“But he got off on a technicality.” It was a desperate plea. One that instantly had that violence skimming my flesh, and my gaze immediately darted to the windows that overlooked the front like I was going to suddenly see the monster appear from the shadows.
Daisy took a frantic step forward. “He got out, and the next day, I was certain I was being followed. Then on my way back from the grocery store, someone tried to run me off the road. For a second, I thought maybe it was just someone looking at their phone, being an idiot and responding to a text or whatever. But deep down, I knew. I knew. So, that day I picked the kids up from school, made sure no one was following me, then I drove. Drove until I found you.”
Tears soaked her cheeks. “Because you’re the only person I can truly trust. The only one I knew I could go to.”
Fury whipped me into disorder. Stomach toiling with malice and fingers dripping with barbarity.
I was across the room in a flash. Towering over her as I growled, “Then you came to the right place because that motherfucker is dead.”
She shook her head. “You can’t get to him, Cash. He’s…powerful. I didn’t know it, didn’t recognize it for a long time. But what I saw…” Her words thinned. “He’s capable of horrible things. Things I don’t want to involve you in. I mean, how can I even ask this of you?”
Shame had her dropping her attention to the floor.
Fingers trembling, I reached out, took her by the chin, and urged her to look at me. “You came to me because you somehow knew what I’m capable of. Came to me because you knew that I would protect you with everything I am.”
I owed what was left of myself to her, anyway.
“I will end him, and I won’t blink doing it.” My voice scraped with aggression.
Didn’t care what I was revealing. Didn’t care that I was exposing a piece of who I was.
Daisy blanched, the color draining from her face like she hadn’t expected me to react that way.
Fear flashed through her features before she squeezed her eyes closed like she was resetting the conversation.
Then she opened those eyes to me.
Blue torches of hope shined back.
“That’s not what I’m trying to ask of you.”
“Then what are you asking? Say it and it’s done,” I promised through the fury that singed my insides.
That bastard was dead on any account.
Daisy gulped and reached out and gripped onto my shirt with the plea. “I want you to marry me. Marry me and act as my children’s guardian. Maybe find a way to sever his parental rights and start adoption proceedings. Whatever it takes so when I’m gone the courts will know my wishes. So I’ll know when he gets to me that my children will always be safe. I’m asking you to take care of my kids.”
NINE
DAISY
A surgeof fury blistered through the room. I almost wanted to shrink away from the ferocity that was Cash Cunningham, except I knew the fury he felt wasn’t at me but rather for me.
For my kids.
Those hazel eyes flashed and flared with a severity greater than anything I’d ever witnessed.
The power of it weakened my knees, and I dipped my face as if I could hide from it. From the things he made me feel and the old wants he caused to resurface.
Embarrassed that I was so pathetic that I was still imagining them.
Cash tightened his hold on my chin.
“Nothing is going to happen to you or those kids. I promise you that.” I felt each of those words as if they were carved in stone.
But he didn’t know Ethan. He didn’t know what he was capable of.
I guess I really didn’t, either. Not until it became clear someone was after me. Clear that my ex-husband’s intention was taking my life, or at least scoring a fear so horrible inside methat I would keep my mouth shut, but I wasn’t about to take that chance.
