“You can’t harass your own daughter,” Mom argues instead of leaving the way she was asked.
“Enough.”
Zane hands me Adele and the little girl immediately curls into me. She knows she’s safe with me. She’ll always be safe with me. No matter what my relationship with Zane is, this little girl will never be harmed. Not if I can help it.
“Ms. Wilder.” He motions toward the door.
When Mom doesn’t move, he herds her toward the door without touching her. It’s impressive.
He opens the door and ushers her out. She stands on the porch and sputters nonsense at him but he shuts the door in her face.
I want to clap. It would be bad manners to clap or?
I also want to throw myself at Zane and thank him with my tongue for his help.
Whoa, Sloane. No thanking the player with your tongue. It would be entirely too easy to fall for this man who showed me a caring side of himself I’ve never seen before.
Hands – and tongue – off!
Chapter 15
“Nothing like a crying baby to ruin your timing.”
Zane
Istare at the door I closed on Sloane’s mother. What a bitch! How dare she treat her daughter this way!
Anger courses through me. Parents should love and protect their children. Not treat them as cheap toys to be discarded when they’re no longer fun or useful.
I inhale a deep breath and force my muscles to relax. I am not taking my anger out on Sloane. Something tells me she’s had enough of people taking their anger out on her.
“Zane?”
I hate how small and uncertain Sloane’s voice sounds.
“Sorry,” I say as I turn around and approach her. “Let me put Adele down and then we’ll talk.”
Her eyes widen. “Talk?”
I settle my baby girl on my hip before kissing Sloane’s cheek. “Talk.”
I place Adele in her crib and wait to make certain she’s settled. Once it’s clear she’s asleep, I nab the baby monitor and tiptoe out of the room.
I half expect Sloane to be hiding in her bedroom, but when I reach the living room, she’s sitting on the couch with Boozer’s head in her lap. She scratches behind his ears as she stares outside.
I clear my throat. “Ahem.”
When she doesn’t respond, I try again. Also, unsuccessful.
I kneel in front of her and grasp her hands. “Come back to me, Sloane.”
She startles. “Oh, hey.”
I grin. “Where did you go?”
She shrugs. “Just thinking.”
“Does she always act this way?”
