Daddy Claiming His Little by Jess Winters
CHAPTER EIGHT
Ajax
After dinner, Thomas called, saying he needed me down at the station.
“You’re sure it can’t wait until tomorrow?” I asked.
It was unlike me to say such a thing, but I wanted to make sure Maya felt safe before leaving her alone for the first time.
“I’m positive,” Thomas said. “It’s that wolf again—I’ve been getting reports of sightings all over town, and it almost made off with Theresa Daley’s four-month-old.”
“Oh my god,” I said. “How on earth did that even happen?”
“She was telling me the wolf cornered her and her baby in the driveway when she got home from the grocery store. Her husband hasn’t gotten home yet because he’s still working in the next town over, and she was so scared she nearly fainted.
“My word, I am so glad to hear that they’re both okay.”
I could see Maya out of the corner of my eye watching me, probably trying to make sure that I was alright. I turned and gave her a little wave and she smiled brightly upon sensing I was fine, and this was work-related.
“I bet that’s the same wolf that tried to attack Maya,” Thomas mused.
“Probably so. I saw that thing with my own two eyes, and it’s a scary looking creature. Did you call animal control?”
“I did, but since we’re in the middle of nowhere, it’ll take us at least half an hour to get help. What do you say? Can you come on one last mission with me before the little wifey gets settled?”
I felt my face becoming hot. “Now, Thomas, we haven’t discussed anything like that before. I’m not even sure if that’s what she wants out of me. A husband? That would surely make me the happiest Daddy alive, but you just never know sometimes.”
“Well, I’m your best friend and I can certainly vouch for you,” Thomas said. “Now, get over here as fast as you can. We’re going to need your help.”
“I’ll see you soon,” I said, hanging up the phone.
To my surprise, Maya had left the table and was standing right behind me.
“What was all that about?” she asked, looking sweetly at me.
Shoot. Did she happen to overhear part of my conversation with Thomas? If I was going to get her an engagement ring, I wanted it to be a surprise.
“How much of that conversation did you hear?” I asked her.
She gave me a flirtatious wag of her eyebrows, then dissolved into a fit of giggles. “I only heard the part about the wolf. You’re not going to kill it, are you?”
“I promise I’ll try not to,” I said.
“But if it comes down to it, you’ll defend yourself, right?” she asked.
“Absolutely. You wouldn’t want your Daddy to risk his life, right?”
“No, never. I want you to be careful and come back here as quickly as possible. Your baby girl needs you to.”
She leaned up just then and pulled me into a kiss, soft at first, but it quickly turned steamy, with her tongue exploring the inside of my mouth and my teeth dragging her bottom lip out gently.
“I will be back as soon as I can,” I said, leaning in for one more kiss. “And you’ll be okay here on your own?”
“I’ll be guarding the fort for you, Daddy.”
She was so damned cute in that little white dress, I doubted she could guard anything, let alone defend the household, but I knew she was trying to be helpful and not to let me worry in any way about what might happen to me on the road.
I went to the front room and began getting dressed in my uniform, grabbing my belt and gun holster on my way out the door.
“Don’t forget your hat, Daddy!” she called out, running after me with my sheriff’s hat.
“Thank you, sweetheart. Now, where would I be without you by my side?”
Maya smiled from ear to ear at the compliment.
I got in my car and started the engine, driving off quickly into the night. The sky was cloudless and littered with bright stars. I could see the moon reflecting brightly on the pavement and wondered what the wolf was doing out so late.
Shouldn’t it have been sleeping? And what on earth was a lone wolf doing so far away from the pack?
Likely it was dangerous, and there was always the chance it had rabies.
I sped down the road as quickly as possible, knowing that, at the very least, I could be the backup for Thomas as we both waited for animal control to arrive.
