Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
“I know,” she whispered.
“Did you eat dinner?”
“Umm.”
“Oh, my girl doesn’t want to sit comfortably for a week, does she? What about lunch?”
“I need to consult my Little lawyer before I answer your questions,” she told him.
“So that’s a no,” he said in a dark voice. “You are in so much trouble.”
“Daddy! You need to be nice to Devi! I have owies.”
“Put me on video call.”
Oh crap. Why did she say that? Now he was going to freak out. Hayes did not deal well with her being sick or injured. A few months ago, she’d developed a sore throat and tried to keep it from him. Unfortunately, that hadn’t worked when it got so painful she could barely talk. She’d ended up on antibiotics for strep.
And then as soon as she’d recovered, she’d been spanked for trying to keep it from him and she’d had to write lines.
It had sucked.
Still, she never wanted him to worry about her. About losing her like he had May.
She put him on video call. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Show me.”
Sighing, she held up her sore hand. Then she drew up her pants to show him her knees.
“See? Nothing that bad.”
“Devi?” someone called out from outside.
“Who did you message?” she asked him.
“Zeke. Tell him where you are.”
With a sigh, she yelled out. “Zeke! I’m in here.”
The door opened and Zeke stepped inside, his eyebrows rising as he took her in.
She attempted to pull herself up, but he held up his hand. “Stay where you are.”
“Zeke!” Hayes said demandingly.
“I’m here.”
“Carry her into the house. Check her over. If she needs Doc, send for him and then make sure she eats. She hasn’t eaten all day.”
“I had breakfast,” she protested. “And I can walk. It’s just a couple of bruises.”
“Zeke,” Hayes said demandingly.
“I’m on it, boss.” Zeke gave him a salute.
“Surrounded by smart asses. Call me back in ten,” he bossed.
“I think I’m in trouble,” she said to Zeke.
“I know you’re in trouble, sweetheart.”
Hayes crept into the cabin later that night.
He’d done his best to get home earlier but he couldn’t get the plane to fly faster. And fucking Donovan had insisted on driving from the airport to here. Something about him being too overwrought to drive.
Asshole was so dramatic.
But he was home now and relief filled him.
He hated being away from his girl. Kent no longer sent him on anything that was longer than twenty-four hours. Mostly, he was helping set up security jobs or doing local work in Montana. Today, he and Donovan had been escorting a famous actress to an afternoon premiere in Seattle. Thankfully, she hadn’t needed them the whole night.
Hayes knew that he overreacted whenever Devi got the slightest scratch or sniffle. But he was working on it.
It was definitely a work in progress.
After showering, he climbed into bed.
Zeke had sent photos of her knees and hand and they weren’t that bad. He’d also sent a photo of her eating, then in bed.
Asshole was going to tease him about this, but Hayes didn’t care.
All he cared about was his girl.
She rolled toward him, snuggling into his chest. “Daddy?”
“I’m here, baby girl.”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” he told her. “Go back to sleep.”
“Am I in big trouble?”
“Oh, yes.”
“But I’m fine. I barely hurt myself.”
“It’s not about you tripping and you know it.”
She grumbled slightly but grabbed his T-shirt, bunching it in her fist as she sucked her thumb.
“I love you, my precious girl. I’m always going to take good care of you.”
She let out a small snore.
She’s perfect for you.
The words whispered through his head, in May’s voice. He’d had two soul mates in his life. Two women to love, adore, and protect.
Which made him the luckiest man in the universe.
And he slipped into sleep with a huge smile on his face.
The End