Page 100 of Broken Daddy
“Couldn’t do that.”
There was a beat of silence. And then Hayes started swearing. She whimpered, too overwhelmed. Not scared by him, but by the situation.
He immediately quieted. “Devi, baby, are you hurt?”
“I don’t . . . I don’t k-know if I’m m-meant to tell you.” Damn stuttering.
“What does that mean you don’t know if you’re meant to tell me?” he asked quietly.
“She’s worried about you getting upset,” Zander explained. “This is what you’re going to do. Come to the hospital, Honey will send the details.”
“That blood in the trailer is hers?” Hayes asked quietly.
“Yes, it is,” Zander replied calmly. “But she’s going to be just fine. We just thought it was best to move quickly. And that you might not have been too happy to find her in the state we did.”
More silence.
What was happening? What was he thinking? Was he okay?
“I can assure you that I am completely composed. I’m not sure why you thought I wouldn’t be. Devi and I are friends.”
They were?
That was nice. And at the same time, she felt a bit sad.
Why was she feeling sad? She knew he didn’t feel anything for her.
He was just a bit protective of her.
Maybe Zander and Honey’s words had gotten her hopes up. She shouldn’t have let that happen.
“I will meet you there. Devi, I’ll see you soon.”
22
Hayes pulled up at the hospital. He was lucky that there were no cops out tonight since he’d sped the entire way. But now that he was here . . . he couldn’t seem to get out of his truck.
There was a strange lump in his throat. A tightness in his belly.
He’d nearly lost his mind when he’d gotten to the trailer and she wasn’t there . . . and then there was the blood.
Fuck. So much blood.
He wasn’t squeamish. He’d been a SEAL, he’d seen a lot over those years and yet none of that had ever made him panic or want to hurl.
Or punch a hole in a trailer wall. He’d have to fix that. Although that trailer was already in a bad state.
You cannot go in there like this.
This wasn’t him. He never reacted this . . . strongly to anything anymore.
Because you don’t let yourself care about anyone.
But you care about her.
Shit.
He didn’t want to have feelings for her. He didn’t think he could go through losing someone he cared about again.
