It takes them a couple of minutes, but they get in their car and drive off.
“Let’s get the surveillance coverage from the cameras here and the ones in Daphne’s house and get them over to Eagle,” I tell him.
Sabre looks shocked for a minute and then gives me a satisfied smile. “You put cameras in and around Daphne’s house?”
“You better fucking believe it,” I confirm.
He slaps me on the back and lets out a laugh. “That’s fucking fantastic,” he adds. “I can’t wait until that piece of shit realizes what a shitstorm he created today.”
“Yeah. I want to look at Cammie’s arm too. I’m pretty sure the bastard bruised it. We might need to take her to the doctor to have it documented,” I add, wishing like hell that I was in a position where I could be the one to take Dane Morrison down. I want to make sure Daphne and Cammie are safe, and as long as this asshole is in a place with some power, no one is safe.
I’m not planning on stopping until I make that happen.
Chapter 14
Daphne
Eliand my father walk in, and Eli makes a beeline for me and Cammie. “Are you okay?” he asks, concern thick on his face.
“I think so,” I murmur. Maybe I’m reading into things, but it clearly looks like Eli cares about me. He’s definitely worried. That knowledge makes my heart speed up. I drink him in, allowing myself that luxury. Even with the chaos that today has turned into, I can’t help but be drawn to this man. I’d love nothing more than to feel his arms around me. When his hand slides over my cheek, I fight the urge to lean into him. This is more tenderness than Dane ever showed me, but it’s more than that. There’s a pull toward him that I can’t fight.I don’t really want to.
His attention turns to Cammie next. “Hey, Pixie. Will you let me look at your arm?” he asks, his voice soft and playful.
“Daddy was mad,” Cammie says and my heart breaks. I hold her even closer and kiss the top of her head.
“He was. He shouldn’t have scared you. It’s okay though. We’re never going to let someone hurt you, no matter who they are, okay, Pixie?” he murmurs gently. My daughter bites her lip, and I can see unshed tears in her little eyes, but she just nods her head bravely. Eli slowly folds the sleeves up on herblue dress with white daisies printed all over it. He doesn’t stop until he’s folded it all the way up to her shoulder. I gasp when I can see red marks around her little arm where Dane grabbed her. I can already tell it’s going to bruise. Tears sting my eyes. I feel like a failure as a mother. This is my fault. I picked out this monster to be my child’s father. I didn’t see the evil that lurked underneath his easygoing smile.How did I miss it?
“It’s okay, baby. Mama is going to make sure that this never happens again,” I whisper against her precious head, kissing her hair.
“I’m going to take a picture of you, so I can keep you with me when I’m at my house. Can I do that, Pixie?” Eli asks, making my heart squeeze in my chest. He’s so careful and gentle with Cammie. I know he’s taking pictures of the marks on her arm, but he wants Cammie to think it’s just a normal photo. It makes me smile. I could kiss him for the way he treats my daughter. I watch as he snaps the first picture. I know it’s of her arm. When he says his camera messed up and takes a second picture, notice that this time he’s aiming it at her beautiful face. When he shows it to her, she giggles.
“Thank you,” I tell him softly. He smiles at me. Before I can stop myself, I reach out and place my hand over his chest, positive I can feel his heart beating underneath my palm. “I’ve missed you, Eli. I go up on the tips of my toes and lean in so I can press my lips against his cheek. “Please don’t disappear again.”
He looks at me, his eyes searching mine. He gives me a quick nod. He opens his mouth to say something to me, and then, before he can, the door opens, and I hear my mother.
“Sorry, I’m late,” she announces.
My eyes close, thinking my parents just might kill me off. The next thought I have is that my father saw me kiss Eli.
“Shit,” I murmur.
I feel the heat rush through me and my face heat up. My skin is fair, so I know I probably look like a freaking tomato. Still, I force myself to look at my father. I swear there’s a grin on his face as he looks at me. Before I can even begin to return it, my mother speaks again and the small spark of happiness that I saw on his face disappears.
“Sabre. You’re the last person I expected to be here,” my mom exhales, displeasure dripping from every word.
“Mom,” I warn her, my voice stiff and unyielding.
“What?” she asks like she’s innocent. “I’m legitimately surprised. He’s all but ignored you for years.”
“You’re right, Annie. I have. That doesn’t mean I don’t love her, though,” he says. “Besides it’s still my name on her birth certificate as her father and if Daph wants me here, I’m here.”
“How convenient,nowyou’re going to act like a father. Years too late if you ask me.”
I frown. Dad has been cold to me, and I may only remember the best years when I was a child, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t tried to be there for Cammie and help me when I needed it. He would send money and show up on weekends to play with Cammie. That only stopped a couple of years ago after Mom finally married Nathan—a doctor she consulted for a knee replacement. After that, he mostly avoided all of us and lost himself in a bottle. He’d been drinking more than he should for years, but lately the amount was staggering. I’m actually surprised he has a liver. Still, even if my father was an undiagnosed alcoholic, he’s sober today, and he’s making an effort, and I don’t want my mother to push him away. I need to take control of this situation before it gets out of control and Dad leaves.
I walk over to Dad and hold his hand. “Mom, how about we retract the claws today and put your grandchild first?” I leanup on my tiptoes and kiss Dad’s cheek. “I’m glad you’re here,” I whisper into his ear.
Mom lets out averyannoyed breath. “Whatever you say,” she mutters grudgingly. Dad squeezes my hand as I go to hug my mother.
