Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 153571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 768(@200wpm)___ 614(@250wpm)___ 512(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 768(@200wpm)___ 614(@250wpm)___ 512(@300wpm)
I open my mouth to thank him again when Tahani pops her head into the waiting room. She looks as tired as I feel, with red-rimmed eyes and sagging shoulders. She's changed into a pair of scrubs that are too big for her. She looks tiny and fragile, exactly like Mila did yesterday. The sight tugs at my heart.
"Daddy," she says, walking straight into my arms.
I drop a kiss on top of her dark head and squeeze her before setting her back on her feet.
"What's wrong, kiddo?"
Her gaze darts around the room, her bottom lip going between her teeth. "Trent will be here in a few minutes," she mumbles. "I came out to meet him."
"Good." There's no one else I'd trust with my daughter right now. It's going to be a long fucking time before I forget that she could have been killed because of me. A long time.
Finn clears his throat and steps up beside me. "Hey, sweetheart," he says. "It's been a while. You okay?
She eyes him for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip, and then she looks at me. "I need to talk to him," she whispers.
"About what?" My brow furrows.
"I speak Spanish fluently."
"I know that. I taught you."
She huffs and rolls her eyes at me like I'm missing the point. "I know you know that, but they didn't know that."
"Son of a bitch," Carter mutters from beside me, immediately understanding what she means.
She's talking about Guerrero and Julio. She heard whatever they were talking about today.
"I listened to every word they said," she says, looking at Finn this time. She carefully avoids my gaze, knowing damn well I don't want her getting any deeper into this shit. But…fuck…if she heard them, she may have information that'll help bring the rest of Guerrero's people down. The team scooped up the guns and drugs today, but a lot of his people are still MIA.
"Roman?" Finn looks at me, leaving the choice up to me.
My first instinct is to tell him not to even fucking think about it. I'm her father and want to protect her exactly like I've been trying to do for the last ten years. But that hasn't worked out so well for me, and that fact has never been as clear as it is right now. Had I been honest with her from the beginning, maybe shit would have gone down differently today. Maybe she would have been prepared. Because I wasn't truthful, I left her vulnerable. As much as it kills me to admit it, not telling her everything could have gotten her killed.
"Find out what she heard," I mutter to Finn and then shoot a hard look at Tahani. "But don't you even fucking think about getting involved, Tahani Anne McPherson, you hear me?"
"I won't," she promises, smiling at me like I'm the best father ever.
"Jesus." I pull her to me and hug her hard. "I love you, kid."
"Love you too, Daddy," she says.
I look at Finn and shake my head before raking a hand through my hair. "Don't let Danvers get near her," I mumble for his ears only. The last thing I need is for Danvers to find out about Selena Ortega and Pedro Francisco's kid. There's no fucking way he'd leave that out of his report.
Finn jerks his chin, letting me know he's got her.
Arias and Carter surround her, making it clear they've got her too. I don't know what the fuck I did to inspire loyalty from Arias, but I'm grateful for it regardless. I know she'll be fine with him, Carter, and Finn watching over Tahani until Trent gets here.
With Tahani taken care of, I turn, only to come to a dead stop as my eyes land on the motherfucker stepping into the waiting room in a suit and tie, his blond hair slicked back.
"Hell no," I growl, cold fury turning my blood to lava. I'm across the room in two steps, my hand around his throat.
"M-Mr. Gregory!" Damien Wentworth's blue eyes go wide as his head smacks against the wall.
"Daddy!" Tahani cries as half a dozen cops rush us, trying to drag me away from him.
"I don't know who the fuck called you or why the fuck you think you have the right to show up here but get the fuck out," I snarl inches from his face. "She wasn't yours when you thought you had her; she isn't yours now, and she'll never be yours."
"I…I…" Damien pries at my hands as Finn and Evan try to haul me off him.
"If you ever try to come near my fiancee again, you better fucking hope it's in a room just like this so they can remove my fucking boot from your ass." I shove him against the wall before releasing him. "You slept with her boss, you piece of shit."