Page 115 of Safe and Sound

As red painted my vision, my palm cracked against his cheek. “You pompous bastard!”

Dare narrowed his eyes at me. “The truth is one of us brought danger to Piper’s door, and it wasn’t me.”

“I hate you,” I spat.

“I don’t give a shite about how you feel. This isn’t about you or me anymore. It’s about our daughter.” Smacking his hand against his chest, Dare replied, “I won’t ever let you keep her from me again!”

Fear ricocheted through me. “You won’t take her away.”

“Watch me.”

“No judge in their right mind would award you any custody with your background.”

Dare sneered at me. “You don’t want to test my power, Ava.”

I gasped. “Are you threatening me?”

“Just stating facts.”

“How can you be so cruel?”

“Me? I’m the cruel one? You kept my daughter’s existence a secret from me. You denied me experiencing her being born, taking her first steps…” He shuddered. “Calling me daddy.”

“I did what I had to do.”

“By coming to enlist my help to kill the man hurting you, your cruelty deepened even further because youstilldidn’t tell me about her. I could’ve gone my entire life not knowing about her.” He shook his head painfully. “You’re a cruel hearted bitch, Ava.”

The mask of strength I’d kept up evaporated at his words. For the first time, I saw myself through Dare’s eyes. How hurtful my choices had been.

And I hated myself more than he did.

A sob tore loose from my chest. Sweeping my hands over my face, I wept openly, not caring what Dare thought of me.

A commotion came from behind me. Jerking my hands away from my face, I watched in horror as Piper came charging forward with her t-ball bat in hand.

Before I could stop her, she whacked Dare in the knees. “Feckin’ hell!” he shouted in agony as he collapsed to the floor.

Piper moved to stand over him, glaring down at him with the bat raised and ready to strike again. “Piper, no!” I cried.

“You hurt Mommy!” Piper shouted as Dare rubbed his knees.

With wide-eyes, Dare stared at Piper. I steeled myself for his rage. But instead of losing his shit, Dare threw back his head with a laugh. “She’s a Kavanaugh all right.”

Piper tilted her head at me. “Mommy, what’s a kava…”

As her auburn brows furrowed, Dare replied, “Kavanaugh.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s not what but who.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jerking his chin at her, Dare said, “Do you think you could lower that bat?”

Without missing a beat, she said, “Do you prowmise not to make mommy cwy?”

“I promise.”

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