Julianne's StepFather

14. POV

14. POV
Quentin

It wasn't twenty-four hours later when I saw Julianne step through the door of the department, holding onto her handbag, her head was up and her chin was high, she felt like she had nothing to prove, especially since her dad came in the door as well. That was when I noticed that I probably had done something that I shouldn't have done.
I was dressed in uniform when I stood up from my chair, I tried to play it off like I hadn't done anything. I walked through my office door because it was open, and I placed my hands on my hips as I watched Julianne turn her head and make eye contact with me. She didn't smile, she didn't smirk, she just stared. Once Jonathon looked around the room and saw me, I started walking, and when I was close enough to smell her perfume, I inhaled deeply, then smirked as I extended my hand and waited for Jonathon to shake it. I was trying to keep my cool, I wasn't trying to make eye contact with Julianne again, there was nothing I had to be afraid of, I was practically eight inches taller than him, and I was the one with a gun. If Jonathon was coming into the police station with other thoughts, he chose the wrong time to come and see me.
"Jonathon, what a surprise." He shook my hand and then released it. "Can I help you with something?"
"Is there somewhere we can talk?" He looked past me and then directly at me. As if trying to catch me off guard but he wasn't going to get that out of me. I jerked my head back a little bit to point out where we could go.
"My office. It's over this way." I turned and walked them to the only place no one would be able to hear us. Once they were inside and I had closed the door, I walked over to my desk and offered them the seats they were standing in front of. Once seated he took a seat himself and I looked at Julianne briefly before giving my attention back to her dad. "What can I do for both of you?"
"Ah, nothing too horrible, I just saw you talking with Julianne yesterday when I came to pick her up. I just wanted to catch up with you."
"You, wanted to catch up with me? I'm sorry but why?" I didn't know how to answer. I was genuinely confused. I looked at Julianne first and then Jonathon. I was almost sure Estelle would have told him our marriage was over.
"I wanted to see how you and Estelle were doing, it's been a long time since we've seen the both of you and was wondering if you'd like to join us for dinner?" He clasped his hands together and looked relieved to think we lasted longer than anyone believed.
"Uh, I'm not sure if Julianne had mentioned this to you, but Estelle and I are no longer married." I intertwined my fingers together and smiled lightly to show that I was sad about the news, but that wasn't how I was feeling. I wanted out as soon as possible. And I knew if I didn't take anything from her then it would have all gone by quicker.
"I could've told you that four years ago." He was smug. And if he wasn't right, I would have been defensive. So I let it slide with a small laugh.
"Well, I wish I would have listened. The things I've found out had been one of the main reasons why I had to get out of that." I searched for her and I could tell she was holding her breath. It was normal for her because the topic I was about to bring up involved her, but it was okay because that meant Jonathon and I were on the right page about wanting to protect her even if she wasn't asking for it.
"So, you know?" Jonathon sat up. At first, I couldn't tell if he was ready to blow up or wonder what I was going to do about it, I was going with the second one.
"I do, Julianne was brave enough to confide in me a long time ago. I just wish that I could've done something sooner." I brought my hands together again and rested them on the desk while leaning in on my elbows.
"And are you doing something about it?" He raised his eyebrows, expecting that I wasn't but in reality, I was.
"I have a case file placed together, I'm just trying to find a way to charge her."
"Can we stop talking about me and get to the real reason why we're here?" She looked at her dad and then crossed her arms.
"So is the divorce finalized?" Jonathon smiled, and I could tell that he was relieved for me because Estelle was the worst person ever. He had been preying on her downfall for several years.
"Yes, it is. It went by a lot quicker knowing we wanted nothing from one another." I laughed it off, and it was genuine because thank god it was true. Despite the threats I've made toward her to not ask for anything. I wanted nothing from her but her daughter.
"Then I'm happy for you. Believe me, yes she is an incredibly beautiful woman but she had issues that I just couldn't accept." Jonathon added and I knew exactly what he was referring to.
"Dad," Julianne was pleading with her eyes.
"It has been easier on my mental health," I admitted thoughtfully.
"Well, that's great. I appreciate everything you've done for my little girl. You should come around more often, it's always nice to have someone in Julianne's corner." He planted a hand on Julianne's knee and patted it nonchalantly.
"I start to eject myself from the conversation when you start to speak as if I'm not here. Excuse me." She stood up and pulled her phone out of her bag, I didn't even know it was ringing, so she swept her finger across the screen and pressed the phone to her ear. I didn't know who she would be talking to, but I wish I knew.
"Nerves have been getting to her lately, always busy." He looked up for a second and then sighed. He knew what it was like to be in her shoes but he didn't want to coddle her either, he wanted her to get her footing in the business. After all, it was her idea to change her majors and he already briefed her on what she would be expecting as she worked alongside him.
"What is she doing now? She told me she was working for you but never really gave me any specifics." I looked down at the folder on my desk and moved it to make it look like I kept a clean workspace.
"Works for me?" He laughed at his daughter's modesty. He sat up in his chair and looked back at his daughter, making sure that she didn't hear a word he was about to say because he was positive that Julianne wouldn't want anyone to know what she did. "I placed her in charge of running the business here. She's her boss. I was trying to get her to leave for New York, but she said she needed to get used to running it first."
"Wow, that's amazing!" I exclaimed proudly, I wanted him and her to know that I was excited for her, as I should have been. She was humbling herself as she walked back and forth on the phone and I couldn't help but watch her before looking at Jonathon again.
"She earned it. She's been working so hard these last four years, that I wanted to show her that all of it paid off. And so far she's doing a fantastic job." He took a second to look back at his daughter who was still speaking on the phone. She looked back and smiled at her father, and when she looked at me, she dropped her smile slowly and went back to talking. Not acknowledging that everyone was still pretty much watching her as they walked past.
"Well I'm equally proud, I knew how much going to school meant to her. It's awesome to know that she's doing what makes her happy." I nodded my head and then bit my bottom lip innocently. I also knew how much fashion design meant to her and I knew that changing her major had to be hard but she did look like she was adjusting normally.
"She always told me she didn't want to be like her mother so she was willing to do everything to avoid ever becoming like her. Beauty only takes you so far these days." Jonathon blanked out for a second before clearing his throat and stood to his feet, he was probably on borrowed time right now and had to hurry and get back before he needed to go back home, so I wasn't going to keep him waiting any longer. I stood up with him and walked around my desk again. I wanted to walk them to their car, I wanted to make sure Julianne had gotten into the car before I left to go back inside for the remainder of my shift.
So we walked together and Julianne was behind us as she finished up her call. She returned her phone to her purse and remained silent for the rest of our walk as we came close to the car. Jonathon turned to both of us and held out his hand to have me shake it. My hand touched his and he smiled.
"Julianne, make sure you make dinner for the both of you tonight." He pulled his phone out of his pocket as soon as he dropped his hand from mine. If he was trying to do something to get us closer
"What?" She stopped looking in her purse and looked up at her dad. She widened her eyes to his audacity, but it wasn't like Jonathon caught on to it, he ignored her expression entirely.
"What?" I asked at the same time. Not expecting what he just said, at all.
"I also expect you to be nice about it because I won't be able to make it." He pulled his phone out from the inside of his pocket and answered his call. Seriously, it had to be on vibration or something because both times I heard no phone ring. "Make sure to give him your number and address. It was nice to see you again, Quentin."
"Likewise Jonathon," I replied freely, but honestly I didn't know why that came so easily to me. I was just as surprised as she was when she pulled out her phone again, opening it to where she needed to place my number. Once she was ready she looked up at me through her eyelashes and waited patiently. I just reached out and took her phone softly from her hands and she sort of froze at my gesture, I didn't waste time to put my name and number in her phone since her phone was different from her last one, and when I handed it back to her, she looked at it and texted me, as soon as she sent it, she looked up and waited for me to grab my device. I grabbed it within seconds to check and sure enough, she had a new number and under it gave away her address honestly, her place was at least a half an hour away from my home, and from the street number and zip code, it was located in a place that had nice homes. I'm still surprised this was easier than I thought, thanks to her father who unknowingly pushed us together when Julianne was doing everything in her power to avoid me.
"Stop by around eight, I suppose." She looked uncomfortable to be inviting me anywhere but I could tell that she would do anything to please her father.
I cleared my throat as she looked completely unphased by the bulge growing in my pants, she just looked down and then looked up, then turned on her heels and got into the car with her dad. It wasn't how I thought the day was going to go, but I was satisfied with the way everything had gone because as the car disappeared around a corner, I started to punch the air like I was a kid again. It was childish but if anyone were in my shoes, which I hoped to god no one wanted to be, then anyone could understand how big this was for me.