Page 95 of Branded
“I’m here,” I whispered. “I’ll make it okay.”
“I know,” she whispered back. “But he’s?—”
Her gaze went across the room, where her father was glaring, arms crossed, his impatience palpable and almost whip-like.
“—he can be really…mean.” The last almost inaudible.
There.
My underwear was halfway under the foot of the bed.
I tagged it, dragged it up my legs. Then I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, tucking Kailey close, and went to face the fucking dick who was pacing across the rug in her living room.
She was trembling, but she still managed to ask. “Why did you come?”
Her father’s expression soured further. “I told you?—”
“I didn’t answer my phone?” she interrupted, nails biting into my side. “That doesn’t explain why you flew across the country and invaded my apartment in the middle of the night.”
“You’re my only daughter.” A snapped-out response. “And it’s incredibly disrespectful to be questioning me when I’m only concerned for your well-being.”
“I-I didn’t answer for twenty-four hours, and instead of waiting like a normal person for a response, you took the jet and?—”
“Wanted to make sure you were okay?” His volume increased, and Kailey flinched.
“You sh-should have?—”
Venom in his tone that had her flinching again. “I should have what exactly?”
And that was enough.
I shifted, tucking Kailey behind me. “You need to go.”
Her father rocked back slightly. “Excuse me?”
“You’re acting like an asshole and scaring your daughter.” Rage roiled across the father’s face, but I pressed on. “If you want to be in her life”—fuck that, but I wouldn’t deny Kailey anything, not even this—“then you need to get your shit together, come back at a reasonable time with a better fucking attitude.”
“And who the fuck are you?” her father snapped.
“I’m the man who loves your daughter and won’t stand by while she gets abused.”
A vein flickered in her father’s forehead, but he didn’t say anything, just spun on his heel and strode toward the door, whipping it wide. He turned back on the threshold, bypassing me completely, his gaze moving to Kailey’s, who’d sidled forward slightly and was glued to my side. “Next time I call, pick up the phone.”
The order brought another tremble through her body.
“She’ll decide when and where to answer her calls,” I said.
Cold green eyes coming to mine.
I stood my ground.
Then her father was through the door, the heavy panel slamming loudly behind him.
Moving quickly, I drew Kailey close as I locked the door then lifted her into my arms as I strode back to bed. Blankets up and over her. Arms wrapped tight.
But her trembles were intense, only growing stronger.
So, I held tighter and waited long minutes, practicing patience even though my insides were clawing at me to do something, to chase after that fucker and help him understand what an NHL player’s fist felt like.
