Page 93 of Tinley's Daddy
“Rayna!” Kyler came stomping down the hall. “I sent you upstairs. How did you get down here?”
Rayna’s eyes dropped to the floor.
“I told you the secret passage was only for emergencies.” He stood with his hands on his hips.
“This was an emergency, Daddy.” Rayna stood in front of him. “I had to make sure Tinley wasn’t leaving us.”
I expected him to reprimand her or protest, but he turned his attention to me instead.
“Well?” He growled.
“Uhm.” I shrank back into Josh’s arms. “I’m staying.”
A smile crept up the side of his mouth. I spotted it for a second, but it disappeared quickly.
“Now that it’s all settled” —he picked Rayna up— “I think this one here needs a nap. I want to be wheels up to Vegas by seven p.m.” He didn’t wait for an answer.
They disappeared the same way Rayna had come from.
“I’m going to talk to Charlotte and then I think I might need a nap with my Daddy, too.”
Josh kissed the side of my neck and then pushed me forward with a smack on my bottom.
“Hey.” I rubbed the sting away. “Will you come with me?” I held my hand out. He took it and followed me into the living room.
Charlotte stood near the fireplace, studying the photos.
“You packed?”
“Charlotte.” I sat on the couch and patted the seat next to me. “I’m going to stay with Josh.”
She shifted to the side.
I looked over at Josh. He gave me a reassuring nod.
“It’s really important for me to be in a space where I feel safe and for me right now it’s with him.” I grabbed her arm, but she pulled it away.
“You don’t even know these people.” Her lips curled up in a snarl. “You have to come back to Pittsburgh. Everyone wants to see you and make sure you’re okay. I planned?—”
“Planned what?” I asked.
“Uhm.” She shrugged. “Just everyone wants to make sure you’re okay and you’re back. The news is anxious for your story and a few podcasts have reached out to get you to share your ordeal.” She made quotation marks with her fingers.
I was taken aback. I blinked and sat back.
“Podcast.” I smirked. “I’m not going on any podcast.”
“Or I thought we could start one ourselves.” Charlotte grabbed my arms, but I pulled away. “There’s so much money in it and your story is like the hottest topic.”
“Charlotte.” I stood. “I think you need to leave.” I walked over to Josh. I sat on his knee and shook my head.
“But we need to talk about this more.” She stood. “You have no idea what I’ve been through these last years. You need to help me out. I have lost my sister because of you.” She stood in front of me. “You owe me.”
That sounded more like the Charlotte I remembered.
“That’s enough.” Josh stood between us. “Charlotte. Get out of my house before I have you removed.” Josh added a Kyler-style growl for emphasis.
It was super sexy.
