I kick his back so he lands face-first in the dirt and dig my foot into his spine. “Don’t fucking try to move,” I warn.
“Get off me. You broke my nose,” he whines.
“You’re lucky that’s the only thing I broke.” I dig my heel a little harder.
And just like a Hollywood movie, two police cars come screeching to a stop next to us. Two officers from each vehicle step out with guns raised. Quickly taking in the situation, they spring into action. I take my foot off Bruce’s back and let them have him.
Daisy and I rush to each other, and she throws herself into my arms. Burying my nose into her neck, I breathe in her familiar soft floral scent and squeeze her tight as trembles wrack through my body and my legs shake.
She’s safe. She’s safe.
Pulling away slightly, I cup her cheeks and plant kisses over her face. “If anything happened to you…” My voice cracks with emotion.
She places her palms on my chest and kisses me softly. “I’m fine. Everything is fine. You stopped him.”
I rest my forehead on hers. “With your help.”
A shudder rips through her body. “I was scared. But when I saw you, I knew everything would be okay.”
I draw her close and kiss her long and deep. Pouring all the love I have for her into it. “I love you, Daisy Chain,” I say when we break apart.
“I love you too.” She smiles sweetly.
With her by my side, my heart is full.
“Daisy, thank God you’re okay.” Her father comes rushing over.
Not ready to let her go, I lay my arm over her shoulders, and she presses against my side.
“What are you doing here?” she asks with a note of surprise in her tone. It’s like she’s only just now registering that her father is here.
“I came with Kade,” he explains.
She glances between me and her father. Her expression shows confusion, like that doesn’t explain anything.
“He’d come to visit me at the club when we got the call you’d been taken.”
“Why were you at the club?” she asks.
“To convince Kade to let you go.”
Her body stiffens against mine. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I believed you were making a mistake.”
She drops her head and shakes it. When she lifts it again, she juts out her chin. “I’ve told you, you’re not going to dictate my life anymore. Kade is the man I love.”
“He’s no good for you.” He points in the direction of Bruce and the police. “Look what he got you involved in.”
“He didn’t put me in that situation.Brucedid. You should bethankingKade for getting me out of it safely.”
“These aren’t the people to be involved with.”
Daisy steps out of my embrace and stands in front of her father. “Look around you, Dad.These peoplecame to help me. They’ve only known me a few months, and they followed Kade here. They didn’t know what they were walking into. They are people I can trust with my life . People I can call, and at the drop of a hat they’d be by my side. I’ve surrounded myself with exactly the kind of people I want to be involved with. I can’t think of anyone in your circle of friends who’d do the same. Can you?”
Shame crosses his features.
“Dad, if you want us to rebuild our relationship. You need to accept ‘these people’ because they are a part of me.”
