Joy pressed full.
Overflowing.
Overwhelming.
I kissed her forehead, and I tightened my arms around her and hugged her close.
Misery bound my consciousness.
Because I couldn’t lose her. Not from an accident. Not from someone stealing her away. She was mine, and I would cling to her forever.
My voice dropped to a low plea, “You scared me yesterday. Don’t ever do that again. You need to listen to Mommy even when you don’t like what I have to say.”
She huffed out a little sound, and she sagged her shoulders as she withered deeper into my hold. Her adorable voice shifted into an apology riddled with sass. “I know you are very right. I’m reals sorry. Papa said I’m nothin’s but mischief and tomfooleries. I don’t want to be a Tom, and Papa looked even extra sad when he was making my eggs this mornin’. I’ll be good for now on. That is my promise.”
She gave a resolute nod and lifted her hand in a solemn oath.
Yeah, and that would last for all of five seconds.
Still, I hugged her tight and whispered, “That’s my girl. We just want you to be safe.”
“It’s real hard when rules are made to be broken.” She said it with utmost sincerity.
A soft laugh rumbled out. “You are somethin’ else, Daisy.”
“Nope. I’m nothin’ else. Just regular o’ Daisy.”
She shrugged.
A giggle floated out, and I ruffled her hair as I shifted her around so I could climb out of bed. She was hot on my tail as I went into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth while she made funny faces in the mirror.
With her right there, my life was complete.
Full.
Nothing missin’ except for the place inside me that called out for him. The piece of me that needed to remain silent because I didn’t need any bad ideas shouting in my ear.
When I finished, I tipped up her chin to look down at my sweet girl. “What should we do today?”
She didn’t get time to answer before the doorbell chimed from downstairs.
Daisy’s dark eyes went wide with excitement, while a bolt of terror zipped down my spine.
Would he dare show his ridiculously gorgeous face here after what my daddy had walked in on last night?
He was lucky he hadn’t been chased off the property with a shotgun.
But this was Richard Ramsey we were talking about.
Of course, he was cocky enough to do that.
Daisy jumped up and down. “We gots company. Let’s go. Let’s go. You gotsta come because you know opening doors is another one of those rules I’m not supposed to be breakin’.”
Ugh. Did I have to? Hiding under my bed seemed like a better solution.
“Come on!” She tugged at my hand.
“Fine.” I followed her out, wearing only a tank and sleep pants and a heavy coat of anxiety, praying that it was a visitor for my mama. I edged out of my bedroom only to hear my daddy opening the front door.
And all that dread doubled.
Turbulence striking the air the second the door swung open and the shafts of bright light streaked into the room.
A silhouette stood in the blaze of them.
A god that had descended.
Graced the paupers with his immaculate presence.
The man so tall and powerful and stealing my breath.
Safe to say, Daddy was not impressed. “How dare you return to this home.”
But Daisy was already clamoring downstairs and shrieking with delight. “Mr. Richard! Mr. Richard! Did you come to see me?”
She beelined for the door.
When she got to my daddy’s side, he snatched her hand to keep her from going any farther. She popped up on her toes, leaning that way, like she was intent to do it, anyway.
Sheer, unmitigated enthusiasm.
Like she was immune to the violent tumult that raged and stroked through the air.
“I already missed you so much,” she sang, grinning her grin and the man was returning one, too.
“Well, that must have been because I was thinking about you…missing you, too.” That grumbly voice floated up to my ears.
A whisper.
A promise.
Agony pierced me. The stake of an arrow. Stalling my footsteps and expelling the breath from my lungs.
I’d warned him.
Warned him that she loved fast and loved hard.
She’d fall for him as hard as I had. Get swept up in the radiance of his presence. Consumed by what it felt like to stand in his flame.
Then he’d be gone. Attention hijacked by something more interesting. Something flashier and shinier and brand new.
Before we knew it, he’d be on to the next bigger, better thing.
I had the sudden, sharp urge to intervene. Stop it from happening. I hurried the rest of the way down the steps, only to falter when his face fully came into view.
When those intense sage eyes landed on me. A meadow in the middle of a raging storm.
An eclipse fighting against the light.
That gaze took me in like I was the piece he’d been missing.