Page 9 of Dagger

Sinclair smiled and risked a glance at me over her shoulder, something like amusement dancing in her eyes. “Well, that’s good. Are you having fun?”

Again, Dani shrugged. “We haven’t done a whole lot yet.” She looked down at the blanket and the food and sighed heavily. “Are you meeting somebody for a picnic?”

Sinclair’s face flushed. “Ah, no. I’m just enjoying the nice weather and a good book. The food is just because a girl’s gotta eat.”

Dani giggled and nodded as if she understood perfectly.

“Want some?” she asked, holding up a container filled with grapes and peach slices.

Dani looked to me for permission, and I reluctantly gave her a nod of approval while I stood, looming over them. I’d had time to think about what Sinclair had said to me at the appointment. While I didn’t dismiss her outright, I wasn’t so sure that therapy was the way forward. I’d seen what that had done to her mother… they’d ended up putting her on meds that turned her into a fucking zombie.

But spending more time together, and giving Dani a sense of stability? That was something I could do.

I hoped.

“Feel free to have a seat, Mr. Kane.” She offered a shaky smile that I wasn’t quite sure she felt, but the woman was nothing if not polite.

“We’re not staying long,” I grunted in response.

“Dad, you’re being rude.” Dani rolled her eyes. “He didn’t mean that, Miss Bronson. He’s sorry.”

She laughed. “It’s okay. I’m sure he was looking forward to some one-on-one time with you.”

Dammit, how could I have such uncharitable thoughts about her when she was helping me?

Because I’m an asshole.

“Well, I can’t in good conscience eat all your food, so how about I go get us some more?”

“Sounds good,” Dani said too quickly. “Do you like sandwiches, Miss Bronson?”

“Of course. Who doesn’t?”

“Sandwiches comin’ right up. You ladies okay to wait here?” I ambled back the way I came, heading to a sandwich shop just a block away from the park. The deli was crowded, but it took less than fifteen minutes to load up on deli meat, olives, peppers, and cheese. I took my time because I wasn’t ready to seeheragain. Today she was wearing black leggings with a t-shirt that—of course—she covered with a long-sleeve sweaterthat tried to conceal her curves. But those leggings weren’t doing a great job of hiding her peachy ass, and I knew without a doubt that the longer I spent in her company the more I’d be imagining pulling off those leggings and feasting on her pussy.

From the other side of the park I spotted Sinclair and Dani, so wrapped up in each other that they were completely oblivious to everything around them.

Including a man who couldn’t take his eyes off the older of the two females.

I knew that look in his eyes, that singular focus. I recognized the intensity of his gaze as he ate up every single detail from the high ponytail she never wore during the week, to the gentle smile that seemed to be her constant when she was around kids. Yeah, I knew that look, that obsession well, because I had it too. Though now I’d actually spoken to Sinclair, I was gonna get to know her like a regular man and not like some fucking creeper.

But this new development unsettled me. I made a mental note of him and decided that even though my days of watching Sinclair from the shadows were over, I might have to watch her watcher.

The closer I got, the more I realized he wasn’t looking at her with longing. No, there was something darker in his gaze. It was something else, something that sent a sliver of worry down my spine.

Shit, he wasn’t caught up by her beauty, he looked pissed off. I took note of his details—disheveled blond hair, about six feet tall, dressed like a shitty middle manager—as I made my way back to the laughing duo. “I hope you girls are hungry.”

Sinclair’s eyes widened as Dani unpacked the bag. “Are there more people coming?” she asked around a laugh.

“Not that I’m aware of. I didn’t know what you liked or what Dani was in the mood for.”

I refused to admit that I didn’t know what my daughter’s favorite sandwich was.

“Ham is always an excellent choice.” She smiled as she plucked a slice and shoved it between her lips. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Why did she have to smile like Italian deli meat was a big damn deal?

“You have to try it like this, Dani,” she said, and wrapped the serrano ham around a peach slice. “It’s so good, I swear.”

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