Dangerous Rescue - Linzi Baxter Page 0,17

already tried to get me off the mission, and it didn’t work. Grim, do you think your boss will let you stay back?”

Angel ran her hand over her face. “No, I already texted Xavier, asking for tomorrow off. He replied back with Vacation’s not approved. Get your ass in tomorrow.”

Kyle had said she had something at her house. Maybe if they found it that night, they could get everything taken care of, and then she wouldn’t have to worry. “How about we search my house?”

“They aren’t going to let you hand whatever it is over and walk away.”

God, why did I have to give in to Kyle? At first, she’d tried to turn him down, not wanting to date anyone, but he kept bringing her flowers and lunch. He slowly tore down the wall she’d constructed around herself.

After dating him for a year, she’d had no clue he was a drug dealer. The late night runs to his parents’ house to help them had all been lies. She wasn’t sure what part of their relationship was true. They hadn’t lived together, so that made her wonder why he would hide things at her house.

“I could always hire a bodyguard. Would that make you feel better?”

“No!” Angel and Hudson shouted—too loudly.

Siena heard the door creak down the hall and the padding of footsteps. Angel’s eyes widened. There was nothing they could do.

Mia walked around the corner, and her little blue eyes rounded. “Daddy!”

6

Hudson

Hudson opened his arms just in time for the girl to leap into them. She threw her little arms around his neck and pressed a wet kiss to his cheek.

Daddy. The word echoed in his mind. He glanced over at Siena, and she had her hand covering her mouth and tears streaming down her cheeks. Angel exited the room, leaving the three of them.

“Mommy said you would come back for us one day.”

There was no denying that she was his daughter. Her blue eyes were almost a mirror image of his own. Her sandy-blonde hair was the same color as his. If those weren’t enough giveaways, her two dimples were the final straw. She had on unicorn pajamas, and her hair was up in a ponytail.

Siena walked over and held her arms out. “Sweetie, you can see him in the morning. Why don’t you climb back in bed?”

He had a daughter, and he didn’t want to let her go. She squirmed in his arms, reaching for her mom, but he tightened his grip. “Let’s get your things, sweetheart, and you can come to my house for the night. Both of you.” His voice had an edge. How could she not tell me I have a daughter? I’m a dad.

“Really?” the girl squealed.

Siena glared at him before nodding. Mia placed another kiss on his cheek before she asked to get down. When she was around the corner, he asked, “When were you going to tell me?”

“She’s going to be back in a few seconds. And you have no right to question me. I tried. You’re the one who disappeared from the face of the earth. You’re the one who changed his number. I thought you were dead for two weeks. Two fuckin’ weeks. Until someone at the base finally felt sorry enough for me to tell me you transferred.”

Fuck. “You didn’t think to mention it earlier?”

She pressed her hands to her hips. The gesture caused the tight white tank top to pull against her breasts. He could see the outline of her nipples. It was hard to peel his eyes away from her boobs and back up to her face. Siena was looking daggers at him.

Perfect. Now she’s even more pissed. But he’d missed years of his daughter's life, and it was his fault, nobody else’s.

“You think your nephew's parent-teacher conference was the right place to have the conversation?” she said. “I was shocked to see you and needed time to explain. If you don’t remember, I did agree to talk to you on Saturday. But then you came banging on the door after I told you we were fine.”

Down the hall, he could hear Angel and his daughter having a conversation. “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I’m shocked. What is her name?” he asked.

“You’re not going to even question that she’s yours? She is, by the way, and her name is Mia Smith.”

Siena had given his daughter his last name. God, he’d fucked up so badly. It was like a punch to the gut. Because he’d had his own head