That’s it. He’s getting fired after this trip.
My grip on the phone is white-knuckled.
Mya:
I’M JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I growl low in my throat, scrubbing a hand over my face.
Not fucking funny.
I’m still firing him for putting me through distress.
Mya:
A playboy AND a drama queen? Wow.
My cock twitches at the bratty tone I can practically hear in her texts.
I ought to punish you for the way you talk to me.
Mya:
I’d like to see you try.
I’ll take that as a challenge.
23
WORTH
The next morning, I call Brianna.
It’s seven a.m. in Singapore, which means it should be right around the time she’ll be getting home from school back in Seattle. I haven’t spoken to her since I landed yesterday, and I’m itching to hear her voice.
She picks up on the second ring.
“Dad!”
Just like that, the tension in my shoulders eases. No matter how much stress I carry, hearing her voice always cuts it in half.
“Hi, Piglet. How’s my girl?”
“Good! I just got home from school. Guess what? Kennedy slipped up and told us that his mom is seeing our teacher?—”
And she’s off, recounting every piece of high school gossip like it’s headline news. I lean back in the desk chair, smiling.
Moments like this remind me just how lucky I am. Our relationship isn’t just father-daughter. Bri trusts me with everything, and so do I. She’s my best friend.
By the time she’s finished dragging half the town, I’m laughing so hard my chest aches. “Alright, alright. Enough dirt. What are your plans tonight?”
“Maggie said Uncle Henny, Uncle Griff and Sylas are coming over for dinner. Apparently they insisted when she told them she was making lasagna.”
I chuckle.
Henson has always been there, from day one. When Vanessa walked out, he stepped in even more. He’s Brianna’s anchor as much as mine. She respects my brother deeply. And Griffin—and his boy, Sylas—are family in all but blood. We’ve been through the trenches together—two men left standing with kids to raise. Though, unlike me, Griffin lost his first love to death. He’s stronger than I’ll ever be.
“Say hi to the boys for me, and make sure you save me an extra piece of lasagna,” I say, smiling.