Page 20 of Forbidden Heat

“Better than I do now,” I shoot back. “For fuck’s sake, Peter. You’ve endangered your daughter’s life to save your goddamn pride!”

His voice sounds perilously close to a whine. “I didn’t know it would turn out this way!”

“It’s the fucking mob, Peter. This is how they operate. You should have known.”

There’s a long silence before he says, “They want a share of the business. I said no. That’s when they mentioned Haley.”

Rage blinds me. Smart of these mobsters, to hire outside help for abducting Haley instead of trying to do it themselves. If they’d gotten a little luckier, if their target had been someone a little less prepared, they might have succeeded.

The image of Haley held captive by vicious criminals turns my blood cold. Shoving those thoughts aside, I focus on the now. “We’re going to get you out of this, Peter.”

“I don’t deserve your help, Cam.” His voice cracks. “I know that.”

“No, you don’t.” I’m not about to coddle his feelings. “But Haley doesn’t deserve to lose her father just because he’s an idiot.”

He snorts out a half-laugh. “You always did have a knack for brutal honesty.”

“You are going to do exactly as I say. In every particular. Do you understand me?”

“Yes. Thank you, Cameron.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank your daughter. If you hadn’t sent her to me, they’d be writing your epitaph.”

There’s another pause before he says, with a hint of paternal authority in his voice, “Are you falling for my girl, Cam?”

“Let’s save that conversation for another time.” I can’t look Haley in the eye and tell her I let her father die, not without trying to help him. But as far as I’m concerned, Peter’s forfeited his rights to have any say about her life.

I’m the one standing between Haley and this mess her father’s gotten himself into. And I’m the one who’s going to keep protecting her. If I do manage to save Peter from his own stupidity, I still won’t send her back to him. He can’t be trusted anymore.

The implications of that sentiment are more than I’m prepared to grapple with right now. One thing at a time. First, I need to outmaneuver the mob.

Once Peter’s safe, I’ll deal with my feelings for his daughter.

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