Chapter 0313

I'm startled from my nap on Daniel’s shoulder a little while later by a gentle shake at my shoulder. I raise my head, groaning at

the crick in my neck and wiping at my mouth where I’m horrified to see there’s a little drool. Blinking, confused, I look around.

Where...

“Hey, baby,” a soft voice murmurs. My eyes focus on the figure crouched down in front of me, on her head of pretty purple hair...

“Janeen!” I gasp, and then I pitch forward into my sister’s arms. She lets out a little surprised gasp as I knock her to the floor,

holding her tight to me. Then she laughs a little as I duck my head against her shoulder.

“Okay, kid,” she says, patting my hair. “It’s all right. We came to take you home.”

“We?” I ask, raising my head. And then I look up to see my dad standing there — my real dad, who I haven't seen in weeks, and I

burst into tears.

“Oh, darling,” he says, holding his hands out to me. I reach out for him instantly and my dad pulls me first to my feet and then

into a warm hug where he holds me for a long time, rocking me back and forth.

After a few long moments of this, I hear someone awkwardly clear their throat behind me. When I turn, I see Daniel standing up

from his seat, looking hesitantly between us. Of course, he’s figured out who these people are — but he’s never been introduced.

“Dad,” I say, stepping away from him and wiping at my eyes. “This is Daniel. My...um, he’s my fiancé.” And then I gesture

towards Janeen as well. “Daniel this is Janeen.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you both,” Daniel says, all formality, saying precisely what is expected of a fiancé upon meeting the

family. “I wish it was...under better circumstances.”

Janeen laughs, a harsh thing, but not without humor. I turn to glare at her a little but she doesn’t see, her eyes on Daniel. “Oh,

we all wish it was under better circumstances, Danny.” Then, even though he opens his mouth to reply, Janeen turns to me. “You

ready to get out of here, baby?”

Eagerly, I nod, but I fix my eyes on Daniel and the lawyer. “Um, can we go?”

The lawyer, looking exhausted, sighs and nods. “They want to bring you for questioning later in the week, but considering they

only just captured Lippert now, they're distracted —*

I gasp when I hear the news and Daniel reaches out to take my hand. “I'll tell you all about it,” he promises. “He’s okay.”

I nod, clenching my jaw with something between relief and anxiety as I squeeze Daniel’s hand, agreeing. Then I look at Janeen

and my dad, wondering...

“Is he coming with us?” Janeen asks me, raising an eyebrow and nodding towards Daniel.

“Of course he is,” I say, frowning at her, a little pissed that she’d even ask.

“Okay,” she says, raising her hands innocently, though I can see a sarcastic little smirk on her mouth. “Just asking. I just wasn’t

sure if you’d want the reason you got shot at tonight to come along home —*

“I didn’t get shot at,” I snap, narrowing my eyes at her. “And none of this is Daniel's fault.”

“Whatever,” she says breezily as my dad tightens a supportive arm around my shoulders. Then Janeen starts to move towards

the door. “Let’s just go. Bring your little mafia boy toy along all you want.”

My jaw drops open, aghast, but Daniel squeezes my hand again. “Let it go,” he murmurs to me. “Her anger is.. .justified.”

“Damn right it is, son,” my dad says sternly, and I look up at him, surprised again. Dad is usually so mild-mannered. When dad

sees my surprise, he just gives me a shrug. “Well, it is, baby.”

“Okay,” I sigh, dropping Daniel's hand as we start to move towards the door. I lean into my dad, wanting his warmth. “I get it.

Let's just...go home.”

When we climb into the car, I’m

surprised that dad drives us not to

our little city house — aenste@ Fils

t ighwenatiactart O take us

towards the shore. It doesn’t take me

long to realize that we're heading for

the shore house — my shore house,

which I've mostly turned over to

Janeen. Please read the original

content at .

Janeen sits in the back with me,

leaving Daniel to awkwardly take the

front seat next to 1 ead, weal!

sigat fora fang ime before Janeen

asks dad to turn on the radio, which

he does. But when she turns to me

and leans close, I realize that the

music is just a cover. Please read the

original content at .

“How are you?” she whispers, unbuckling her belt so she can scoot closer to me. “Are you okay?”

l ignore her questions, instead countering with some pressing ones of my own. “How did you even know we were here, Janeen?”

“That guy,” she says, blinking at me in

wide-eyed surprise. When I glance at

Daniel, she takes my paipd, palkag hhy

atteptionibabk te ter, “No, the other

guy. Ivan. He — he called, he told me

that you were going to need a ride

from the police station tonight.”

Please read the original content at

.