Total pages in book: 15
Estimated words: 14459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 72(@200wpm)___ 58(@250wpm)___ 48(@300wpm)
“I don’t want one. I’m not tired.”
“Baby, you’re exhausted.”
She sighed. Long and hard. They’d see about that. “Will you leave?”
He gave her a curious look.
“You said you had things to catch up on. Will you leave me here? Alone?”
She couldn’t be without him right now. Just the thought of him leaving her . . . she could feel herself starting to panic.
“I won’t leave you, precious baby. I promise.” He crouched down and cupped her face between his hands. “I won’t leave you.”
She let out a sigh and gave him a wobbly smile. “Sorry I’m being so needy.”
He frowned. “Is that your way of asking for a spanking?”
Her eyes widened. “What? No!”
“You sure? Because you know I’ll always give you what you need. Even if what you need is a trip over my knee to redden your ass.”
“I do not need a spanking, Daddy!” She pouted. “That’s not nice.”
“Drink your water. I expect it all gone.” He left the living room and walked toward the kitchen.
“He’s so darn bossy, Scruffy Dog.” Instead of turning up the television which was set on low, she reached over and grabbed her phone. Before she could truly relax, she needed to make a couple of calls. There was no way she wanted her cousin and best friend finding out what happened on the news or something. They would freak out.
Chardonnay’s phone was turned off, and she winced as she realized the other woman had likely been dancing at Pinkies last night and would be sleeping.
Instead of calling Effie, she decided to text her and ask her to call when she was free. She didn’t want to risk waking her up. Her phone immediately started ringing.
“Hi, Hairy Tits!” Effie sang through the phone.
April loved how happy and carefree her friend sounded. For so long, everything had been a struggle for Effie. But now, she and her nephew Brooks had the best lives. They didn’t have to worry about anything. Even if Effie’s new men weren’t exactly on the right side of the law, they took excellent care of her. They loved her. And that was all April cared about.
“Hey, Droopy Bum,” she replied cheerfully.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” Effie asked immediately.
“What makes you think something is wrong?” April asked.
“I can hear it in your voice. Spill.”
April let out a deep breath. “Okay, but don’t freak out.” She told her best friend everything that happened yesterday.
“He held you up at gunpoint? Oh my God!” Effie cried.
“Spitfire? What’s wrong?”
April heard Damon’s voice in the background.
Effie told him what had happened to April yesterday, her voice filled with worry.
“April? Are you still there?” Damon asked in his deep voice.
“Um, yep. Hey, Damon. How are you?”
“This man has been apprehended?” he asked.
Obviously, he wasn’t in the mood for chitchat.
“Yes. He’s in police custody.”
“Do you have a name?” he asked.
“Uh, no.” What was with all the questions?
“Is Trent there?” he asked.
“He’s making me French toast.”
“Can I speak to him, honey?” Damon was trying to keep his voice soft, she could tell. But it was still clear he expected obedience.
Jumping up, she nearly tripped over her blanket as she rushed into the kitchen.
Trent turned, worry filling his face. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Damon,” she said, holding out the phone.
His eyebrows rose as he took the phone, muting it for a moment. “You called Effie?”
She winced. “Yes. Shouldn’t I have?”
“Of course you should have. But I wish you’d warned me.” He unmuted the phone and stepped away as he spoke quietly into the phone.
She shifted her weight from foot to foot until he returned and held out the phone to her. “Effie wants to talk to you again.”
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Of course, baby. Damon just wanted to make sure that asshole is going to pay for what happened to you.”
“And if he doesn’t pay?”
Trent’s face hardened. “Then he and Grady will take care of it.”
A shiver went down her spine. Whoa. She wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand, Damon Steele was a scary dude. On the other hand, she knew that he and Grady would make sure that asshole paid for what he did if the legal system failed them.
So she decided to push down any misgivings and have a chat with her best friend. That always made her feel better.
7
“Ireally don’t want a nap, Daddy,” April complained as he picked her up and carried her toward the staircase later on that afternoon.
“You need a nap, baby girl,” he insisted. “You’re tired.”
She was. But she didn’t think she’d be able to sleep. Her mind was too busy.
Trent paused at the bottom of the staircase, staring down at her toys. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why are your toys strewn around the house?”
“They were the first line of defense, Daddy.”
“Defense against what?”
“The bogeyman, ghosts, zombies, robbers . . . all the bad guys who tried to get me while you were away.”