Page 38 of Her Redeemed Protector

“I’m not supposed to say, but Dad’s car is around the corner.”

That sneaky bastard!

Dad exits through the kitchen into the fresh evening air to greet Kayla, his face lighting up with the same delight that brightens my heart.

“How are you, Pop Al?” she chirps, and he kneels to envelop her in a hug.

“I’m fine, Kayla,” he replies, his voice warm but laced with confusion. He exchanges a look with me, silently communicating his bewilderment, trusting I’ve already sought answers from the young girl.

Soon, my suspicions are confirmed when Fabian steps into view. His arrival brings a tension that my father and I try to mask for the sake of being civil in front of a five-year-old girl. Despite our smiles and Kayla’s hug, we know Fabian’s intentions aren’t purely paternal. He’s here for something else.

“I’ll watch Kayla,” Dad offers, giving me a nod.

With a firm hand on my back, Fabian follows me onto the porch.

“What the fuck, Fab?” I push him with my two hands.

The echoes of laughter from the backyard drift around us. He gestures toward the merriment with a note of persuasion in his voice. “Can you walk away from that?”

I cut him off sharply. “Don’t go there!”

“Give us a chance.”

“I don’t give a second chance to a backstabber!”

“Savannah, I told you again and again that I didn’t know about the takeover! I was as blindsided as you were,” he reasons. “We were good together, admit it. If anyone can lead me and Kayla to happiness again, it’s you.”

“Shut your mouth and listen,” I reply. “You and I can neverhave a second chance. I’m not that girl anymore. Your charms hold no sway over me.”

As if on cue, he flashes the seducing smile that has grown old.

I warn him, “Don’t let me catch you doing it again, or you’ll lose your smile forever.”

He remains undeterred. “Kayla adores you. She hasn’t been well since her mother left,” he divulges the troubles plaguing his family. “Juliet’s drinking got out of control. She’s in rehab now, but our relationship is over.”

I truly feel for Kayla, but I will not be manipulated into a role I haven’t chosen. “I’m not a band-aid, Fab! March your ass away and never look back.”

“You don’t want to see Kayla again?”

“Stop using her as your pawn!”

Fabian’s a flawed man, yet I acknowledge he’s a loving father. As for Juliet, my distrust for her has only deepened with her struggles. So, I sincerely hope Kayla will continue to live with Fabian. I want to remain a part of the girl’s life, but solely as a guardian angel, nothing beyond that.

Fabian takes a deep breath, apparently about to drop some major persuasion on me. “If you’re back in my life, I’ll do everything in my power to get your land back, Savannah. A lot has happened. The both of us have tasted defeats, but it’s not too late,” he tries to strike a deal, as if speaking of righting wrongs. “My business is going well in Bozeman. Even better than when I was still managing your ranch.”

“Stop right there, asshole. You’re bargaining with what’s left of my hopes now?”

“It doesn’t have to be just a dream, Savannah.”

I stand my ground. “No. And don’t you dare drag Kayla into this!”

“She’ll beg to differ,” he presses.

But I am adamant. Kayla’s friendship means the world to me, but I refuse to take the place of her mother. “I’m her friend, not a substitute for what she’s missing.”

Fabian’s demeanor shifts, his desperation on display as he reaches out, attempting to pull me close.

I push him back, my warning clear. “Leave, now. I won’t be responsible for my actions if you don’t.”

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