Her mind reeled with images. One in particular rushed to the front. It was of a pink bike. The park. Circle Pond. There were trees. A path. Tyson is running beside her, his massive body keeping pace. Then terror shot through her as a man lunged from the trees.
Tyson’s bark turned vicious.
Her bike hit something, and suddenly she was flying through the air, screaming.
Daddy. Daddy! As she hit the water. She was choking and panicking, then strong arms pulled her free, pulling her close.
“I’ve got you, baby. You’re safe, my little Morgan. I’ve got you.”
That voice. Deep. Low. Hoarse.
Daddy.
The word echoed through her like thunder.
Daddy.
Her vision swam. Her knees buckled slightly.
She locked them. Forced herself to stand.
Forced herself to look at the man across from her.
At David.
At his eyes. The exact color she’d forgotten but somehow always remembered every time she looked in the mirror or at Lila.
Her eyes traveled over the breadth of his shoulders. The way his hands hung at his side like he wanted to reach for her but didn’t dare.
She looked at the face, she suddenly remembered from a thousand bedtimes and birthday mornings and afternoons at the pond and?—
No.
This couldn’t be real.
Her father was gone. Had left them. Had disappeared.
But he was standing right in front of her.
Staring at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
Like he’d been waiting twenty-eight years for this moment.
Like she was?—
“Morgan,” she whispered. The name felt foreign on her tongue. Wrong. But also?—
Also right.
Morgan. Listen to me, my little love. Daddy has to go away. But I will always be with you. This… this is my heart. Wear it always, my little angel, because it will keep you safe. I love you so much, my Morgan, always remember that.
Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked as the memories kept coming. Her whole body trembled with emotion as shestared at the man in front of her. A stranger who wasn’t a stranger at all.
And she didn’t know if she wanted to run to him or run away.
“Morgan!” The word tore from David’s throat as his eyes misted.
“Daddy!” Mia sobbed. The next instance, she was swept into strong arms, and she collapsed against his chest, sobbing as they both sank to the ground, clinging to each other.
