“Yes, sweetheart. Wolf already set that up.”
She exhales slowly.
“Why don’t you go back to bed and get some rest?” I tell her.
She hesitates.
“Can you lie down with us?”
“Of course I can.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and guide her into the room.
I lie on top of the blankets until Laney falls asleep.
Then I look down.
Emmy is awake.
Watching me.
And when she smiles…
Something warm and powerful spreads through my chest.
I lift her carefully and carry her downstairs.
No one will ever get close enough to hurt my daughter.
Not while I’m breathing.
83
Saint
The tavern is finally quiet.
Havoc lost the war with the cable and went to bed.
The Magnolia Ladies were escorted home by Nora and Wolf with promises of coffee and pastries in the morning.
The lights downstairs are low.
The bar is clean.
The doors are locked.
For the first time all day…
The world isn’t screaming.
I stand at the bottom of the stairs for a moment and just listen.
No alarms.
No sirens.
No phones ringing.
