Page 16 of Her Dream Mafia Daddy

“Kill him. Slowly and painfully. I just need to fucking find him. He seems to have gone dark. I wanted to keep tabs on him, but my men can’t find him. Finnean has looked, Rory and Kellan, too. He’s gone.” It chapped his ass that he couldn’t find him, but he knew no one could stay gone forever. Not from him.

“You think he’s left town?”

“I don’t fucking know.” He was about to say more when Kiera and Daphne came skipping up.

“Can we have some juice and cookies, please?” Daphne looked up with those big brown eyes, and he was a goner for her.

“Of course. We have everything set up right here.” They snacked and drank until there was nothing left. He felt my pocket buzz with a text. It was Finnean.

His blood turned cold.

Her ex-husband is Callum. She can’t leave the ranch.

Fuck.

Chapter 8

Daphne

“Kiera, you look like that juice box has personally offended you.” She giggled. Kiera started laughing so hard she nearly fell off the bench.

“Well, it has. ‘Cause it’s empty and I’m still thirsty.” Her pout wasn’t nearly as effective with the loud giggles. Her Daddy handed her some water, which wasn’t the same as juice, but she wasn’t going to say anything.

“Alright, girls.” Eamon got their attention. “It’s time to saddle up and head back down to the house. Kiera, when we get there, you’ll need to show Daphne the playroom and movie room.”

“Ok, Uncle Eamon. But why?”

“For starters, because I said so, Little girl.” She looked sheepish as he narrowed his eyes. “But also because you all are going to be moving in with me for a while.”

“I am not moving in with you,” Daphne replied adamantly, shaking her head. She was not doing that. She couldn’t stand him and didn’t care if he was her brother’s best friend. She wanted nothing to do with him.

“You don’t have a choice, Daphne. Something has come up and we need to keep you safe. So you, Kiera, and Liam are moving in with me in the guest wing. You will have your own room and ensuite bathroom. You will be safe.”

She glowered at him. “Fine. As long as Kiera and Liam are staying, too. But I need to get my stuff.”

“It’s already taken care of. My staff went to pack your stuff, and it’s already at the house in your room.”

Suddenly, she felt her face grow hot, her eyes burned with tears, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.

“Hey, hey, hey, what’s all this?” Uncle Liam kneeled while Kiera hugged her from the side.

“W-what if they forgot bankie? I’ll die! I need my bankie. I can’t sleep without it.” She sobbed, unable to fathom a world in which she did not have her pink, cuddly blankie.

“Take a breath, sweet girl. I’m sure it’s there. Why don’t we head to the house and you can check and see for yourself? If it’s not there, I will personally go to the house to get it for you. But I promise you will have it to sleep with today.” Uncle Liam rubbed her legs as her sobs quieted and she nodded.

“C-can we leave now? Please?” She needed her bankie like she needed oxygen.

“We can. But I think it will help if you look at this picture your Auntie Freya just sent me.” Eamon held up his phone, and sitting next to a panda stuffie she had never seen before was her beloved bankie. She grabbed his phone, holding it close as if she were holding it in her hands.

“Tell Auntie Freya thanks for sending that. I know it’s silly, but that’s my comfort item and I love it and I can’t sleep without it and I would be devastated if something ever happened to it. Some people have stuffies and I have a bankie. It’s been everywhere with me. My ex hid it once, and I thought I was going to die. He’s a poop.” She had noticed recently that more Little tendencies came out when she was upset.

“I’m so sorry that he hid it from you. That will never happen here. Your bankie is safe, and so are you.” He patted her knee and stood. “Let’s get these horses back to the barn and head home so I can give you a tour. You didn’t get to see much earlier and there are such fun rooms that await you.” Eamon was being nice to her, almost too nice. She really didn’t like him, nice or not. He was a gangster, and she wanted nothing to do with him.

“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just go.” She sneered as she found Ghost and used the bench to jump on him and start walking slowly while the others caught up. Eamon reached her and tried to engage her in conversation, but she just started jabbering with Kiera. She kept up a steady stream of conversation with her the entire way back. When they got to the pen, Murphy and his brothers were there to take the horses.

“I want to help cool Ghost down. It’s my job as the rider to make sure he’s taken care of.” She stomped her feet at Eamon’s edict to let the Mason brothers take care of the horses so they could get cleaned up for dinner.

“You may want to help, but that’s not going to happen. Murphy and his brothers will take care of the horses; it’s their job. Your job is to be a good girl and do as you’re told.” Eamon matched her stance and glowered at her.