Page 104 of Ghost

“Where is my fucking daughter?” Danny asked, his voice low. I could see he was trying to contain his temper.

“She’s sleeping. And you aren’t waking her up. She’s been waiting three fucking months for you to come home. You can wait however long she needs to wake up.”

“Do not test me, Dr. Jefferson. I can take everything you’ve worked for away with a few keystrokes.”

“Danny,” Dante gasped.

“There is nothing to take!” Melissa threw her hands out wide at her sides. She counted off on her fingers the things she’d already lost. “I sold my practice. I sold my home. I walked away from my entire fucking life for that little girl! And I would do it again with a smile on my face, because she is worth the fucking sacrifice! I just wish you could see that.”

“I do fucking see that. I sacrificed my fucking life for her.”

“Danny, don’t,” Dante said in a futile effort to put an end to the smackdown Melissa and Danny were giving each other.

I understood why Melissa was hurting. She had no idea what Danny had given up for Dante and his daughter. Hell, we didn’t even know the full extent of what happened in New York. Only that he had been hurt trying to end the life of the bitch who was responsible for all the shit that came out of the Trick Pony.

“You want to know what I sacrificed for my daughter? For my husband? I’ll fucking tell you—”

“Mama.”

We all turned toward the small voice. Amber stood in the doorway, holding Dani. Melissa rushed over, taking Danika in her arms. When Danny and Dante moved to get closer to their daughter, I put my arms up, blocking their path.

“Wait,” I growled.

My woman needed a minute with the little girl. This might just break her.

“She spoke,” Dante whispered behind me.

We watched as Dani put her hands on Melissa’s cheeks.

“Mama, tears.”

“Yes, baby, Mama has tears.”

“Sad,” Dani said, her eyes on Melissa.

“No, baby. Happy tears,” Melissa lied. They weren’t fucking happy. Her fucking heart was breaking right before my eyes and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it, but be there in the aftermath to pick up the pieces. And do my best to put them back together.

“Guess what, Dani?” Melissa did her best to smile at the little girl. “Guess who’s home? Papa’s home.”

“Papa?”

Dante gasped beside me and leaned into Danny, who hadn’t said a word since Amber walked into the room.

“Yes, Papa. Look!” Melissa turned so Danika could see Danny and Dante. Her little face lit up like a fucking Christmas tree.

Melissa set Dani on the floor and she ran to her fathers. “Papa,” Dani cried out.

Both men dropped to their knees and engulfed the little girl in their arms. They sat on the floor talking to her, and I walked over to my woman and pulled her to me.

“Princess,” I whispered.

“Don’t, Travis.”

She clung to my cut. Her face buried in my chest for a brief moment, before turning and walking away down the hallway.

“I’ll talk to her,” Haizley said behind me as I watched the woman I loved walk away from me a second time.

“No,” my voice croaked. “I’ll give her a minute and then go to her.”

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