Page 93 of Clean Slade
He left the room, slowly at first, and then ran to his daughter’s side, leaving me alone with a dead body.
What was going on?
I was more intrigued than scared. The guy’d had it coming. He’d tried to take or hurt Mac. He probably belonged to a mob. We couldn’t have just let him go.
Hell, I’d probably have done the same thing. I just never expectedhimto do it.
Mac’s laugh echoed through the room, and I snapped back to it.
Focus, Slade.
I made two calls. One of them to Joey.
Then I went into Mac’s bedroom and checked on them.
King held his daughter in his arms as Mac giggled, trying to escape him.
“Slade! Did we wake you up?” she asked.
“No, sweetie. I…I’ve got a surprise for you.”
King frowned.
“What kind of surprise?”
“How would you like to spend the night with Uncle Tiago and Uncle Joey.”
Mac screeched and jumped up and down on the bed.
“I’m not a fan of the ‘Uncle Joey’ thing.” He covered his ears and glared.
“Wait, what time is it?” Mac stopped and asked.
King and I exchanged a glance, and he bit his lip.
“Definitely past your bedtime,” he answered her.
Mac pursed her lips and frowned.
“Then why are we going to Uncle Tiago and Uncle Joey’s?”
“Because…um…” He stared at the bed, at the room, anywhere but his daughter, as he fumbled with his words. “Because…”
“Because your dad and I need to go out somewhere, and they’re going to look after you until we’re back.”
Mac had had enough lies thrown at her. Sometimes the truth was the best policy, especially with a smart cookie like her.
“Oh. Okay. Where are you and Daddy going?”
Damn it. I didn’t think this through.
“Do you want to go to Uncle Tiago’s or not?” King asked her, and Mac bit her lips shut and nodded.
“Come on. Let’s pack a bag real quick.”
When that was done, we made our way to the car, and Mac climbed in the back before King closed the door behind her.
“I…I think I’ll stay here and wait for you to come back,” he told me. “Make sure nothing else happens.”
