Page 41 of Daddy's Little Sunshine

“This is fucking bullshit.” Fury rose up in him until he was shouting again. “They’re getting away with performing experiments on people, right under your goddamn noses.”

“Yeah. Pisses me off, too. But the, eh,situationyesterday will go a long way toward building our case against them and eventually getting them shut down.”

“The fuckingsituation? The situation where you almost got us both killed, that situation?”

“Yes.”

If he hadn’t had Lainey in his lap, Donovan was sure he would have strangled her. Since he was forced to sit and glare at her, his mind went into overdrive trying to put the pieces together. “Wait. You weren’t my neighbor by accident, were you?”

Ms. Edith snorted. “Please. You think you can work for a man like Rico Moretti and not end up on someone’s radar? Once the story of how you met him reached us, we started keeping tabs on you.”

“You were keeping tabs on me and you still let Lainey get kidnapped? No offense, but it doesn’t sound like you’re very good at your jobs.”

“Donovan!” Lainey slapped his chest. When he turned his glare on her, she tilted her chin up defiantly. “They rescued us, remember?”

“We did.” Sighing, Ms. Edith shook her head. “But he’s right. You never should have been taken. When I realized you hadbeen, I called for an extraction team. But I had a feeling Donny here was going to tear the city apart looking for you, so I made a judgement call and we went in ahead of the team.” Her lips twitched. “I’m sure I’ll get slapped down for that move, but all’s well that ends well, right?”

“Jesus Christ,” Donovan muttered. “This is seriously fucked up, you know that, right?”

“I know. We’ve got our work cut out for us. As for you two—” The door behind her opened and a soldier walked in, carrying Lainey’s duffel bag and the portfolio with all their papers and everything they needed to start their lives over. The soldier placed the items on the table, and at Edith’s nod, left the room again. “Here you are.”

“You’re letting us go?” Lainey asked, her voice so full of hope, it was almost painful to hear.

“Yup. Free and clear.” Ms. Edith walked to the door and paused with her hand on the knob. “Florida has some pretty unpredictable weather, you know. A few random storms aren’t going to faze anybody.”

They were escortedto the Park and Ride where the SUV Rico had gotten for them waited. Pulling the keys from the portfolio, Donovan unlocked the doors. He stashed the duffel and their papers in the backseat while Lainey went around to the passenger side.

But when he came around the side of the car, she was standing there with the door open, staring at the inside of thecar. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Lainey? Is something wrong?”

“Please don’t send me away!” she blurted out, throwing her arms around his neck.

“What? Why the hell would I send you away?” Baffled, he ran a hand down her back as she sniffled in his arms.

“This is all my fault. If I’d just listened to you and not talked to anybody, none of this would have happened. You got hurt because I didn’t listen to you!”

“Sunshine. It’s not your fault.”

“Yes, it is!” she wailed.

“Lainey. Baby.” He pulled away and lifted a hand to her chin, tilting her face up. The tears in her gorgeous gray eyes tore at his heart. “This wasn’t your fault. And even if it was, I wouldn’t send you away. What does happen when you disobey me?”

The corners of her lips turned up in a shaky smile. “You spank me.”

“Damn straight. But I will never send you away.” Grinning, he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Besides, we’re married.”

He eyes went wide. “Married?”

“Yup. The papers Rico got for us say we’re married. You’re stuck with me, sunshine.”

She blinked twice, then threw her head back and laughed. “That is the worst proposal I’ve ever heard.”

“I’ll do it right later. With a big, shiny diamond and everything. What do you say, sunshine? Marry me?”

“Yes.” The fear finally faded from her eyes and love filled them. “Rain or shine, richer or poorer, whatever. I love you.”

This time, the words came easily. “I love you, Lainey. You are my sunshine.”

“Awww, Daddy. You big softie.”

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