Page 42 of Dagger

Sinclair spotted me first, smiling as she looked up at me with a question in her hazel eyes. “Everything okay?” she mouthed.

I nodded, deciding in that moment to keep his presence to myself. There was no need to scare her unnecessarily. “What is this?”

Dani turned and gasped, taking my hand and tugging me forward while she tried to explain the exhibit to me. “Watch what happens when I put the wand against the ball.”

It was the perfect afternoon, which was something I never thought I’d say about hanging out in a fucking kid’s museum, but it was. Dani was bright and lively, excited about learning every new thing, and she wanted to share it all with me.

And then there was Sinclair, who was becoming the glue that held us together. She just knew what we needed and made it happen. I’d lived in Steel City for decades and didn’t even knowthis place existed. She flashed a smile at me, her eyes sparkling with amusement as if she somehow knew—again—that I had no clue what my daughter was saying.

“I’m hungry,” Dani said sometime later while we walked through the hall of mirrors. She stopped and turned to Sinclair with hope in her eyes. “Can we get food?”

Her gaze flicked to mine and she offered a soft smile. “I could eat. What about you?” she asked me. “Is it time to feed you again?”

“Daddy eatssomuch,” Dani exclaimed, and giggled when I glared at her. “Sorry, but you do.”

I bent over so we were face to face and scowled harder. “I’m a big guy and I require a lot of food.”

She giggled again, no longer afraid of me. “A whole lot.”

I stood tall and put my hands on my hips, watching each of them for a long time before I spoke. “My vote is for pizza.”

“I love pizza,” Dani exclaimed. “With lots of cheese and tons of sauce!”

“And pepperoni,” Sinclair added seriously.

***

Once we’d left the museum, that’s what we got at the pizza place, a pizza entirely too big for three people covered with too much sauce, too much cheese, and a fuck load of pepperoni. Everybody was stuffed and everybody was happy. And Dani was asleep less than five minutes after we left the pizza joint.

“So,” Sinclair began. “This was a good day. Right?”

I nodded, voice too tight to speak.

“She had fun with you. She loves spending time with you, Dagger.”

“I know. Every day like this just reminds me of how many years I failed her.”

“Don’t think about that, just think about the fun you had today. Movie night. Even making cookies before someone bashed in my windshield.” She reached over and grasped my forearm. “She loves you and loves spending time with you. Think about that.”

I nodded because I knew she was right. “Guilt doesn’t go away that easily.”

She laughed. “Believe me, I know. But if you focus on the guilt, you’ll miss out on all the great times you’re having with her.” She nodded to Dani sleeping in the back seat. “Don’t let that mess up what you already have.”

I turned my arm over and took her hand in mine. “How are you so good?”

She smiled and shook her head. “I’m nothing special, Dagger. Just me.”

“Well, I think you’re pretty fucking great.” That was the damn truth. Most of the time when I was with her, I felt like I was out of my depth. I knew I was in over my head, and I knew it could all blow up in my face, but when we were together like this with her soft, small hand in mine, it didn’t matter. There was something about her that just made things better. Mademebetter.

When we made it back home, I scooped Dani’s sleeping body in my arms and made my way to the front door. I stopped and turned to Sinclair.

“Go on,” she insisted. “I’ll lock up. Take care of Dani.”

She just knew what was right, so I nodded and went inside. Dani held me tighter and snuggled into me as we climbed the stairs. She was so small, so vulnerable. It was up to me to keep her safe, to protect her.I always will, I promised her, as well as myself.

It took only a few minutes to get her out of her day clothes and into her pajamas, even though she was dead weight. She curled into the blankets the moment she hit the bed and I covered her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Good night, baby girl.”

She groaned and turned to face me. “Good night, Daddy. I had fun today.”

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