Page 40 of Five Fingers of Death

Tahlia laughed behind her, which only made me laugh. Hell, I had no idea how to explain that to her. “It’s not really an apple. It’s like…a box that protects my throat.”

“And you named him Adam?”

“Yeah, baby,” I laughed. “I named him Adam.”

Her little hands balled into fists and she thrust them onto her hips. “I’m not a baby!”

“I know you’re not,” I said seriously. “It’s a term of endearment.”

“What’s endenent?”

God, this kid was just too fucking cute. “Endearment. It’s a way to tell someone you love them.”

“You love me?” she whispered.

“Yeah, baby. I love you.”

From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew I would burn the world down for her. She was this little light that made my heart grow ten times in size. I never knew I wanted to be a dad or that I could ever feel this way for anyone else. But here she was. She was mine, and I did fucking love her. I would give anything to keep her safe.

“Are you really my daddy?”

Her soft-spoken words nearly broke me. I tugged on her little hand, wrapping my large fingers around hers. “Yeah, I’m really your daddy.”

“Where’s my momma?”

Painful images of Leah strapped to that chair flashed in my mind. Blood pooling around her…dripping from her hair…bruises and cuts…

“She’s in heaven, baby girl.”

Tears filled her eyes, and in that instant, I knew she understood exactly what I meant. “Momma said Grandma was in heaven, too.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Is she happy there?”

Fuck, she was killing me. “She’s not as happy as if she was with you, but she’s watching you. She’s always watching you.”

“She is?”

“Always. She loved you so much.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks as little sobs tore through the house. I would give anything to take her pain away. I would have given my own life for Leah—for my little girl. But I wasn’t there. I hadn’t known about them, and that was on me.

I tugged her into my arms, holding her close as she cried. I would never let her feel that kind of pain again. For the rest of her life, she would never know what it was like to lose someone ever again.

My eyes connected with Tahlia’s, and in that moment, we made a silent vow to protect Leah’s little girl with our lives. She was my daughter, but she was a piece of a woman we both loved so much.

“Hey, are you ready to make some dinner?”

She stepped back, wiping her eyes. “Can Tahlia come with?”

“Sure.”

I was just turning around when I felt her slip her hand into mine. Surprised, I stopped and looked down at our connected hands. My heart stuttered in my chest for just a moment before resuming a normal pace.

8

HOLLY

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