Page 21 of Burned

She stiffened and sniffed. “Don’t get me wrong, Sadie is a nice lady and all but…never mind.” Carys shook her head.

He grasped her chin between his finger and thumb and raised her head. “What were you going to say? Tell me.”

“Well, sometimes…sometimes I think she doesn’t like me. Maybe she doesn’t mean it but she says some things like it would be better if I wasn’t around. Maybe I misunderstood or something, after all, she does seem nice and all. When you’re around she’s a lot nicer though.”

This was news to him. From his observations, Sadie had been trying really hard with Carys. This didn’t sound like something his Sadie would say. “I’m sure you misunderstood her.”

“I guess so, after all, she’s nothing like those other women you brought home. But then again you believed they were nice at one point too. I’m not saying Sadie is like that for sure, but I don’t want you to be hurt again, Daddy.”

Rhys kissed the top of her head before letting her go. “Sadie isn’t like that, Carys. Just give her a chance, okay? She’s really special to me. And just remember, nothing will ever change the way I feel about you. I’ll tell you what. We’ll spend the entire weekend together.”

Her eyes lit up. “Just you and me?”

“Yes. If you’d like.”

“Oh, I would but…I thought you had plans with Sadie.”

“I’m sure she won’t mind me wanting to spend some quality time with my daughter. She and I can go out another time.”

“Great! We’ll go to the movies and then we’ll go the stables and ride. It will be just like old times when it was you and me.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Daddy.” Carys practically skipped out of the room from there.

Rhys collapsed in his chair, his stomach tied in knots. Had Sadie really said that to Carys? He wanted to believe she was different from his past mistakes, but coupled with her recent coldness, he was starting to wonder.

* * *

“Are you sure, you don’t want to join us for ice cream? I would love to have you along and so would Carys,” Rhys cajoled on the other end of the phone. His voice had the power to make her panties wet, but Sadie decided to remain firm. Besides, the mention of his evil troll spawn was enough to dissipate any amorous feelings she may have been experiencing.

“No thanks. As you said on Thursday night, you haven’t spent a lot of quality time with your daughter lately. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your special time.”

Lily, who was painting her toenails a few feet away from Sadie, rolled her eyes.

Sadie held up her finger to tell her sister she’d only be on the phone for a few more minutes. “Besides, my sister is visiting right now, so I can’t leave her.”

“So how about we bring over a couple cones for you and her. We’re not too far from your place right now.”

Releasing a sigh, she shook her head even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “Really, Rhys. It’s okay. We’ll see each other another time. I have to go, but enjoy the rest of your outing.”

“Now wait just a minute. You’re ending the conversation like that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Rhys.”

“The hell you don’t. Something has been going on with you lately and I’m not sure what but this ice maiden act is wearing thin.”

She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at it. What the hell? “Ice maiden act? Are you serious?”

He sighed. “Okay. That was a bit harsh, but something has been wrong between us lately, and I don’t know what it is and I wish you’d tell me. I thought you might actually like to join us. Silly of me for thinking you’d actually want to spend time with your boyfriend.”

It wasn’t the spending time with the boyfriend she objected to, it was being in the presence of an omnipotent evil and having to constantly be on her guard. She didn’t have the energy to deal with Carys’s snide and hurtful remarks nor did she have the energy to have this conversation when her spirits were already low. “I’m not sure why you would think I wouldn’t want to be with you considering we had plans this weekend. But you were the one who called me to say you needed to spend time with Carys and I’m fine with that. What I can’t understand is why you’re getting excited because I don’t want to come out with you for ice cream.”

“Because perhaps I’m beginning to suspect you have a problem with my daughter.”

Sadie froze. What had Carys done now? It wouldn’t surprise her if the Bride of Chucky was making mischief for her even when she wasn’t there. She just couldn’t win it seemed. “If that’s what you want to believe, I won’t try and change your mind. Look, I gotta go. Take care of yourself, Rhys.” She clicked off before he could respond.

Lily who’d been in mid-stroke, looked up from her task. “What the hell just happened?”

“I…I think Rhys and I just broke up.” She blinked hard to stop the flow of tears she knew were on the way, but they wouldn’t be denied. They swam down her cheeks. Could this day get anymore shitty?

Lily was on her feet in a flash. “Oh, sweetheart.” She wrapped her arms around Sadie and rocked her as she cried like a baby. Lily was a sympathy crier and after a moment they were both crying. “That rat bastard.” she sniffed. “I bet it’s all the daughter of Damien’s fault. If you would have given me just five minutes alone in a room with her I would have checked that little bitch like a hockey player. I don’t care about child abuse laws. I am so not afraid to body slam a kid. I knew something was off with that girl the minute I saw her. With an uncle like hers, it’s no wonder she turned out so evil.”

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