Page 16

Sinclair

I slammed the door in Dagger’s face and leaned my back against it, sliding down until my butt hit the floor.

I was so angry my hands shook with it. How the hell could I have been so wrong about another man in my life?

If a man was interested in me, then chances were good he was bad news.

Whether it was an unemployed drummer, a casually cruel investment banker, or a charming but verbally abusive electrician, they all had their flaws beyond their interest in me.

Dagger was no different. He might be worse considering what he’d done. He’d watched me. Observed me in private moments to learn more about me, to figure out how to get what he wanted out of me. He was the worst because he pretended like he cared, like he was truly interested, and it was all a lie.

Which only made my reaction to the kiss even more embarrassing. Why did that kiss have to unlock something in me I thought died halfway through my last relationship? Why did it have to be so good and so damn explosive? Why did his kiss and his touch have to consume me the way it did?

It doesn’t matter .

I hated that the kiss woke up something in me, that part that made me want things I shouldn’t. Things that were bad for me.

Things I swore I’d never do again.

I jumped to my feet and yanked the bag out from under the bed, packing up the few items I brought with me.

Inside the small bathroom I grabbed my body wash, toothpaste, and toothbrush, along with my shampoo and conditioner and tossed it into the small toiletry bag.

I was fueled by nothing but anger as I folded my pajamas and stuffed them into the bag, letting fury push me forward until there was no trace of my presence in the room.

I was ready to go, to get the hell out of his place because Dagger was a liar.

He was no different from the rest of them.

Sure, he was a good father who wanted to do better for his kid, but he wasn’t a good man.

He watched me and figured me out, just like the men who came to our house when Dad was behind on his debts.

They, unbeknownst to me, watched so they could use the exact right lure to get me involved in paying off his debts.

A new bicycle or doll when I was little, books when I was older, and then cold hard cash that could be used to pay for college when I was older.

At the time, I hadn’t realized what they were doing, but hindsight had provided greater clarity.

It was just what Dagger had done.

“Son of a bitch.” I hitched the duffel up on my shoulder with a huff. I marched to the door and froze when a soft knock sounded.

It wasn’t Dagger. That man didn’t have it in him to do anything quite so gently, so it was probably one of the very nice women who’d attempted to feed me and engage with me throughout the morning.

There was something about the softness of the knock that gave me pause. I dropped my bag and pushed it against the desk before I opened the door, seeing a pair of familiar brown eyes staring up at me hopefully. “Hey, Dani. What are you doing here?”

She frowned. “Dad said you wanted to work on math problems today.” Her lips pushed into a slight pout. “Is that true?”

Damn that careless man and his inability to think about anybody but himself. He knew I wouldn’t hurt Dani, that I wouldn’t risk setting back the progress she’d already made in coming out of her shell. I fixed a smile on my face and stepped back. “Sure. Want to come in?”

She nodded and took a hesitant step inside and then another and another until she stood in the middle of the room. “This is my dad’s room.”

I said nothing about that, just changed the subject. “Would you rather do math outside in the sunshine?”

Dani nodded, an adorable smile touching her lips. She placed her hand in mine and guided me through the clubhouse until we arrived at the perfect plot of grass. “How are you, Miss Bronson?”

I smiled, shrugging at the same time. “I’m doing fine, Dani, thanks for asking.” She was such a sweet and caring little girl, and she was the reason I stayed to help. Not her arrogant father. “How are you?”

She shrugged. “I was really scared, but Dad sat with me and read me a story until I got sleepy. He wanted me to know that I was safe and had nothing to worry about.”

Don’t be touched by it. That’s what any father would say to his terrified daughter.

“Good. I’m glad to hear things are going better for you.”

She nodded, plucking at blades of grass. “Dad is different now,” she began softly. “He asks about school and my feelings. He checks in with me too, and I think it’s because of you.”

I shook my head instinctively. “It’s not at all because of me, it’s because of you. Because your father wants to be better for you.” I bumped her shoulder until she looked at me and smiled. “Now how about we do some math?”

“Okay.”

We spent more than an hour practicing basic arithmetic until Dani could do the basics without using her fingers. Pride swelled within me when confidence made the little girl sit a little taller. “Excellent work, Dani.”

She smiled brightly. “Thanks, Miss Bronson. Math isn’t so bad, I guess.”

That was high praise from a nine-year-old, and despite everything else going on around me, her words brought a smile to my face. “Once you know how it works, it’s not so scary, right?”

Those words stayed with me long after Dani had gone home. I knew how the world worked. I was nobody’s fool, not anymore. That made everything less scary.

I knew what I had to do to stop living in fear.