Page 12 of Dagger

“Callie’s fine,” he answered, sounding a bit distracted as he glanced around the parking lot.

I saw the flash of hurt cross Dani’s face at his tone. My heart ached for the little girl. I had to do more for her. If I could, I wouldn’t let Dani grow up feeling unwanted, like an afterthought.

Dagger’s gaze finally landed on me once he’d finished scanning the parking lot. “Good afternoon, Miss Bronson.”

“Mr. Kane,” I replied coolly. Dammit, why did his gaze have to be so hot and so searing? I hated that my body lit up when he was around. He might have been the sexiest man I’d ever seen, but I’d had enough of macho assholes.

“Ready?” he asked Dani.

She nodded silently and fixed her gaze on the hot pink sneakers she wore.

I glared at him before kneeling down to look Dani in her eyes. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Dani. I can tell you’re happier and lighter now.” I hugged her and whispered in her ear, “Remember what I said about Dads.”

She let out a watery laugh. “I will.”

“Okay then, have a good evening, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow, Miss Bronson.” Dani waved cheerily and stepped beside her father, but the gap between them might as well have been an ocean. Neither of them talked nor looked at each other.

It wasn’t just sad, it was like a glimpse into the past. It was me and my own father—except he’d always been too busy to pick me up from school. There was always some game to bet on, some new casino that called to him and his alleged hot streak. There was always something more important than me.

Everything else had been more important than me after Mom was gone. I hadn’t mattered.

I couldn’t let Dani grow up feeling like that.

I had to help her, which meant I had to help her sexy, grumpy daddy.

Chapter 8

Dagger

The inside of the car was silent. Quiet as a fucking church, but not just quiet. Tense. It was oppressive and I hated it, wished I’d done more to connect with my own damn kid. Since the encounter with Sinclair’s stalker the other night, I’d been unsettled. Now I had two things to worry about, being a shitty father, and the fact that the woman who was trying to help me with my daughter was being watched.

And I couldn’t be in two places at once.

I’d not seen any signs of her stalker in the parking lot, which meant that he would probably be targeting her at home.

I let out a sigh as my gaze flicked across the front seat to where Dani was pressed against the door, her forehead leaned against the window. She was just as wary of me as she would be of any stranger.

I was her father. Her protector. But I was every bit a stranger to her.

Even more than Sinclair, who she barely knew.

My mind went back to those moments I witnessed between Dani and Sinclair, the ease of their interactions and the smile they shared so freely. I watched them with their heads bent together, smiling big as if they were sharing the greatest secret in the world. Sinclair listened when Dani spoke, interested in a way that adults usually weren’t when kids spoke. She treated Dani as if her words were important.

I couldn’t deny that seeing the easy way they were together made me a bit jealous, making me wish Dani had aimed her smiles at me like that. It was the first time I’d felt anything other than regret when it came to my relationship with my daughter. I’d made a big mistake taking my father’s words to heart. My dad was a cold son of a bitch because he had to be, and he learned that shit from his own dad and internalized it without questioning it. I did the same thing and now I was paying for it with a little girl who only had me to rely on, and I wasn’t giving her anything she needed beyond food, shelter, and protection.

That stops now.

After a few more minutes of silence, Dani turned to me. “Where are we going?”

I had no fucking clue. “I’m in the mood for pizza, how does that sound?” I held my breath, realizing I was actually nervous that my daughter might reject me.

“I like pizza.”

A long, relieved breath rushed out of me, and I tapped the turn signal to get into the left lane. Pizza was a good start. Though I realized I had no idea what she liked. “What kind of pizza do you like?”

Her face lit up with a smile. “My favorite is with lots of cheese, but Callie always makes me get vegetables, so my new favorite is sausage, peppers, and lots and lots of cheese.”

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