Finally, he nodded. “Fine. Then you must have decided to trust me, at least a little.”
“A little.” Her concession came with a smile that vanished like a ghost. “You’ll have to prove yourself to me.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. And, Beck? The second I feel even the slightest threat toward Dani, I’ll kill you myself. Consider this fair warning.”
At least she always spoke her mind; he’d give her that. Despite everything, despite her taking their daughter and vanishing from his life, despite her threat, every time he glanced at her, he felt attraction like a punch to the gut.
He’d always known Marika was resilient, but he’d never realized how strong she was. She’d kept their daughter safe, at great personal cost to herself. Her strength matched her extraordinary beauty.
He’d accept her challenge. “Heard and acknowledged. Are you going to tell me what Brigid asked?”
“Yes, eventually.” She considered him for a moment. “There’s something else you need to know as well, but I’ll tell you once we get going.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Where Brigid told me to.” Tossing her hair across her shoulder, she yanked open the door. “I don’t know why, but for some reason, I’m not entirely sure I should trust her.”
“Then why go where she tells you to?”
“Well, if we’re moving, at least I feel like we’re doing something.”
He nodded. “What’s she going to do once she finds out I’m with you?”
“I have no idea. I’m not going to worry about that now. We’ll figure out the rest once we’re in the truck.”
And she disappeared outside, leaving him no choice but to follow.
Chapter 5
S triding toward the truck, Marika wondered if Beck realized how much her decision to trust him cost her. It had been so long since she’d trusted anyone except Addie. Opening herself up, even a small crack, made her feel naked and exposed.
He’d asked for her trust, but he’d said nothing about reciprocating. She couldn’t blame him for that. She certainly hadn’t given him reason to trust her. After all, she’d kept their daughter from him for the entire two years of Dani’s life.
His pain and sense of loss had been deep, she could tell. So had his shock and anger upon learning he had a two-year-old child he’d never met. He wouldn’t easily forgive what could only be regarded as a betrayal. Men like Beck, who lived by a code of honor set so much higher than others, would find it hard to understand her reasons for doing what she’d done.
Climbing in the truck beside her, Beck didn’t speak as he fitted the key in the ignition and fired up the engine. Carefully, she avoided looking at him, wondering if he knew how much she’d missed him. She’d spent many a sleepless night, tossing and turning, wondering if she’d done the right thing by keeping their child a secret from him. Despite Brigid’s warnings, a part of her had always doubted and wondered.
And now she wondered, too, how he’d react when he learned the rest of the truth about their daughter. He’d claimed to want to know Dani, to love her. Would this change once he learned what she was?
She sighed, wishing she could settle her jittery nerves. She needed to think clearly in this, the worst crisis she’d ever faced. Awful enough that her daughter—their daughter—was missing.
Worse that every time their gazes met, desire slammed into her, as strong as it had been three years ago. Even now, when she was crazy with worry over their daughter. Every time she looked at him, with his mussed spiked black hair, torn jeans and soulful amber eyes, she wanted him.
Losing her baby girl, knowing her own child was in danger, made her desire more than inappropriate. Her mouth twisted. She needed to focus on finding Dani rather than lusting over Dani’s father. Look what had happened last time she’d given in—her best friend, Juliet, Beck’s sister—had been murdered.
Sneaking a glance at his
“A little.” Her concession came with a smile that vanished like a ghost. “You’ll have to prove yourself to me.”
“I can do that.”
“Good. And, Beck? The second I feel even the slightest threat toward Dani, I’ll kill you myself. Consider this fair warning.”
At least she always spoke her mind; he’d give her that. Despite everything, despite her taking their daughter and vanishing from his life, despite her threat, every time he glanced at her, he felt attraction like a punch to the gut.
He’d always known Marika was resilient, but he’d never realized how strong she was. She’d kept their daughter safe, at great personal cost to herself. Her strength matched her extraordinary beauty.
He’d accept her challenge. “Heard and acknowledged. Are you going to tell me what Brigid asked?”
“Yes, eventually.” She considered him for a moment. “There’s something else you need to know as well, but I’ll tell you once we get going.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Where Brigid told me to.” Tossing her hair across her shoulder, she yanked open the door. “I don’t know why, but for some reason, I’m not entirely sure I should trust her.”
“Then why go where she tells you to?”
“Well, if we’re moving, at least I feel like we’re doing something.”
He nodded. “What’s she going to do once she finds out I’m with you?”
“I have no idea. I’m not going to worry about that now. We’ll figure out the rest once we’re in the truck.”
And she disappeared outside, leaving him no choice but to follow.
Chapter 5
S triding toward the truck, Marika wondered if Beck realized how much her decision to trust him cost her. It had been so long since she’d trusted anyone except Addie. Opening herself up, even a small crack, made her feel naked and exposed.
He’d asked for her trust, but he’d said nothing about reciprocating. She couldn’t blame him for that. She certainly hadn’t given him reason to trust her. After all, she’d kept their daughter from him for the entire two years of Dani’s life.
His pain and sense of loss had been deep, she could tell. So had his shock and anger upon learning he had a two-year-old child he’d never met. He wouldn’t easily forgive what could only be regarded as a betrayal. Men like Beck, who lived by a code of honor set so much higher than others, would find it hard to understand her reasons for doing what she’d done.
Climbing in the truck beside her, Beck didn’t speak as he fitted the key in the ignition and fired up the engine. Carefully, she avoided looking at him, wondering if he knew how much she’d missed him. She’d spent many a sleepless night, tossing and turning, wondering if she’d done the right thing by keeping their child a secret from him. Despite Brigid’s warnings, a part of her had always doubted and wondered.
And now she wondered, too, how he’d react when he learned the rest of the truth about their daughter. He’d claimed to want to know Dani, to love her. Would this change once he learned what she was?
She sighed, wishing she could settle her jittery nerves. She needed to think clearly in this, the worst crisis she’d ever faced. Awful enough that her daughter—their daughter—was missing.
Worse that every time their gazes met, desire slammed into her, as strong as it had been three years ago. Even now, when she was crazy with worry over their daughter. Every time she looked at him, with his mussed spiked black hair, torn jeans and soulful amber eyes, she wanted him.
Losing her baby girl, knowing her own child was in danger, made her desire more than inappropriate. Her mouth twisted. She needed to focus on finding Dani rather than lusting over Dani’s father. Look what had happened last time she’d given in—her best friend, Juliet, Beck’s sister—had been murdered.
Sneaking a glance at his
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