Page 43 of Papa's Bébé
Jesus, had it really taken her this long to work that out?
“Marlin is more than capable of looking after himself,” Kathryn said, setting those dark orbs onto Maya. “It’s you we’re all so worried about, dear.”
Right. So worried.
She figured that Kathryn wouldn’t put her out if Maya was on fire and Kathryn was holding a hose.
Heck, Maya was kind of worried that if she was crossing the road and Kathryn was driving that she’d speed up to hit her.
“Me? There can’t be any real risk to me,” she said. “I’m no one.”
“Of course you are,” her father said. “You’re my daughter.”
Not his baby or a sweetheart, though.
“Right, but we’re not exactly close. Why would this person target me?”
“Not close?” her father thundered.
Shoot.
She needed to be more careful about what she said. Her dad had a notorious temper and she seemed to be excellent at riling it.
“Be calm, dear,” Kathryn said to him, coming over to lay a hand on his shoulder. “You know that you can’t get all worked up. You have to think of your heart.”
His heart?
“What’s wrong with your heart?” she asked in alarm. Now, she was starting to feel terrible. Did she know nothing that was going on with her family?
“It’s nothing,” he said, waving a hand in the air. “Just palpitations. Nothing to concern yourself with.”
Kathryn shot her a look. A clear warning not to upset her father.
For once, Maya agreed with her.
“And I don’t like to hear you say we’re not close,” he added. “Your mother would be so upset if she knew you thought that.”
She didn’t just think it. She knew it. However, she simply nodded.
“That still doesn’t mean that anyone will target me,” she said. “Right?”
She glanced around at everyone, but no one agreed with her.
Shit.
“You really think this puts me in danger?” she asked.
“Yes.” Her father patted her hand. “And that’s why I think you should move back home. Where we can protect you properly.”
Oh God.
Now she really was going to be ill.
8
“Move back in here?” She couldn’t have heard him correctly.
“Yes, Maya,” her dad replied firmly. “Move back here.”
