Page 53 of Daddy's Bodyguard

Sofia’s watery eyes remind me of Ellie after she’s taken a fall, and just like with my niece, I want to take her in my arms and console her until the pain disappears. I brush her hair back from her face with a sigh. I need to distract her. But right now, my brain is coming up blank. All I can think about is ensuring we’re protected. For right now, we’re quite safe and sound. I’m hoping it lasts, at least until I hear from Cash once more. I pick up the remote and scan through the options on the screen. “Sofia, you ever watch spy movies?”

“A few, not by choice.”

“What do you like to watch?”

“Documentaries. True crime. Sometimes, the um … how do you say …”

“You can say it in Spanish,” I murmur. I feel her eyes on me then. Glancing back at her, I give an apologetic smile. “I speak Spanish.”

“Campy movies.” She says finally, not bothering to argue with me. She rubs her foot. “How about you? Are you just interested in rom coms?”

“Honestly, I like movies that make me feel something. It sounds like a low bar, but that’s what I go for.”

She nods, not commenting. This isn’t easy for her, I can tell. I’ve been there. I remember what it was like the first time I realized that situations could really be life or death when I learned how much every decision mattered. No matter how small, no matter how insignificant. If I hadn’t been in combat, it would have taken weeks to process. For Sofia, I don’t know how long it will be.

“Pizza?”

“Yeah.”

I order, promising to pay in cash, then sit with Sofia. She’s still in a daze, her fingers running through her hair. “I should have known my dad would have gotten to this point.”

“What do you mean?” I hesitate again, not sure how to comfort her. I should wrap an arm around her or something, right? I should hug her or tell her she’s safe.

She dabs at her eyes. “The people he’s gotten off. The things they’ve done … been accused of doing. Whatever. I mean, I questioned his morals plenty, but in the last few years, it seems he’s gone from bad to worse. First, he got hired by people who claimed they were innocent, but as the years went by, his clientele was nothing but obvious criminals, even guys who were in the FBI’s most wanted list.”

Standing, Sofia chuckles, then circles the room. “I knew he had crossed over to the dark side, but I wanted to believe some of my dad was still in there. But now, there’s a hit placed on him because he didn’t get someone off, and they’re where they belong. It proves he’s as bad as I didn’t want to believe.”

“No one is all bad, Sofia. Even when it’s easier to think that,” I say, moving up to her.

She sniffs and faces me, shaking her head. “A lot ofbadpeople got away and got to hurt more people because of my dad.”

I pull her close to me, palming her hips. “What’s a good memory you have of him?”

Sofia exhales slowly. “Those memories don’t matter. Him, doing this kind of work, that’s why we’re here, stuck.”

Of course, she doesn’t want to share. We’re hitting personal spots, and if I know anything about Sofia, it’s that she’s not the type who likes personal, vulnerable conversations. Not that I can blame her.

“Let’s lay down.” I pat the bed.

She looks at it, at me, then sighs and climbs on the bed, pulling a pillow under her even though she’s on her belly. I lay on my side next to her. Sofia sucks her bottom lip and rolls her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“For?”

“Being a mess. You’re used to this kind of hard stuff, so I’m sure it’s annoying if your client just … loses it.”

“You’re entitled to losing it,” I assure her. After a slow breath, I rub my face. “My dad is a bastard too. I have a good frame of reference.”

“Yeah?” She says, turning on her side to face me.

“He’s a stubborn son of a bitch who wants things done his way, the military way, and no other way.” I nod. “Makes yours look like a walk in the park.”

She rolls her eyes. “I doubt that very much. Was he ever good?”

“With my sister, yeah. He could be gentle with her, but my brother and me … it was military discipline all day, every day. The only time I got a pat on the back was when I took out my brother’s bully, and then I was grounded for getting in trouble at school.”

“Damn.” She moves an inch closer to me.

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