My God, she had grown so much. She was beautiful, safe and right there in front of me. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted so much to rush over to her as I watched my daughter cup Melissa’s face.
“Mama, tears.”
“Yes, baby, Mama has tears.”
“Sad.” My little girl frowned as she looked at the woman.
“No, baby. Happy tears.” Melissa nodded. “Guess what, Dani? Guess who’s home? Papa’s home.”
“Papa?”
Dante gasped beside me, reaching for my hand.
“Yes, Papa. Look!” Melissa turned so Danika could see us, and when I saw my little girl smile at me, my heart burst. I knew no matter how old she got, where she went in life, I would always remember this moment until the day I died.
Setting Danika on the floor, Melissa stepped back as my little girl ran over to us.
“Papa,” Dani cried out.
Dropping to my knees, I engulfed my little girl in my arms.
Dante crying as he held us both.
I don’t think I would ever forget the sight of my little girl running toward me, crying out, “Papa.” Just seeing her in Amber’s arms brought tears to my eyes. But holding her in my arms after everything that had happened... the relief was a fragile thing, easily shattered.
It was worth it, wasn’t it? The price I’d paid... was it too high?
Seeing Amber standing near King, safe, a hollow ache settled in my chest. Everything was okay for now. But what about me?
“You could have handled that better,” Haizley whispered, her words a cold slap to my already bruised ego.
“She pushed my buttons,” I muttered, crossing my arms, the familiar defensiveness a shield against the guilt gnawing at me. The truth was, I’d left them to fend for themselves and now I was reaping the consequences.
“Yeah.” She frowned, looking at the door Melissa disappeared behind. “I’m gonna have to have a talk with her.”
“You do that. In the meantime, she can stay away from my daughter.” Jealousy, raw and ugly, burned in my throat. It wasn’t just about Danika’s safety; it was about my pride, my wounded sense of ownership.
Grabbing my arm, Haizley jerked me around. Her brows furrowed. “We talked about this, Danny. That woman has been there for your daughter for weeks, when you haven’t. I get why you did what you did and I understand, but she doesn’t. All she knows is that you were there one minute and gone the next. That’s not even considering what your daughter feels. All I’m asking is for a little patience and sympathy for the woman who’s loved and cared for your daughter as her own. This isn’t easy for Missy either. She’s grown very attached to Danika.” Her words were condemnation, and I knew she was right. But admitting it felt like admitting defeat, like admitting I wasn’t the hero I pretended to be.
Sighing, I nodded. “You’re right. I’ll try to be nicer.” My words felt hollow, a lie even to my own ears.
“You do that,” she clipped, her finger a jab in my chest, before she walked outside, I presumed to look for Gunner. Her dismissal stung more than any accusation.
Seeing King tilt his head toward his office, I nodded, the gesture lacking its usual confidence. Walking over to Dante, I leaned down and kissed Danika’s cheek. The small act felt inadequate, a pathetic attempt to make amends for my absence. “Babe, I need to go talk with King for a second.”
Dante, engrossed with Danika, didn’t hear me. The indifference was a sharp pang of regret. My daughter deserved better than this fractured, unreliable father.
“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Ryder said, smiling at Ellery as she tickled Danika and Dante laughed. Their easy camaraderie was a stark contrast to the turmoil within me.
Slapping the man on the shoulder, I headed for King’s office, the weight of my failures pressed down on me.
“Take a seat, Sypher,” King said, sitting himself. Doing as he asked, he leaned back in his chair and stared at me. “I don’t know whether to be happy you are alive or beat the shit out of you for bringing your mess to my house. You wanna tell me what the fuck you were thinking, taking on that bitch by yourself? You know what... never mind. I will let Reaper handle your ass. Just tell me one thing. Is Amber still safe here?”
“For the time being, yes.”
“Your head on straight?”
“For now.” I smirked.
