Sighing, I rubbed the back of my neck and spoke, “Melissa, please look at me.”
Shocker. The woman refused.
Fuck it. Here goes nothing.“Dante and I know what you did. We know you worked hard to not only care for and protect our daughter, but also make sure she didn’t forget who we were. I can’t tell you how much it meant to us to be able to see everything we missed.”
“But?” she asked, her voice hoarse with the emotion.
“Melissa, there is no but. I am trying to express our gratitude for everything you did for us. Dante and I talked, and while I didn’t want to see it at first, he showed me how important you are to Dani. How much she needs you in her life.”
She spun around to look at me. “What are you saying?”
“We’re staying in Diamond Creek. At least for now. There are still things I need to do. The war that’s coming...” I paused as I looked out over the land and wondered if Grayson would sell me a few acres. I could build Dante and Danika a nice little house out here, where it was quiet and away from everything and everyone. Specifically, one annoying woman. “We don’t know what will happen, so we’re staying here.”
“Really? You aren’t taking her back to New York?”
“I can’t say we’ll stay here forever. But for right now, no, we’re not taking her back to New York.”
I barely had time to brace before Melissa rushed into my arms. Holding onto her for dear life, I held the woman as she cried. “Thank you!”
“But I need you to do something for me. For Dani.”
“What? Anything!” she muttered.
“I need you to talk to your brother.”
And just like that, she stiffened as she slowly extracted herself from my arms.
Fuck me, her mood swung faster than a swing set!
She stumbled back and glared at me. “No. That is unfair.”
“It’s not. Melissa, you work with children. You help them get over their trauma, but you refuse to deal with yours.”
“What about your trauma, Danny? What about what you went through in New York? Have you dealt with that?”
“Not all of it, but Haizley is helping,” I admitted, then grinned. “Do it for Dani. She’ll need her uncle.”
Stubborn woman narrowed her eyes at me. I knew she wanted to rip into me for using Danika against her, but I didn’t give a fuck. I was tired of fighting and wanted this shit to be settled. She could either meet me halfway or learn to FaceTime Danika.
“Did Haizley tell you to do this?”
“No, Dante did.”
She turned back to the house and whispered, “I don’t think I can do that.”
“Not even for her?”
“That’s not fair, Danny.”
“I know. But it’s all we have to work with.”
“Miss Jefferson?”
Spinning around, I glared at the man who somehow stumbled upon us. Who the fuck was this chump, and how in the hell did he sneak up on me? His face looked familiar, then reality came rushing forward. This was the motherfucker stalking Missy!
Oh, he had fucking balls showing up here.
Stepping forward, I tried to move in front of Missy when the fucker sneered, “Don’t move.”
