Caught Red Handed

Little Brat

POV Ashton Parker.
I was beyond pissed. That naughty little ladybug girl had thrown latex house paint all over my brick wall! That shit was going to be hell to get off!
Not to mention the fact that she had thrown so much garbage out of the dumpster!
After she took off, the guys and i spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up and then made a trip to the hardware store to get paint removing supplies as well as a lock for the dumpster.

I was then shocked when I looked out the window today to see her messing around by our cars. We raced out to see what mischief she was up to only to have her throw a cup of hot coffee on Henry.

"This shit ends NOW!" I shouted and snagged the shocked little girl by her arm. She looked up at me with wide scared blue eyes. "Where do you live?" I asked and she swallowed and shrugged nervously "Where are your parents?" I demanded and she shrugged again "If you wont tell us, we can call the cops. They will know where you live." I smirked when I saw her frown like she was torn between remaining stubborn and answering. But nothing prepared me to hear what this child had to say "I don't have a home and I don't have parents. And if you call the cops, officer Killian will take me to the foster home and I'll run away again." She glared up at me and I sighed and shook my head. "How old are you kid?" I asked feeling rather annoyed and frustrated with the situation. "Ten. Plenty old enough to know where I want to be and who I want to stay away from!" She snapped and tried to pull her arm away from me. I wasn't releasing this little monster. "Ten. Plenty tough enough to be taught manners. And to start a new life." I looked up at Harvey "Didn't you date someone who works with CPS or the Foster Care system? Maybe she could help me get custody of this kid?" I asked and he grinned and nodded.
"Try it. You wont want me around long. Nobody does! Now let! Me! Go!" She shouted and yanked her arm trying to escape but again I didn't let go. I knew what was coming next and moved my foot before she could stomp on it. She growled with frustration and then hung her head and sulked. "Now, lets get you up to the studio apartment, get you in a nice hot bubble bath and then into some clean clothes and after that, get you a nice hot meal." I smiled down at her but she was too busy sulking to see it.

Three hours later and Harvey's ex, Rosa Ross was on the phone walking me through the process I would need to go through to get custody of this little ladybug.
It was only slightly more tedious than the legal steps I had to take for the pub. But something about this kid made me feel like it would all be worth while.

Rosa had made the arrangements for my ladybug, who I learned through Rosa, was named Emily Potts, to stay with me with the understanding that Rosa would be there with us most of thw time. Emily was well know with the foster care team. She was also well known by the police department, fire Department and hospital. I chuckled at that then looked towards the bathroom door. She had been in there this whole time. We could hear her having fun in the bubble bath laughing and playing with a bag of bath toys that Harvey had bought when he made a run to the drug store for bubble bath after we found her.
He had also grabbed a change of clothes. Socks and some pink sparkly converse for her. I could tell that he was more of a kid person than Henry. Though Henry did seem more concerned about her being unsupervised in the tub. He called out to her every fifteen to twenty minutes asking if she needed anything. The first few times she replied with a polite "No thank you!" The forth, fifth anf sixth she replied with an annoyed "No!" After that it was "No! Stop asking!" But he would mumble "if she can reply, then she hasn't drowned. That's why I check up." "Shes ten. She isn't going to drown in the tub. Besides, she been making sounds since she got in. She's fine. Give her some space." I chuckled.

Rosa Ross arrived about ten minutes later. When we let her know where Emily was and how long she had been in the tub, Rosa laughed and went into the bathroom.