Page 187 of Daddy's Naughty List

“No. That’s not a cat. I’m sorry. You should leave. The smell of the pizza must have attracted them.”

“Them?” Rocky asked and got to his feet.

“Take the pizza with you. They’ll leave as soon as they investigate.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “And the chocolate. You should take that, too.”

He could see the regret on her face. What was going on here? Rocky suspected she thought he had stood up to leave. He wasn’t walking out of here and leaving his Little injured and menaced by something.

Heading for the kitchen, he stopped when she whispered, “Don’t turn on the light. That makes them mad.”

Rocky flipped on the switch. Two enormous rats stood in the middle of her kitchen. They hissed at him.Oh, hell no.

“Get out of here,” he yelled and stomped his feet. They stood their ground for a few seconds before racing under the cabinets.

Turning back into the living space, he asked, “You’re living here with rats?”

“I haven’t seen them since Archer put in the extra boards to keep them out. They must have chewed through them. Or they ate through the drywall. They’ve done that before.”

Her explanation jarred him. No one should live like this. He tried to keep his expression calm but knew he’d failed when she blurted, “I don’t keep food in here. Just peanut butter and bread. I store it in the fridge so they can’t get to it.”

“Your employer and her Daddy are letting you live here?” he asked.

Melissa straightened her back and placed her feet back on the ground before rising stiffly. “I am an adult. I take care of myself. No one can force me to do anything I don’t want to do. I’m sorry my apartment isn’t up to your standards. I’ll ask you to leave now, please.”

Melissa stalked to the door and flipped open the top lock she’d engaged after letting him in. Opening the door, she waited for him to leave. She looked at the floor after making sure the hallway was clear.

“Close the door, little girl. I’m not leaving you here to deal with rats. They are dangerous and often infected with different diseases.”

“I know. I’ve heard all this before. Getting out of here is at the top of my list. I just don’t have enough to move yet.”

“Close the door, Melissa. Come sit down and talk to me.”

“The pizza’s going to bring more here. Can you just leave and take it with you?”

“Food is safe in the refrigerator, right?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Rocky grabbed the pizza box and bag of candy from the floor. He opened the fridge and shook his head at the sight of a small jar of generic peanut butter and a store brand bag of thinly sliced bread. Nothing else. No jelly, no mustard, no sodas, no nothing.

Forcing himself to control his anger, Rocky fit the large box into the fridge. He opened the bag of chocolates and pulled out three before adding the candy to an empty shelf. Returning, he told her again, “Close the door, little girl. I’ll leave after we talk if you want me to.”

Rocky set the kisses on the chair she’d crouched on and perched himself precariously in the other. To his relief, she closed the door. As he watched, she automatically relatched the first lock. It wasn’t safe here for many reasons.

Melissa collected the chocolates and lifted them to her nose. Inhaling their scent, she sat down.

“Eat,” he told her gently when she didn’t open them. “You don’t want them to melt in your hand.”

She shook her head, obviously appalled by that idea, and unwrapped the foil to pop the first one into her mouth. A moan of delight came from deep inside her. Immediately, Rocky wanted to hear that sound for a completely different reason.

“It’s so good. Thank you,” she mumbled, covering her mouth.

“I’m glad.”

He waited until she’d popped the second into her mouth before telling her, “I mentioned that I’ve waited a long time to find my Little girl. I don’t think I told you how long I’ve searched to find you.”

She looked up and knew she was replaying their conversation in her head. “No. Has it been a long time?”

“Twenty-four years, three months, and twelve days.”

---