Page 54 of Steal

My daughter, I’m holding my daughter….

“She’s allergic to pineapple,” the fucker says, and I look at him. His demeanor softens seeing my emotions, and he says, “She loves strawberries on pancakes for breakfast.”

I nod and rasp, “Like her momma,” and his eyes soften as he nods back. “Thank you,” I whisper before I turn and head to the truck without another word.

I gently open the passenger door, place my little girl into the car seat I picked up this morning, and strap her in. She doesn’t stir, and I slowly trace her nose and the freckles lacing it.

“Let’s get you home, little red,” I whisper and shut the door quietly before I climb into the driver’s seat and start the truck. Putting it in drive, I leave the fucker’s house with my right hand holding my daughter’s while she sleeps.

Forty minutes later, between traffic and my extremely slow driving, I carry my precious daughter into her new home, a home she’ll be safe in—they both will be.

The house is two-story, with six bedrooms and eight baths.

It’s a home I envisioned building a family in with Cassidy, and now bringing my daughter inside is such a bittersweet moment.

We should have brought her home together, after she was born—the birth, the sleepless nights, her first words, first time crawling, I missed it all, and I know it’s my own fault….

I gently shut the door behind me and walk into the living area. I smile a little when I see Cass asleep on the light gray couch, wearing one of my shirts.

“Now, that is a sight I can get used to coming home to…” I mumble as I take in her bare legs.

Fuck, she’s beautiful….

Moira’s small breaths puff against my neck, and I hold her tighter to me before taking one last look at her mother, then walk up the staircase, my eyes going to the walls that are littered with photos of Cass and me, and my family, along with Perrie, and knowing my girl, Moira’s baby photos will be added in the coming weeks, because she isnotgoing back to that apartment to live. Instead, she’ll be packing her stuff up and moving where she belongs—here with me.

Gently, I lay Moira in her new bed and put her pink blanket over her. She doesn’t even move, and I can’t help but smile.

She is so much like her mother….

Speaking of her mother.

I carefully kiss my daughter’s head before turning on the star nightlight, and leaving the adjoining door to the masterbedroom ajar, before locking the main door as a precaution, just in case she wakes and gets scared.

I walk into the master and quickly shut the drapes, pull the duvet back, before I hang my cut, remove my shirt, boots, and jeans, and leave only my boxers on.

My eyes go to the picture on my bedside table, and I chew my bottom lip. Cass and I are grinning at each other, her legs wrapped around my waist.

Fuck, I want that back; I need it back, and Iwillget her back.

With a deep breath, I head downstairs. My eyes land on Cass instantly, and I lick my bottom lip, wondering if she’s going to cut my dick off in my sleep, especially when she realizes that I couldn’t be bothered to see if Medic woke from his little catnap to have my arm stitched.

I don’t want to miss a second of her or our daughter.

Quickly, I lock the front door and turn off the electric fire and lights, before I carefully pick her up. Her nose instantly goes into the neck like it used to, and I smile as I slowly walk up the stairs, then down the long hallway to the master bedroom, enjoying her in my arms again.

I place my girl on the king-sized bed and carefully cover her with the dark blue duvet, before going to the adjoining room. I check on a still-conked-out Moira and grin, finally feeling at peace, having not just my girl under my roof but also my daughter, a daughter I always wanted with Cassidy.

Fear hits me. Fuck, I need to make sure I don’t lose this.

Keeping the door ajar, I walk to the bed and carefully climb in before slowly pushing my arm underneath Cassidy’s head.I wrap my other arm over her waist, pulling her body close to mine so there’s no space between us.

Cass sighs in her sleep, and I smile, putting my face into her hair. I inhale, my body relaxing; I finally feel at home for the first time in years.

I won’t lose this feeling; I won’t lose my family. I did what I had to at the time, and if I could redo it, I would. I’d hand in my patch and tell my dad I’m sorry, but I was young, and all I wanted to do was make my dad proud.

Now, I need to show Cass that she and our daughter come before everything and everyone else—they’re my world.

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