed onto the chair and then scrambled up onto the counter. She reached into the open cupboard and pulled out a box of macaroni. She gave it a little shake and Ian nodded as he took it from her hand.

"I think I can do that," he said with a wink. He grabbed a pot from the cupboard beside the stove and filled it with water from the tap before setting it on the stove and turning on the burner.

"I'm thirsty," Madeline said as she sat on the edge of the counter.

Ian nodded, "Well climb over there and get us some glasses and I'll see what Nicole's got in the cooler chest over here."

"That's a fridge," Madeline informed him and he just shrugged and opened the refrigerator door. He was looking at the different beverages to choose from. There was beer (which he didn't think Leslie would appreciate him giving to Madeline), milk and soda. For a moment Ian thought about thinking like a mature adult and choosing the healthier choice but then he just shrugged and grabbed two bright red cans of soda..

He was just shutting the door to the cooler box, fridge, he reminded himself as he shook his head, when a crashing sound filled the kitchen and the sound of shattering glass filled his ears. Instinctively his hand went to his hip, only to realize he had left his gun belt hanging on a hook by the door.

He heard a sob behind him and turned quickly to see Madeline laying on the wooden floor with glass shattered all around her, "Kid!" he yelled as he quickly closed the distance between them, glass shards from the cups she'd been holding crunched beneath his boots.

"Please don't be mad!" she cried out as she struggled to stand.

"Don't move," Ian warned. All he kept imagining was glass tearing open all that pale, soft skin. She was crying hard and he was worried that she had gotten hurt. He scooped her up into his arms and she cried out and fought against him.

"Don't hurt me!" she screamed, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!"

Ian frowned as he carried her to the table and sat her down in the center. Her eyes were squeezed shut tight and she just kept chanting those same words over and over as tears streaked her face and she shook with fear.

"It's okay, Maddy." Ian insisted, and then he frowned. Why the hell had he given her a nickname? He looked over her body but didn't any cuts and knew that that must be a small miracle in itself. Why was the girl so damn panicked?

"Maddy, you gotta calm down," Ian said helplessly as he patted her on the top of the head, "It was just a couple of cups."

Her sobs slowed and she opened her eyes and eyed him cautiously as she hiccupped loudly, "Are you gonna beat me?"

"Beat you?!" Ian exclaimed as he looked at the glass on the floor. "I'm just glad you weren't hurt bad. Why would I beat you?"

Madeline wiped her face on the sleeves of her long sleeve princess shirt and then wrapped her arms tight around herself, "My daddy would have beat me. I broke a plate once..." her voice broke off and she shivered. Ian had never heard a four year old child say anything like that in his life. Ian wasn't opposed to spanking. Spanking had set him straight quite a few times when he'd done wrong as a boy and it had done the same for his brothers. But for breaking a cup? And a beating? Pa's belt might have cracked over Ian's backside a few times growing up but the man had certainly never beaten him and he'd never whooped him over something that was an accident.

Now Ian was morally opposed to beating a woman but figured that was between a wife and her husband but beating a child? The thought of that made him wish he could have Madeline's father in front of him for just five minutes. He'd show that good for nothing, child-beating, son of a bitch what a real ass whooping was.

Ian didn't say a word. He could feel Madeline's eyes watching him with apprehension as he crossed the kitchen to the cupboard that held the glasses. Slowly he reached out and grabbed one and examined it carefully in the sunshine that came through the window. Then suddenly, without warning, he dropped it to the floor and it shattered into thousands of pieces.

Madeline gasped and covered her mouth with her hand as her blue eyes got wide and she looked at Ian with shock. Ian grinned and grabbed another glass. He took a few steps and held it out to Madeline, "Would you like to do the honors?" he asked her.

She bit her lip and then her eyes lit up mischievously as she threw the cup down and it shattered across the kitchen floor.

"See!" Ian asked as he sat down on the table beside her. "No harm ever came from breaking a cup. It's just a cup."

"You're funny," Madeline giggled as she covered her mouth. "I like you."

Ian grinned and nudged her gently with his shoulder, "I like you too, Maddy. Just don't tell anybody."

"We have to clean this mess," Madeline informed him.

Ian frowned, "Why? Nicole will clean it when she gets home." Madeline gave him an angry look and pointed her finger at him, "Ian, when you make a mess you're supposed to clean it up."

Ian sighed. The kid was right, though it had been a long time since he'd worried about things like that, "Alright, alright." He was just happy that she was happy again and the fear seemed to be gone. He jumped from the table and nearly had a heart attack when he realized she was about to do the same.

"Better let me carry you, Maddy," he warned quickly, "You're not wearing any shoes."

Madeline looked down at his boots and then her own bare feet and grinned sheepishly, "Oh yeah."

Ian picked her up and she wrapped her little arms around his neck and instantly he knew he was in way over his head as his heart became lost to her. A week of keeping his distance destroyed as she laid her cheek against his neck and sighed.

***

Leslie was just coming down the hallway to return the charts to a cart to be taken back to records when one of the other clinic nurses jogged over to her. "You have a phone call." she said.

Leslie frowned and pulled her cell phone from her pocket but didn't see any missed calls. Who would call the clinic to reach her? "Who is it?" she asked.

The middle aged woman shrugged, "A man is all I know," she replied. "He said he wanted to talk to you."

Leslie's mind instantly when to Ian and Madeline. If that man had done something to let her baby get hurt she would kill him herself. She smiled gratefully at the nurse, handed her the files and then made her way back to the office where the phones were kept.

She saw one blinking and picked it up, "This is Leslie Anderson," she said, keeping her tone business like since she didn't know who it was.

"Hello, Leslie."

Leslie nearly dropped the phone as she quickly grabbed the desk beside her to keep from falling. Her legs trembled and her hands shook as she looked around the empty room.

"Frank."

"Have you been hiding from me, Leslie? Where are you?"

"I'm at work," she replied, her voice shaking nearly as badly as her hands.

"I know that, obviously, don't get smart." he warned.

She swallowed hard as her heart thudded violently against her ribs, "Why are you calling me, Frank? Didn't you get that restraining order?" She demanded in a hushed whisper.

Frank laughed coldly in her ear, "That piece of paper? Why hell, Les, I just thought they were giving me something to wipe my ass on."

"You're not supposed to call me, Frank. We are over and we have been for a long time."

"We'll never be over, Les. I'll always find my way back to you." Leslie felt her heart fill with fear and her gut twist at the veiled threat, "What do you want?" she hissed.

"My daughter. I want to see my daughter."

"No. As far as I'm concerned you don't have a daughter."

"You can't keep her away from me!" Frank exclaimed.

Leslie nervously plucked at some papers on a desk, "You don't deserve her, Frank. Not after what you did...." Leslie had caught him beating Madeline one time and she suspected him of doing even worse things to the girl, though she had no proof of those. That had been the night Leslie had finally left him and he had chased her down. He had found her and put her in the hospital with the beating he had given her. Frank had spent nearly a year in jail but now he was out and Leslie was scared to death that history was going to repeat itself.

"Where are you hiding her, Les? You better tell me because if you don't it'll be one hundred times worse for you when I finally find her."

"Leave us alone, Frank."

"I know, I'll just ride on out to Nicole's. Isn't that the bitches name that has been watching her for years. I'll bet she knows right where Madeline's at."

"Frank, no!" Leslie cried out but the line went dead. Leslie didn't even think about what she was doing as she let the phone drop and ran from the office as quickly as her legs could carry her. All she could think of, as she shoved past patients, nurses, doctors and one irritated security guard was the fact that that monster was going to find her baby girl and all Madeline had for protection was Ian.

***

The sight that Leslie was met with as she skidded to a stop in Nicole's gravel driveway had the tears of tension that had been building behind her eyes, spilling out and running down her cheeks. She turned off the ignition and gripped the steering wheel tight as she watched Ian playing with her daughter.

He had tied a long rope to a broom and was holding the end of the rope while Madeline straddled the broom as if it was a horse and ran in circles around him, laughing with every single breath she took, "That's right, cowgirl!" Ian called out with a big smile on his face. "Keep that pony at a trot, Maddy."

Leslie had been so afraid. So afraid that she would find Frank here and her daughter hurt that to see her laughing and playing with Ian and having more fun than Leslie had seen her have in a long time had Leslie feeling overwhelmed. She wasn't sure why she was crying but she'd be damned if she could make the tears stop.

She saw Ian look her way and the handsome smile suddenly disappeared from his face and was replaced with a frown. He was so good looking. He had a bad boy movie star vibe about him that got to Leslie. It surprised her since she hadn't ever gone for that type of man and she hadn't gone for any type of man in a long time. Frank had pretty much turned her off to the opposite sex but there was just something about Ian.

Leslie noticed Madeline running toward the car so she took a deep breath, wiped her face on the bottom hem of her pink scrubs and got out of the car, "Hi, my baby girl," Leslie said as she scooped her daughter up in her arms and held her tightly, breathing in her scent and reassuring herself that the girl was just fine.

"You came home early," Madeline stated, sounding a little grumpy over the fact.

Leslie nodded, "I did." She looked away from Madeline's angelic face and over at Ian who had untied the rope from the broom and was wrapping it around itself.

"Is something wrong?" he asked and Leslie knew he could still see the wetness on her cheeks and the red rims around her eyes.

"Madeline, mommy is thirsty. Can you go get me a bottle of water out of the fridge?" Leslie asked her daughter as she sat her down on her feet. Madeline nodded, "Yes." she said and then she giggled. "I broke cups today and Ian didn't even get mad! He broke some too!"

Leslie raised her brow and looked at Ian but he just smiled and patted Madeline on the head, "There are some things we just need to keep between us, Maddy," he said sheepishly.

Madeline frowned and then nodded in quite a stoic gesture, "Yes sir." she giggled and then she ran to the house.

"So what's wrong?" Ian asked as he took in her appearance. The last week had done wonders for her appearance. She had more color in her cheeks now and the dark circles were gone from around her gray eyes. She had a crooked smile that he had seen a few times and dimples in her cheeks. He was starting to realize that she was actually quite beautiful, not ugly or plain like had first thought.

"What is this about broken glasses?" Leslie asked instead, using what Madeline had told her to deflect his question.

Ian just shrugged one shoulder and she saw a serious look come into his brown eyes as he looked off into the distance, "She broke some glasses. It was an accident and my fault really for telling her to get them. I was just thankful that she wasn't hurt but she got scared bad. She thought I was going to beat her. So I showed her that breaking glasses ain't nothing to worry about."

"Oh," Leslie said as she felt part of her defenses crumble. It was clear that Madeline really liked Ian and Ian seemed to really like her daughter. And he was good with her. Even she could see that.

"Now tell me what's wrong." Ian repeated as he hooked the coiled rope onto his gun belt and snapped it in place.

Leslie wondered if she should and then realized that she had to. Ian was caring for her daughter after all and he needed to know the danger, "Frank called me at work."

"Husband Frank?" Ian asked and Leslie could hear the tension and anger in his tone.

"Soon to be ex-husband as soon as I get the money up." Leslie countered.

Ian pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his long dark hair, "Ex-husband?" he asked with confusion.

"Yeah it means not my husband any more. We'll be divorced."

Ian nodded. He had heard of divorces though they were only for the rich and upper class, "What did he say?"

"That he was going to come here and get his daughter." Leslie replied as a shiver passed down her spine.

Ian shook his head, "I wouldn't have let him. You didn't have to come out here."

"I was scared," Leslie stated with annoyance.

Ian shrugged half heartedly, "You could have called."

Before Leslie could say anything else Madeline came running from the house with a cold bottle of water, "Here you go mommy." she said happily as she held it up.

Leslie reached out and took the bottle and was about to twist the lid and open it up when slinging gravels and a revving engine filled the peaceful afternoon quiet. Leslie turned and saw the worn out black pick up truck come barreling down the drive and jerk to a stop. Her heart fell into her feet when she recognized Franks' angry face through the windshield.

"Frank..." she gasped. Madeline let out a whimper and quickly jumped behind Ian's legs. Ian felt her tiny hands clutching his thighs and anger filled him.

What kind of damn monster made a child cower like this? A damn monster who was fixing to be a greasy spot on the gravels if he even breathed the wrong way in the next ten minutes.

Frank got out of the truck and Ian sized the other man up. He was about the same height as Ian but he was much bigger. Not muscular, just bigger. He was wearing a flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off and a pair of light colored denim jeans that looked as if they were about two wears away from tearing.

He had a thick dark mustache and beard and his eyes were black, beady and angry as he glared at Ian with his big fists clenched, "Who the hell are you and what are you doing with my family?" Frank demanded gruffly.

Ian met his gaze full force and crossed his arms loosely over his chest, "Name's Ian McEllis and it would appear that I'm spending time with Leslie and Madeline."

Frank stepped forward and Ian saw Leslie shrink away from the big man. He frowned and moved his body to the right so he was shielding her from view.

"I've come to see my daughter," Frank stated harshly.

Ian shook his head, "You just get back in that truck now and drive on, friend. We don't need no trouble."

"You ain't my friend." Frank grumbled. "And I ain't going nowhere without my wife and daughter."

"Frank, you have to leave. I have a restraining order," Leslie warned him as she stepped around Ian. Ian took several steps to the side, still aware of the fact that Madeline was clinging to his leg.

"That piece of paper ain't good for nothing, Les," Frank replied as he stepped closer to her. Ian stiffened but let her handle it. She had come around him after all and turned away from his protection.

"You need to leave, Frank, or I'll call the police," Leslie reached in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone but Frank grabbed it roughly from her hand and then threw it with all his might into the forest.

He grabbed her by the neck of her pink scrubs and shook her roughly, "You will come home to me! You had no right to take my little girl! No restraining order or police officer is going to tell me any different. I will...." Frank's voice was quieted instantly when the cold metal barrel of Ian's .45 revolver was suddenly pressed against his head.

"You will get your hands off her now," Ian stated calmly, sounding as if he were doing nothing more than talking about the weather.

Frank swallowed hard and looked at Ian from the corner of his eye, "I don't know who you think you are but..."

Ian cut him off again, "I think I'm the man that's fixin' to splatter your brains all over the perfectly clean gravels in this driveway if you don't get the hell out of here."

Frank moved away from Leslie and away from Ian's gun. He looked down at Madeline who was peeking around Ian's legs and Ian cocked the gun threateningly, "Now I know you think you're tough," he said to Frank. "You think you're some kind of hardened criminal but let me tell you something. I come from a place where ten year olds are tougher men than you. We all ride, we all shoot and we can all use our fists real damn good. The best piece of advice I can give to you is to leave and stay gone before it's too late and I quit handing out warnings."

"This isn't over, Les," Frank warned as he shot a glance in her direction.

Ian nodded, "Oh, it's over." he assured him.

Frank grumbled under his breath and Ian could tell by the way his hands twitched that he was fighting back the urge to come at him. Ian desperately wanted the bastard to come at him but that would be the only way he'd actually shoot him. He wasn't going to kill Madeline's father right in front of her unless the man left him no choice.

After several long, tense moments Frank turned, got back in his truck and sped away, kicking up dust and gravels in his wake.

"Is he gone?" Madeline whispered.

Ian nodded as he let down the hammer slowly and holstered his gun, "He's gone, Maddy." he assured her with a grin.

Madeline let out a sigh and then tugged on the rope hooked to his belt, "I wanna ride the pony again!" she exclaimed.

"Well go get your pony then, girl," Ian replied, pointing to the broom. Madeline ran toward it.

Leslie stepped forward, "That was very foolish of you," she scolded. Ian frowned, "Foolish?" he asked. Didn't the damn woman appreciate what he'd done for her?

"Yes. Frank is a bad man and he's tough."

Ian stared at her for a moment and then burst out laughing and smacked his leg, "I cut my teeth on men like Frank," he countered. "Hell there are some people that would say I'm one hundred times worse of a bad man than he is."

Leslie studied him carefully for a moment and then she shook her head, "I wouldn't."

Ian felt a strange sensation in his chest at her admission. She didn't think he was bad? All week long she'd acted as if he was the devil incarnate and he had just assumed that's how it was going to be. Now to find out she didn't hate his guts, well that actually felt pretty damn good.

"Here's my pony, Ian."

"Good girl, Maddy," Ian replied with a happy smile as he tousled the girls dark hair. "Let's get her tied up so you can ride her."

"I'm going to go call my boss and let her know I'm not coming back today," Leslie said as Ian went about tying the rope to the broom. It was only about two hours from her normal quitting time as it was and she was too shaken up and on edge after seeing Frank to go into work.

"I'm hungry," Ian stated simply.

Leslie sighed as she watched Madeline mount the broom and take off with a giggle in a circle around Ian, "I guess I could make you a sandwich." Leslie replied.

Ian's eyes widened with surprise, "Really?"

"Sure. I mean you did just risk your neck for me."

Ian shook his head, "My neck wasn't in danger. Trust me I don't risk it for nobody."

Leslie just stared at him for a moment and then walked away and Ian went back to leading Madeline's 'pony'. He hadn't risked his neck for Leslie. He wouldn't do something like that. Self preservation was a very important thing for him. No he had simply run off a man who was really no threat to him because he had scared both Leslie and Madeline so badly. No self sacrificing there.