Page 73 of At Last

At the same time Jade shrieks, “No!”

Aidan cuffs my girl along the jaw. “I’m your dad, Jade. You listen to me. Shut up, now.”

“Duke,” she calls to me. “He says he’s my dad. I want you to be my daddy.”

“Iamyour dad, sweetheart. Forever.” Then I turn my gaze to Doc and nod once. She understands my wordless command and turns Jade’s face to press into her legs again. Caitlin holds her hands over both ’a Jade’s ears. It distracts that fool enough to take his eyes off me to look down at her.

I swallow hard, knowing I can’t be off even a millimeter and clear my throat so she knows it’s coming. Caitlin bends her neck. That’s when I whip the Glock from the back waistband of my jeans, flip the safety as I aim and fire.

One shot.

He crumples to the ground.

Dead.

Bullet hole between his brows.

My family is safe.

But then I hear Peaches cry, “Daddy.” What the fuck? Is she talking about that asshole I just killed?

She wrenches from her mama’s arms and runs to me, crying. “Daddy. My Duke daddy.”

Seeing her. Hearing those words. Words I’d prepared to go my whole life without hearing. My adrenaline must be crashing, and I drop to my knees as Peaches reaches out to me. Ass to heels, I start to sway. Don’t want my blood on my little girl, so I position her hands on my cheeks. She leans her forehead against mine and sobs.

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