Page 94 of Broken Daddy

This close, I can see the manic fury light up his eyes. He scrambles against my grip for a moment, shoes dragging against the bark. With a sharp slam, he goes perfectly still.

“Move like that again and I’ll snap your neck.”

“I’ll claim assault,” he hisses. “I’m covered in blood, you’re unharmed. And this one.” He nods to Gen. “She has a reputation already for harassing coworkers.”

Now it’smyturn to smile as I scan the property line, nodding at an inconspicuous white camera.

“Good luck. I’m pretty sure we have multiple angles ofyoucoming afterher, asshole.”

Only moments later, the sound of sirens chirps from far off in the distance. Gen wraps a hand around my stiff forearm, but I refuse to let go. When our eyes meet, I try to communicate all the impulsive thoughts throbbing through me right now.Never again. I’ll never let someone hurt you like this again.

I’ll die first.

Chapter39

Genevieve

“Nothing major,” the doctor reports, turning my chin one way and then the other. “From what I hear, the other guy is in much worse condition.”

“That’s because he dealt with me,” Nathan growls in a voice so low I’m not sure the doctor hears him. He’s too busy jotting down notes for his report.

Though heisin worse shape, Erik had a head start by catching me off guard. He ripped out a few chunks of hair and my scalp is bleeding in those places. I also have serious gravel burn down the side of my left calf, enough that I had to undress and get it cleaned and bandaged. Already I can see pink blooming through.

“Dad,” Eva whispers from her seat next to Nathan, “I don’t like this place. Can we go home?”

I smile at her, but it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “Sorry, Eva. If it makes you feel any better, I don’t like hospitals, either.”

The problem, I think, is that we came in through averybusy emergency room. The bustle and loud noises, the moaning patients, and security guards shouting really freaked Eva out. On top of that, I was taken ahead of the two of them—Nate was asked to stay behind at the house and give a preliminary report while I was transported right to the emergency room.

Outside the room, a cop shifts from foot to foot. I’m not sure if it’s one of the cops I’ve talked to before about all the crap Erik pulled these last few months. My shoulders hunch forward and I feel suddenly weightless, relieved, and exhausted.

“We’ll go when we know Genevieve is okay,” Nate explains quietly, his eyes never leaving me.

My body goes warm at being watched so closely. It feels…good. Safe.

But I’m also embarrassed. Embarrassed one of my previous coworkers somehow got so obsessed with me that he’s been stalking me for months. That he managed to get me fired, and then tried to sabotage my entire career. That he harassed the poor girl who was subletting my apartment and slashed the tires on Nate’s car.

“I’m sorry.”

It comes out as a whisper. Nate frowns.

“You have nothing to be sorry about, Gen.”

The doctor, who I didn’t even realize was listening, chimes in. “My colleague is doing the workup on your guy and trust me, he’s going to have a visit from psych.” His eyes snap to mine. Cold, calculating, honest. This is a man who would tell you if you were dying. “There won’t be much of a legal battle here at all.”

Nate nods in agreement.

“Is it on video?” I ask, hesitant to find out. If the security cameras caught the attack, it might be all I need to get a restraining order, at the very least. Ideally, Erik goes away for a few years.

A small hand burrows into mine. I look down, then back up at Eva, who smiles self-consciously.Thank you,I mouth. My heart swells with love for the little girl.

Nate slings an arm around his daughter and his previously satisfied expression melts away. He looks at the top of Eva’s head, contemplating.

I want so badly to be able to read his thoughts right now. Is he angry I put the two of them in jeopardy? Is he regretting hiring me and getting him into this mess?

There’s a light knock on the open door and Chris Sharpe is standing therelookingsharp. He’s wearing a suit—the first one I’ve ever seen him in—and he steps confidently through the door.

“Dr. Wong, my name is Christopher Sharpe. I’m representing Genevieve Walker.”

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