“That’s my job,” he told her firmly. “You stay right here. I’ll go check.” He walked out of the bedroom and through the house, checking it thoroughly. If his girl needed this in order to feel safe, then he was going to give it to her.
When he returned to the bedroom, she was sitting up in bed, clutching Scruffy Dog to her chest. She was tugging at his right ear. Something she did when she was stressed. His right ear was far more worn than the other one.
“Hey, everything is all right. The house is locked up tight. The alarm is on. You know I’d hear if anyone tried to break in. That asshole is locked up tight. Even if he knew where you lived, there’s no way he could get in here to hurt you.”
“I know. Thanks, Daddy. I just . . . it can be scary here at night.”
Shit. Had she been scared last night?
He never should have left her.
“I’m here now. Daddy will keep all the scary things away,” he reassured her as he climbed into bed and drew her back over his chest.
“Even the bogeyman?” she asked.
“Yep. Even him.”
“Ghosts?”
“They are no match for Daddy,” he reassured her.
“Zombies?”
He snorted. “Piece of cake.”
She relaxed on his chest, snuggling in. “All right, Daddy.”
“That’s my girl. Now, go to sleep. You’re safe here in Daddy’s arms.”
The gun was pointedstraight at her.
No! No!
She didn’t want to die.
At one time in her life, she hadn’t felt like she’d had anything to live for. But now . . . she had Trent. She had friends, her cousin. A life, a career, people she cared about.
“I don’t want to die!”
“Baby, wake up!”
“Please don’t kill me! Please!”
“April, wake up, baby!”
“Trent, I’m so s-sorry. I love you!”
The shooter narrowed his gaze as he fired, and she screamed as pain shot through her chest.
Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted.
She couldn’t breathe! She was dying!
“April,you wake up right the fuck now! You listen to Daddy or you’ll be in big trouble. Open. Your. Eyes.”
Opening her eyes, she gasped for breath as she stared up at him. “D-Daddy?”
“Thank fuck.” He was sitting up in bed with her tucked into his lap, holding her tight.
