Page 198 of Broken Daddy

Devi didn’t knowwhat had come over Hayes. Every time poor Leighton put his hands on her, Hayes growled.

“Again, I’m sorry about him,” she said to Leighton.

“He’s taking guarding your body to a whole other level,” Leighton said. “Are you . . . do you feel safe with him?”

Her eyes widened. “Yes, of course. Hayes would never harm me. All he does is look after me. To the point where I feel guilty because I’m not doing anything for him. I tried to clean the bathroom this morning and now I’m banned from all housework until my arm is better.”

She still didn’t understand him. At all.

To her shock, Leighton smiled. “Well, all right then. That, I understand.”

“You do? Because I sure don’t.” She sighed as she stared down at her arm. It felt like they’d barely done anything and she was exhausted and in pain.

Hayes suddenly stepped forward and pulled her up into his arms. “That’s enough. She’s exhausted and hurting. We’re leaving.”

Leighton just nodded. “I agree. You did great today, Devi.”

“I don’t feel like I did anything at all. It’s going to take ages for me to get better, isn’t it?” She was never going to be able to do pottery again.

Michelle had promised to talk to the gallery owner about canceling her exhibition. She didn’t know what to do about all of the items Michelle was storing. Perhaps she could sell them at that shop in Denver.

It felt like all of her dreams were going up in smoke. Because of fucking Derick. It was kind of wrong to think badly about the dead, right?

Sympathy filled Leighton’s face. “I’m not going to lie to you; you’ve got a long road ahead of you. But it’s only been nine days since you were hurt. We will get there. You and I.”

Hayes growled again.

“And your . . . bodyguard.”

He put a weird emphasis on that word, but Devi decided not to think too much about it.

Hayes snucka glance at her as they drove home; her eyes were drooping. She was exhausted.

This had been too much for her.

“Thanks for the ice cream,” she told him sleepily. “It was scrummy.”

She had some chocolate ice-cream on her chin and she didn’t seem to realize it. Damn, she was cute.

He pulled over and she gave him a startled look. Grabbing a napkin, he tried to wipe her chin. She shied away, but he gently grasped hold of her chin and wiped.

“Sorry,” she muttered, her cheeks red.

“Why are you sorry?” he asked.

“Because I’m such a mess.”

“Baby, I think you’re gorgeous just the way you are. Now, lie back and go to sleep. I’ll get you safely home.”

“You always take such good care of me.”

42

Ithink you’re gorgeous just the way you are.

Those words from a couple of days ago kept playing in her head.

Especially right now as she stared into the mirror at her cheek.