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I winked at the sexy man and we both turned and raced toward her. “It’s a surprise,” I said.

“It is?” Her little eyes lit up.

“You bet, my angel. We’re going to a birthday party,” he told her, his tone completely changed.

“For me?” she asked the question as if it was impossible.

He took the time to poke her in the tummy. “All for my baby girl. I know. You’re not my baby any longer.”

“I’ll always be your baby, Papa.”

There were times that his expression made me fall in love with him all over again.

“Then let’s go to a party.”

He led the way and before I walked out of the room, I noticed the picture he’d taken at Christmas and had framed.

We looked so happy and in truth, we were.

Yes, I loved him. More than I could say.

* * *

Maxsim

“Look at all those presents, Papa. Are they for me?”

Hearing the happiness in her voice meant more than I was capable of expressing. I’d missed out on so much. Birthdays. Kindergarten graduation. Time spent with family and friends.

Watching the way she was with Isabel, I was firmly convinced I’d found myself a little bit of paradise.

Only I had to remind myself that I didn’t deserve happiness.

I’d heard what Isabel had said on the phone. Whatever she wanted to say to me later meant one thing.

She had plans on ending what we’d shared.

Could I blame her? Hell, no.

Would I allow it to happen?

I doubted I had the ability to simply let go. But asking her to marry me now would seem desperate, putting her on the spot and that was not what I wanted.

Could I force her to remain with me?

Yes.

But what the hell would that make me? In the end, she’d hate me and I couldn’t tolerate her feeling that way.

I sat with a drink in front of me, trying not to scan the damn restaurant as I would normally do. But it was tough, as if I was addicted to danger.

And violence.

“Every one of them is for a special little lady. I wonder who that might be.”

“Oh, Papa, I’m the one wearing the crown.”

I sat back as if surprised, wrinkling my nose as I glanced at the tiara on her head. My lovely companion had insisted.