Page 153 of Safe and Sound

“I know.”

“I did so good, Dare. I didn’t even bweathe when the men came lookin’,” she related.

I pressed my forehead against hers. I couldn’t believe how close she had come. “You’re the best damn hider, Pipes. I’m so fucking proud of you.”

She beamed under my praise. “What’s my prize?”

“What do you want?”

Tilting her head, she appeared lost in thought. “I wants a dollhouse like Julesy has.”

“Then you will have it.”

She squealed before diving into my arms. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my arms tightly around her. “You’s sqooshing me.”

“I’m sorry.”

Niall appeared in the doorway. At the sight of Piper in my arms, he nodded before bending at the waist and heaving air in and out of his mouth. When he recovered, he righted himself. “Piper is safe and with Dare,” he spoke into his microphone at his shoulder.

“We need to get them out of here and back to Boston. Preferably Callum’s.”

Nodding, Niall came over to me. “I’ll take her.” When I refused to let Piper out of my arms, he gave me a sad smile. “I don’t think Ava will leave with anyone but you.”

With a resigned sigh, I handed Piper over to Niall. “Where we going?” she asked.

“We’re going on an adventure to Boston.”

“Can I see Julesy?”

“Yes, Niall is going to take you to Julianna's house.”

”What about my kitties?”

“They’ll be okay here.”

She shook her head furiously back and forth. “No, no. They need me.”

“Piper, we–”

“But Mommy says I has to take cares of them.”

Since there was no point in arguing with her right now, I replied, “You’re right.” Jerking my chin at Niall, I said, “Change of plans. You take her to Callum’s. Ava and I need to make a stop at her parents.”

“Gotcha.”

“Secure her in the car, and I’ll bring the cats.”

Piper wrinkled her nose. “But they don’t like you.”

Ignoring her, I headed back inside. After grabbing a can of tuna out of the pantry, I jogged back upstairs. One crack of the can’s lid and I was the hero of the hour. After depositing them into their carrier, I hurried them out to the waiting car.

After hoisting them through the window to Piper, I found myself rooted to my spot. The words were on my tongue that I so desperately needed to say. Considering how close I had come to losing her, I knew it was now or never.

“I love you, Piper.”

She blinked at me in surprise. Although I desperately wanted her to say the words back to me, I didn’t want to force her. I wanted her to say it when she was ready. “Drive on,” I commanded Niall.

He threw the SUV into reverse. As I started back into the garage, the SUV abruptly stopped. When I turned around, Piper’s head poked out of the backseat window. “I loves you, too, Darey!”

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