Page 20 of Broken Daddy
She smiled at him tightly. “Well, I would get on with my work if you’d let me go.”
Aaron snarled and let go of her so suddenly that she nearly stumbled.
Lord. What was wrong with the men in this town? Between Vega, her father, and Aaron she felt like she was surrounded by assholes.
Thank God for Mac. He was keeping her faith in men alive.
And maybe Hayes. He seemed like a decent guy. Not that she could know that for sure.
Forcing a small smile and hoping that she didn’t look as shaken as she felt, she walked out to place the muffin in front of Mrs. Dearsley.
“Thank you, Devi. How is your father?” she asked.
“He’s all right. Thanks, Mrs. D.” She’d known the older woman for years. And she didn’t think she’d want to hear how, when she’d gotten home from the bar last night, she’d done a small dance of joy to find her father gone.
She had no idea where he’d gone and part of her wished that wished he’d never return.
Devi realized that was a terrible thing to think about her own father. But he hadn’t been her dad for a long time. He was the noose around her neck. The anchor holding her down, drowning her.
And removing him from her life would be like scraping the rot off her bones.
Gruesome, but true.
Although she hadn’t gotten much sleep; she’d been too on edge, worried that he was going to come home drunk and mad.
But by the time she’d left this morning, he still wasn’t home.
Long may that last.
Rushing back to grab the next coffee order, she realized it was for Sondra and Donovan. Her new bodyguard.
Where was Hayes? Had he been replaced?
You do not feel sad about that.
You barely knew him.
“Here you go,” she said as she put the drinks down on their table.
“Thank you, Devi,” Sondra said.
“Yes, thank you, Devi,” Donovan added.
“Are you all right today?” Sondra asked, surprising her. “No bruises?”
Shit.
How did she know about the bruise on her arm? For one moment, alarm filled her. Then she realized that there was no way Sondra could know about Vega.
She had to be talking about the fall she’d taken yesterday.
Urgh.
She’d forgotten about that. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t a major occurrence. And it happened often.
Still embarrassing, though. Especially in front of Hayes. It was like having a giant pimple on your nose when you run into your crush.
Not that she had a crush on Hayes. That would be stupid.
