Page 194 of Daddy's Naughty List

“I’ll carry this. You hold on to the pizza. Take a bite. You need some food in your tummy. There are snacks in the lunch box.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“You are welcome, little girl.”

He followed her outside and set the lunchbox in the passenger seat. Rocky didn’t make her nervous as she set her GPS for the first address on her list to visit that morning. He watched her back out and waved as she drove away. Melissa took another bite of pizza. It was delicious. Who knew a Daddy would let her eat pizza for breakfast?

“One more house,” Melissa said aloud in relief as she parked the car. The day had zapped all her energy. Or, more accurately, the discomfort in her arm had disintegrated all her get-up-and-go. The bandage had bled through slightly. She was afraid to look at it.

Gathering her stuff in her left arm, Melissa cradled her injured arm to her chest to protect it. She carefully let herself through the seven-foot wood fence and looked around. For once, she was glad the goofy Great Dane who lived here was inside. He was a wrecking ball of havoc on a good day. She loved Petey, but for today, having him elsewhere was a blessing.

“Hi, Melissa! Petey’s been waiting for you.” The teenager’s voice was her only warning.

Melissa turned away from the thundering canine to protect her arm. Boom! She was knocked to the ground. “Ah!” she cried as pain lanced through her arm.

“Melissa? Are you okay? Get back, Petey. I think Melissa is hurt.”

She looked up at the concerned face of the teenage son who held a lunging Petey away from her. The dog’s eagerness to share his ball with her was his sole focus. Well, that and the dog biscuits she always kept in her pocket.

“I’m okay. Just in rough shape today. I have an injury.”

“Oh, you’re bleeding. I’m so sorry.”

“He didn’t mean to knock me over. Petey’s just a big guy. Would you mind keeping him inside while I work? Just for today. I’ll play with him next week,” Melissa requested, reaching out with her good arm to scratch the dog’s head. She didn’t want Petey to think she didn’t like him.

“Of course. Are you sure you’re able to work? I’m sure Mom and Dad would be fine with skipping this time,” the teen assured her.

“I’ll get myself cleaned up and finish this in a jiffy.”

Melissa watched him drag Petey back inside. Knowing the outside camera was picking up everything, Melissa wiped the blood away quickly with one of the wipes she always carried. Quickly, she got to work. Petey had been very busy. As a big dog, he made a lot for her to collect. This was one house she visited twice a week to keep it tidy.

Controlling her grimace of pain and forcing herself to smile, Melissa hauled the waste to the trashcan. She gathered her tools and left the yard with a cheerful wave. Just that simple motion made her grit her teeth.

She took off her gloves and wiped her hands on a moist towelette for good measure. Melissa eyed the bottle of painkillers but didn’t take any more. She’d already swallowed two when she’d taken a break for lunch. Cradling her arm against her chest, Melissa fumbled with her phone, putting in Rocky’s address.Thank goodness I don’t have to go to my apartment like this.

Chapter Six

“Sweetheart, let’s get you inside.” Rocky had met her in the driveway as soon as she pulled in.

“How’d you know I needed help?” she asked.

“The last client called Tami. Tami called me. Archer found my number using the information on my driver’s license.”

“I should just go to bed. I probably need to get cleaned up first,” she said as she let him help her out of the car. Melissa plucked her shirt away from her body and saw the bloodstains. “Crap. I’ll have to soak those. I hope they come out.”

“Let’s not worry about that now. Come on, Little girl. Let’s get you inside.”

The path to the front door seemed really long even with his supportive arm wrapped around her. All her normal energy was gone. “Sorry. I’m wiped out.”

“It’s okay, Lissy.” He scooped Melissa up off her feet and carried her to the door and inside. Rocky didn’t stop until he reached the large bathroom off the main bedroom.

“Let’s get you cleaned up.”

He set her feet gently down on the floor. “You are so hot, little girl. I think you’re running a fever,” he suggested. “Did you take your antibiotic at lunch?”

“I—I think so,” she mumbled.

“We’ll worry about that later,” Rocky told her as he pulled her shirt up and over her head before easing it over her arm. “When did this start bleeding?”

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