Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“You don’t know where he’s stationed?” I chuckled.
“No.” She blushed. “I probably should, but he’s been at five different bases in just as many years. It’s hard to keep up with them all.”
She pulled on a white hat I hadn’t seen until now.
Desi did the same and said, “I’m ready.”
I glanced between my two girls, then pulled out my phone and said, “Squeeze together tighter. I want a picture.”
They squeezed together and both of them beamed.
Yeah, that one was definitely gonna be my next phone background.
“Come on, squirt. Let’s go.”
Desi waved goodbye to Nastya and hurried out the door.
I waited until I heard the door close before I leaned in and said, “Love you, Mama.”
She melted. “Let me know how the ex-wife’s goes, and then how work goes. I’ll let you know where I am once you’re done.”
I pulled her into my body, nuzzled her neck with my nose, then pulled away. “I noticed you didn’t say I love you back.”
She rolled her eyes. “Your body was pressed against me, Haze. I’m not quite sure how you expect me to think so clearly.”
I chuckled, and she responded with a sweet, “I love you, too,” back.
The drive to Julia’s house was weird.
At one point, that place had been my entire life.
Now it was just fuckin’ nothing.
A memory.
Desi and I both got to the door at the same time, and I knocked on the door instead of letting Desi allow us straight in.
Julia opened the door with a scowl.
I immediately looked down, expecting to see Finn, and didn’t.
“Where’s Finn?” Desi asked as she pushed past her mother, who was reaching for a hug.
“In his kennel,” Julie said. “No hug?”
“Sure, just let me let him out so he can see Dad.” Desi totally disregarded her, which pissed Julia off.
Julia’s fiery gaze turned to meet mine, and she nearly spewed venom before she said, “Well, go check.”
I rolled my eyes and did just that, checking everywhere to make sure that there wasn’t a sick fuck hiding in any corners.
Only after I made my rounds did I greet Finn, who looked less enthusiastic today.
“Poor guy,” I said. “Being stuck here without your girl.”
Finn shook his tail and leaned into me, his soft fur now against my beard.
“Missed you, big guy,” I crooned.
“It’s time for you to leave,” Julia hissed.
I ran my fingers through Finn’s fur and stood up. “You want to come with me?”
“Oh, Daddy. Please let him stay.”
I looked up to find Desi’s pleading eyes on me.
She didn’t want to be here alone without him.
That was understandable.
I gave Finn one last scratch behind the ear and said, “See you both tonight.”
I left them there, alone, and I shouldn’t have.
Had I taken Finn with me, I might not have had to say goodbye to him later.
“You want me to take over Daniels’s job,” I said. “That’s a lot more responsibility than I want, Chief.”
The chief of police looked at me like he wanted to pull his hair out.
“Just give it a try for a while,” he said. “If you don’t like it, we’ll reevaluate.”
I sighed. “Fine.”
Being in that position would make it easier to accomplish the things that I wanted to—one of which being me now helping Shasha Semyonov.
“I’ll take it. I’ll need back pay for the time off. I’ll also need the department to pay for the rental I had to get after Daniels put me on leave. And I’ll need my cruiser back,” I demanded.
“Done,” the chief said. “I’ll have an officer follow you over with his partner, you can drop that rental off today, and you can pay for it with the company credit card.”
“Fine,” I said. “I can’t start until Monday, though.”
I had plans tonight.
“That’s perfectly acceptable,” he said. “This new job comes with regular hours at least. Monday through Friday, nine to five.”
That was something.
Not having to leave in the middle of the night would make me feel better.
I hated leaving Desi home alone in the middle of the night. I hated it even more that I was now leaving Desi and Nastya.
“Thanks, Chief,” I said as I headed out.
Two patrol officers followed me to the rental place.
I dropped my rental off, then got into the cruiser, only to realize that it was Daniels’s brand new one.
I grinned and pulled out of the rental agency.
The drive back to Nastya’s was quiet.
I’d just pulled into the driveway when my phone rang.
I got out of the cruiser and answered it just as Nastya walked out of her house.
She smiled, but that smile slipped off her face once she heard me answer my call.
“Hey, baby.”
“Daddy?” Desi said quietly the moment I answered the phone.
I sat bolt upright and said, “What is it, baby?”
“Um.” She sniffed. “I don’t even know how to say this, but Mom ran over Finn.”
I didn’t think my stomach could get any lower, but it happened.