Dangerous Rescue - Linzi Baxter Page 0,20

and I agreed to meet your neighbor in the morning, but you're not always going to get your way. Good night, Hudson.”

Hudson reached out and gripped Siena's arm before she turned to leave the kitchen. “I’m sorry. If I’d known…”

“What?” She huffed. “You would have stayed? It doesn’t matter. You made a choice for both of us six years ago.”

“I swear, if I knew I had a daughter, I would have figured out another way.”

“Nice to know you would have stuck around for a kid. That’s not the type of relationship I would have wanted anyway. Maybe it was best you left.”

“Jesus, that’s not what I meant.”

“Does it really matter?” she asked.

“Yes. Fuck, I have a daughter, and you had to raise her alone. Everything is different.”

“I’ve had years with our daughter. Just because you found us doesn’t mean we’re going to change everything now. Good night, Hudson.”

She walked down the hall, and he waited until the door to the bedroom closed. It felt like he’d gone ten rounds in the ring with his teammate Richy, who’d grown up fighting on the streets. Hudson wasn’t even sure he’d scored one point with Siena. Hopefully, she would let him have one when they went to talk to Sidney.

7

Siena

Siena wanted to throw her phone against the wall. The morning sun wasn’t even up, but Hudson wanted her to meet this Sidney lady. She’d set the alarm for five in the morning. The birds weren’t singing yet. Her sweet girl stirred next to her, and two blue eyes peered over the covers. She looked so much like her father—there wasn’t any denying it. At times, Siena was a little jealous because Mia didn’t look like her at all.

“Mommy.” She yawned, stretching her arms out.

Mia loved the mornings—Siena, not so much. She preferred to stay up late but paid for it when Mia got out of bed early.

“Good morning, sweet girl.” She sighed, pulling her into her arms.

Mia smiled at her and cuddled closer. “Can we go see Dad?”

And the magic spell between her and Mia popped. “I’m not sure he’s up yet,” Siena said, rolling out of bed.

Mia sprang to the floor with her blanket and raced to the bedroom door. Siena had to run to catch up with her before she went yelling through the halls.

“Let’s get ready first, and then we can go find your dad.”

Mia crossed her arms and pouted for a few seconds before walking toward the bathroom, dragging her blanket behind her. Siena didn’t think she would be ready when Mia became a teenager. The girl had mini diva written all over her.

Siena pulled out her clothes for the day and got dressed. While she worked to put her makeup on, Mia sat on the counter next to her. “Do you think Dad knows how to make pancakes?”

“I’m not sure what he has in his house, but I promise you won’t go hungry.” Siena pressed a kiss to her daughter’s cheek.

“I love you, Mommy.”

“And I love you, my sweet girl. Now, let’s go raid the fridge.”

Siena drew Mia into her arms and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. The smell of coffee wafted through the air. Siena took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of dark roast.

“Daddy!” Mia squealed in her arms.

The man was too sexy for his own good. Hudson stood in the kitchen with no shirt on and low-hanging athletic shorts. His hip was against the counter, and he held a bottle of water. The light sheen of sweat made it look like he was oiled down.

She couldn’t go down that train of thought. Years before, she had, and it had left her with heartache and the most precious thing in the world. No matter how much she wanted to run her tongue along his rock-hard abs, she wouldn’t. Siena didn’t need a man. Her vibrator never betrayed her and sure as hell didn’t put a bounty on her head.

Her daughter’s squeal pulled Siena’s attention away from his chiseled chest. Mia ran toward him, and he swung her up in the air and whirled her around a couple of times before setting her on the largely white kitchen island.

“Morning, sweet girl,” Hudson rumbled before turning his blue eyes on her. “How did you sleep?”

Siena wasn’t going to let him know his bed had felt like a comfortable protective blanket. He still used the same pine soap, and the smell was all over his pillow. Memories of waking up in his bed rushed back to