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“You’re in love?” she whispers, pressing her hands over her heart and glancing between us with awe.
“We are,” Dominic says, sitting next to me. “That okay with you?”
“Yes!” Rosie squeals. And then she jumps into my arms, giggling and babbling with delight.
Dominic wraps his arms around both of us, kissing the top of Rosie’s head. His gaze catches mine, and he holds it with a smile.
I’ll never get enough of the way he looks when he’s happy.
He kisses me again, lightly, before standing. “I’m gonna make breakfast. You two come down when you’re ready.”
Once he’s gone, I get Rosie and I ready for the day. Before we head down, I pick her up, hugging her tightly.
“How are you doing, honey?”
She’s quiet, nuzzling her face into my neck.
I don’t know what to do, whether I should let her process things or try to figure out what’s going through her head right now. Therapy is definitely a thing we’ll have to do in the future. But as for right now, in this very moment, I’m lost.
“I don’t want to see Daddy ever again,” she mumbles eventually.
“You don’t have to, Rosie.”
“Ever again?”
“Ever again,” I promise, kissing her head.
Rosie’s tears soak through my shirt. “You and Mister Dominic will keep me safe?”
“Always,” I whisper. “And Daddy will never hurt you again.”
Rosie goes limp in my arms, sniffling.
“You want pancakes?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Then let’s get you some pancakes, hon.”
Downstairs, Rosie holds out her arms to Dom, and he takes her with a sad smile. A year ago, I probably would’ve hated Rosie needing anyone but me. But now, watching the way she clings to Dom gives me comfort.
“Catch,” he says, tossing me his phone.
I grab it, glancing at the screen and seeing the warning I typed out for him.
“A little late to send that message, huh?”
I laugh. “I scheduled it last night and forgot to delete it. I wanted you to know you needed to watch your back, but I couldn’t warn you in person, so...” I shrug.
“Why not?”
Raising an eyebrow, I say, “Would you have let me go?”
Dominic doesn’t even hesitate. “Absolutely not. And I never will.”
Just then, my own phone goes off.
Shit. Ashley’s text.
