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“Protect my daughter with that same passion, and we’ll get along just fine.”
“And if I don’t?” I bit out.
“I can have you put away for a long, long time. I expect you here at five o’clock on Tuesday morning. I’ll text you the address.”
Before I had a chance to argue, he cut the call, leaving me reeling in the sudden silence.
I didn’t have a choice. Or maybe I didn’t dare to find out the consequences of saying no. Or maybe I was just a money-hungry son of bitch who let himself be bought by a rich bastard who wanted to ensure his daughter’s safety. I couldn’t blame him, despite the threats that put me on his doorstep that hazy Tuesday morning.
“The rules are simple.” Alan eyed the black land cruiser parked down the driveway. “Don’t let her out of your sight. Be in Black River City next Tuesday at the same time.
“A week? That’s—”
“All the time you get. I suggest you start driving.”
I huffed. It was manageable if I cut back on the rest.
“I don’t want her exposed to anyone or anything. Not under any circumstances. Do you understand? If you must stop, make it quick.”
I nodded grimly, already regretting the decision.
He stepped away, grabbed a light pink duffel bag from a chair, and dumped it at my feet. Giving me a once-over, he muttered, “I expected you to be older.”
“Excuse me?”
“If you as much as look at her, you’re a dead man, do you hear me?”
“I have no interest in your daughter, sir,” I muttered. The moment I said it, she came down the stairs, rounded the bend, and came to stand next to her father. She turned two ocean-blue eyes up on me and I gulped, looking away before the man caught me staring. Saying I had no interest was easy before actually seeing the girl. Sure, she was young, but for some reason, I expected her to be younger.
“Ifanythinghappens to her…” he put a huge emphasis on the word anything, and I got the feeling I was included in that scope of possible bad things.
“She’ll be safe,” I promised.
Kaylie whimpered in her sleep, pulling me back to the car and the steady hum from the engine and the sound of the tires against the road.
“If you as much as look at her, you’re a dead man.”The words echoed in my head, and I scoffed. If the old bastard only knew. I’d be dead already. She may be a pretty little thing, but that was about it. She was nothing I wanted to get involved with. Not only did I have no time for a personal life, but I also never wanted to dothatagain.
The sun dipped beyond the hills, stretching out on both sides of the road, and I tried to suppress a yawn. If her idiot of a father wanted us to reach Maine before next Tuesday, I had little time to rest. And I wanted to reach as far as I could before giving in to the tiredness.
Another couple of hours had me struggling to stay awake. Rolling down the windows, I let the cool night air sweep through the car and hoped it was enough.
Kaylie stirred, popping her big blue eyes open to stare at me. “What time is it?” Her gaze darted to me, then to the dark sky flying past outside.
“Can you drive?” I asked, already knowing I was breaking a major rule of her father. But fuck if he knew. When she shook her head, I had to do a double take.
“My father never taught me. It’s too dangerous.”
“Are you fucking joking?” I spat out before I realized she was dead serious. “Great,” I muttered, adding in my head.“Fucking princess.”
“I want to learn.” She straightened. “Teach me.”
I laughed at the absurdity of her request. “Not on my watch.”
Her flicker of enthusiasm vanished just as fast, and a beat look come over her face.
I frowned. “What?”
“Nothing,” she muttered. “Just shut up and drive.”
