Page 47 of Outplayed

She sniffed. “S-she came to kinder, at the fence. She told me it was my fault you didn’t love her. S-she said she hated me a-and wanted me gone.”

Fucking hell. Jesus motherfucking Christ.

I cleared my thick throat. “Gone?”

“D-dead, Daddy.” I could hear the tears in her voice.

I gripped her tighter to me. “Baby, princess… my sweet Izzy. Your mum’s sick. She doesn’t know what she says, but I want you to know you’ll never see her again.”

“I-is it bad I don’t want to?”

“No, princess, it’s not bad at all.” I sat on her bed, laid her down, and I lay next to her, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Miss Violet would never, ever hate you, Izzy. She cares a great deal for you. I promise.”

At least I knew that was certain.

“Okay, Daddy.” She yawned, wiping at her tears.

“How about I lay here until you fall asleep.”

“Yes.”

“You know I’d never let anything happen to you, right, Izzy?”

Her smile settled me just a little, though anger still burned deep. She curled into me, her hand resting on mine over my chest. “I know, Daddy.”

It took a little while for my girl to drift off. I’d read to her, told her stories of Violet since she wanted to hear some.

Finally asleep, I kissed her cheek and quietly walked out.

My phone rang as I walked down the hall. When I saw Trisha’s name pop up, I quickly pushed my anger down and answered it. “Trisha, everything all right?”

“Anton and I are out to dinner,” she whispered into the phone.

“Is there trouble? Do you need help?” Briefly, I wondered why she was calling me and not her brother. Either way, if she needed us to kick someone’s arse, we would. Then again, she was with her husband and since he was a boxer, I would think he’d take care of any situation.

“No, it’s great…. Look, it’s nothing like that. Ah….”

“Trisha, what is it then?”

“It’s Violet. She’s also on a date at the same place.”

“Where?” I snarled into the phone. I took the stairs two at a time on the way down, heading for my office. Trisha rattled off the place. “I’ll be there shortly,” I said, and hung up. I stalked into the office.

Link looked over. “I’ll send the recording to the right people. Make sure she’s in custody by morning.”

“So you did get it?”

“Fuck yes.”

“Good.” I nodded. “You’ll need to get a message to her somehow.”

“I know a few birds on the inside,” Link said.

“She needs to know if she ever gets out and shows her face to me or anyone in my family, she’ll find a fucking bullet between the eyes.” Even though I wanted her in pain, even killed now, I’d rather her rot in jail and live her days in hell.

“Done,” Link bit out; he was just as furious as I was.

At my desk, I pulled the drawer open and snatched up my keys. “I have to go out. Will you stay for Izzy?”

---