⚠️READ CHAPTER TEN AND ELEVEN FIRST GUYS. I JUST UPLOADED THREE NEW CHAPTERS AT ONCE⚠️

"Lucy and Kiara's next door neighbour was the one to call nine nine nine.

She said Kiara's mom sent her over to hide and when her husband arrived home she sent him over to check on her.

He discovered the body and all we know is the cause of death.

She was shot.

It was clearly planned out because they had a silencer and left zero trace.

We can guess she was either mixed up in or just a very unlucky victim of some dangerous people since guns aren't even legal in England." Officer Lopez finishes, her eyebrows drawn together sadly.

Kian's face is burried in his hands, his form hunched over in despair.

After a painfully long strech of silence he lifts his sickly pale face.

Each of his freckles stand out significantly more against his ghastly looking skin tone.

"She... she was shot?" He chokes out.

Lopez silently nods in confirmation.

Kian's head begins to spin with each new revelation.

Some unstable criminal shot his baby mamma.

Mere meters away from his angel.

If they don't catch the bastard soon I'll be taking matters into my own hands, Kian mentally fumed.

He never fancied himself a cop or needed dirty connections to anyone on the wrong side of the law.

Not when his parents' lives were cut short by a selfish drunk driver when he was young and most certainly not once his career took off, giving him a second chance at life.

But as a responsible twenty two year old father whose child's mother was purposely and brutally taken from this world.

All he wants is revenge.

No matter what lengths he has to go to to get it.

"So what's being done about it? Are there any leads on the case?" Kian's mood snaps like a glow stick.

One moment he was queasy and terrified, the next he was out for blood.

The woman infront of him watched it happen.

And the blood in her own veins ran cold at the sight.

A man that rich, powerful and determined is a man not to be messed with. Her line of work has taught her that much.

Mix in family?

There's no stopping him.

And the ones with the face of an angel are usually the most deceiving.

Lopez swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, before gathering the right words to say.

She didn't want to say too much but she also didn't want to get on his bad side.

She wants to help the family get justice, truly.

But she also needs to stay on the moral path and she fears that someone of Kian's status may get impatient and stray from good to borderline evil to get what he wants.

She doesn't want to get caught up in that world.

Not with her job and her own family at stake.

"Well... the thing is... they've tried every possible angle and followed every usual procedure but... it's a dead end." The frightened cop shrinks into herself as she trails off, scared of Kian's reaction.

His face hardens and his body tenses.

Just when he opens his mouth to no doubt snap back at the innocent officer, a whaling cry sounds from the monitor on the telly by their side.

Lopez' head snaps to follow the sound while Kian abruptly stands up, jumping into action.

He pays no mind to Lopez, completely ditching her in his sitting room and dashing towards Kiara, taking the stairs two at a time.

Once he reaches her door he slows his actions, gently opening the door as to not startle the confused toddler anymore.

She's blatantly disorientated after waking from her nap and what she needs is gentle reassurance.

When her watery crystal blues meet his, his heart clenches.

Kian rushes over to the bedside and scoops her small body into his own, rocking her slowly from side to side.

He showers her face with affectionate kisses and her little arms shakily take their place around his neck.

Kian's temper tantrum could wait for later.

Her cries were like a switch, sending his newfound fatherly instincts into overdrive and pushing any other matter way beneath the surface.

Even if the matter did revolve around her and her previous safety.

She is safe now and all that matters is her well-being.

"It's okay my sunshine. I got you baby." He whispers, smoothing her wild bed hair down and squeezing her hiccuping body.

"Da-da." She stammers between hiccups.

"No leave me please." She pleads, completely shattering his fragile heart.

"I promise I won't princess. I was just outside, it's okay." He assures her confidently.

Although this newfound clinginess could pose as a bit of a problem considering Kian's fame.

If they ever plan on leaving the house, they won't want to part from each other and if they don't the paparazzi will sniff her out within seconds.

Kian reaches the conclusion that he'll simply stay inside for as long as he has to.

Maybe he could persuade Rowan to take turns leaving the house with him so that somebody is always home with Kiara.

Someone that he trusts.

The public may eventually figure it out but they'll never know why.

Kian hears movement behind him and whips around alarmed, only to find officer Lopez who had completely vacated his mind once he heard Kiara crying.

Kiara reaches a stage of whimpering and choking on her breaths so Kian tries bouncing her in attempts at a distraction tactic.

Lopez watches from the doorframe, a small fond smile on her face.

Atleast Kiara will be safe. That's something I'm now certain of. This man won't let anyone touch a hair on her head. Officer Lopez mulls.

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Kiara's wide, glassy blue eyes peer shyly over her pink sippy cup filled with warm milk.

They assess the police woman smiling warmly back at her, judging whether or not she likes her.

Just as they did the entire time Kian was preparing the drink the toddler had requested.

The moment she mentioned that her 'mamma' used to give her 'warm milkies' when she had a bad dream he was down the stairs like the flash on crack.

Kiara was clung to him like a koala bear and finally noticed the extra person trailing behind them.

Kiara silently judged whilst Lopez softened her expression and subtly tucked away her gun just incase it triggered the little girl.

The officer made an odd comment reminding Kian not to put it in the microwave too long so that it doesn't burn the baby's mouth and ever since they've been submerged in silence.

Now bouncing on Kian's lap, Kiara takes small sips of her milk, staring straight into the officer's warm brown eyes.

Kian picks up the remote and searches for the first children's channel he can find to lighten the atmosphere and distract her.

"Peppa...pig." Kiara sniffles, eyes brightening at the familiar sight of the pink cartoon pigs.

"That's right." Lopez responds with a bright smile.

"Who's your favourite? Is it mommy pig? Or george?" She asks in a silly voice, tickling the bottom of Kiara's bare foot eliciting an adorable giggle from her.

Kiara shakes her head.

"It's gramp-pa pig."

The mispronunciation melts the adults' hearts then and there.

Kian holds her a little tighter and Lopez pouts her bottom lip in adoration.

"That's because I'm your favourite dadda aren't I?" Kian playfully questions, tickling her sides making her squeal and squirm in his hold.

He can't help but laugh along with her.

Kiara nods her head in reply and Kian cooes out loud, laying a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Will you be a good girl for dadda and answer some questions from officer Lopez?" Kian asks Kiara, now that she has a smile on her face.

Kiara nods obediently, still shyly gripping onto Kian's arm as she looks back over to the young woman.

"Do you like living with your daddy Kiara?" Lopez asks, the friendly, welcoming smile still intact on her face.

"Yeh." Kiara smiles back, snuggling into the said man's chest.

"Stay here two seconds little one whilst I run and find you some clothes to put on." Kian bargains with baited breath, praying the toddler will allow him to leave her side for a moment.

Her eyes widen in alarm whilst his furrow at the clear verdict.

"You must be cold in your princess bathing suit, no?" He tries, lifting her off of his lap.

Thankfully officer Lopez strategically intervenes by asking her second question, allowing Kian to slip away once her attention is elsewhere.

"Do you love your daddy? Is he kind to you?" Lopez tilts her head in question.

Kiara nods enthusiastically.

"Dadda has the bestest hugs." She bounces on the sofa, blushing adorably.

"He does?" The officer entertains, eliciting another excited nod from the child.

"And you're happy with him?" She asks.

"Yeh!" She cheers, kicking her little legs out.

"Me no want dadda to...to leave 'gain when mamma comes back." Kiara stumbles over her words with a heart breaking frown on her face.

Kian instantly regrets choosing that very moment to return to her because that familiar lump in his throat returns making it painful to breathe.

No matter how many times they try to tell her and however many ways they can explain it to her, the poor girl is too young to grasp the concept of death.

How on earth is he supposed to make that up to her? To cheer her up so that she doesn't have to grieve at such a young age? And to fill the void that her mother left?

He's scared to admit to himself that there is no simple solution.

He knows better then anyone that grief has no cure.

You just have to learn to surround yourself with so much love so that the pain is worth it.

Lopez flashes him a sympathetic tight lipped grin and turns back to the little girl.

"Honey, your mamma loves you very much but she's giving you your time with daddy for a long while, okay?" She carefully words.

Kiara sadly nods, looking down at her legs.

"And unca Ro-Ro?" Kiara perks up, tilting her head.

The mention of his brother soothes Kian a little.

They're in this together as they always have been.

They never have to face anything alone so long as they live.

Their team has expanded by one tiny, chubby cheeked person that will ultimately be the death of them.

"Yes, him too." Lopez beams.

"...and Jo-Jo too?" The toddlers tone is full of hope.

Kian and Lopez lock eyes; Lopez searching for an answer and Kian doing the same thing.

Lopez snaps out of it faster than him whilst his face remains creased with confusion and borderline concern.

This 'Jo-Jo' person could literally be anyone of any gender and age.

For all they know it could be the name of the neighbour that saved her right down to the person working at their local corner shop.

"Who's Jo-Jo?" Lopez asks the unsuspecting girl, holding her chubby hands to gain her full attention.

"Mamma's Jo-Jo." Comes Kiara's relatively useless answer.

Everyone she's ever known up until know is someone related to her mother in her young eyes.

"Where is Jo-Jo now?" She tries.

Kian makes his presence known to Kiara and sits down beside her, pulling a t-shirt dress of hers over her dry one piece.

"Jo-Jo gone. Mamma sad." Is her answer.

The two adults ponder their own individual theories in their minds, searching for the next question suitable for the naive toddler.

"Was Jo-Jo mamma's boyfriend?" Kian asks, gently running a tangle teaser he found in her suitcase through her knotty hair.

Kiara's mouth makes the shape of an 'o' whilst she mulls it over, trying her best to comprehend their incessant questions.

She eventually nods once.

"Jo-Jo mamma's boy-friend." She concludes.

Kian's eyes follow Lopez as she picks up her clipboard and makes a note of this; their minds obviously having went to the same place.

Could Jo-Jo be the dangerous criminal that ended up murdering Lucy?

Or at the very least, could he be a lead in the investigation?

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A/n. I told you allllllllll I was on a rollllll😌😌😌 you're welcomeeeee heheh

I'm scared to ask this because it usually annoys me if someone guesses right but.... any theories?

What do you all think happened to Kiara's mam?