Page 34 of The Hottest Daddy
She called River straight away and he made her promise to stay inside with the door locked. “I’m coming to get you. Pack all your stuff; you’re moving in with me.”
The feminist in her rankled, but the lover in her loved his masterful words and she told him. He didn’t laugh. “I can’t make jokes while your life is in danger, baby.”
He was there in less than twenty minutes. She let him in and he pulled her into his arms. She realized he was trembling.
“I’m so angry, baby. I should never have let you be alone.”
“I don’t know how he found me.” She leaned against him, feeling only relief that he was there. “But it’s time to finish this, once and for all.”
River let her go and studied her. “You think I’ll let you use yourself as bait?”
“No, and that’s not what I mean. I mean I’m done running. You are my life and my life is here in Rockford.” She saw the admiration as well as the fear in his eyes. “Then we’ll face it together.”
River kissed her. “You bet we will.”
Berry ran up to her and threw her little body into Sunday’s arms. “Sunny!”
Sunday giggled and swung her around. “My new name?”
River was hiding a smile. “Tell Sunny why you want to call her that.”
“Well,” Berry began, “You’re Sunday, but also like a mommy, so I figured I would call you Sunny.”
Sunday was moved to tears and she cleared her throat before answering. “I love it, Berry, and I love you too.”
Berry smiled in delight, burying her face in Sunday’s neck. Sunday held her tightly. River watched them, a smile on his face. “Family,” was all he said and she nodded.
River told her that Angelina would be coming by later to see Berry. Sunday nodded. “Well, I’ll be there. I’m not hiding anymore. Fuck that.”
River didn’t look happy but he had to agree. “I’m arranging security around this place and, please, honey, until he’s caught, don’t go out on your own.”
She told him what Sam said and he nodded. “Yeah, I wondered about that kid. You think it might be him?”
“That’s the thing. I don’t. I mean, he said he recognized me the other day, asked me if I had ever been on TV. He seems so guileless and Daisy likes him a lot. I hope, hope, hope it’s nothing.”
River nodded. “Maybe … no.”
“What?”
“We could ask Aria to keep an eye on him. For Daisy’s sake, she’d do it, I’m sure.”
Sunday was skeptical. “It’s just … can we trust her? She’s not exactly the biggest fan of either of us.”
“To protect Daisy, yes, she would. Say what you like about Aria and her prima donna ways, but she adores Daisy.”
Sunday nodded. “Okay.”
River stroked her hair. “Are you ready to face Angelina?”
Sunday smiled back at him. “I’ll try not to rip the bitch’s face off, if that’s what you mean.”
“I love your fire.” He hesitated for a moment. “Say, no biggie, but did you …”
“I haven’t gotten to that part of your father’s diaries yet,” she told him gently, and he shrugged sheepishly.
“I shouldn’t even ask with everything that’s going on. It just would help when dealing with her.”
“Is she still being … whatever it is she thinks she’s doing?”
