Page 60 of Echoes of Obsession

“You love me?” she asks out loud. “Really?”

“Yes,” I smile. “I. Love. You.”

“And Mommy?”

Her voice is soft, and she keeps looking around the room she’s in, most likely to see if anyone is laughing at her. We will build her confidence up if it’s the last thing we do.

“Very much,” I admit.

“If you get married, can you be my real daddy?”

Fuck.

“If that’s what you want,” I say around the knot in my throat.

“You won’t hurt me?”

Double fuck. I should have killed that bastard.

“Never.”

“Can I call you daddy now?”

All of the fucks.

“Talk to Mommy about it first,” I say, gesturing for Doc to translate because of how much I’m saying. “When Mommy comes home, you two talk about that. But I want you to know that it would be my greatest honor to be your dad.”

“She’s asking if she can have a pony,” Doc chuckles.

When I look back at the phone, Dove is laughing her silent laugh.

“Kidding,” she says softly. “I want a motorcycle.”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

“The girls about to lay down and watch a movie before bed,” Maddy chimes in. “Call us if there are any updates.”

“I will,” I say, accepting my phone back from Reynolds. “Thanks, Maddy. Keep those girls safe.”

“I’m their last line of defense,” she smiles. “Unless we have to watch another one of Taylor’s western movies. Then we’re all doomed because we’ll die of boredom.”

“Hey, I’ll have you know…”

“Gotta go,” Maddy says, cutting off whatever Taylor was about to say.

“That’s my girl,” King smiles.

“She’s good with the girls,” I say, trying to keep my mind distracted.

“She loves those kids,” he says. “Which, I guess, is good since she’s pregnant.”

“What?” echoes around the room.

“I didn’t mean to spring that on everyone right now,” King cringes. “We need to focus on Snow.”

“Congrats, brother,” I smile. “I’m happy for you both. You’re going to make one scary ass father.”

“Especially if it’s a girl,” Knox mutters. “By the way, Sophie and I have known for over a week now. I’m glad you let it slip so we can finally talk about it without whispering behind everyone’s back.”