Chapter Twenty-Seven Dare
O nce Ava told me everything about her ex, I asked Niall to drive her home while Brody, one of our new recruits, would follow. The moment she left, I couldn’t help missing her. Although she’d clearly put me in my place about her feelings for me, my feelings weren’t dissuaded.
After spending an hour pacing around my office and snapping at my secretary and bodyguards, I realized no one was going to have any peace until I personally oversaw the security detail on Ava’s house. Even though I knew she didn’t want me anywhere near her, I couldn’t help it.
I tasked Thomas with taking me out to Ava’s. When we pulled up outside her townhouse, Niall was at the front door. To not alert the neighbors, he appeared to be painting the porch. Out of the corner of my eye, Brody walked around Ava’s house, eyeing the grass and trees like he was part of a landscaping company.
After pounding up the porch steps, I asked Niall, “Everything good?”
His lips quirked. “I’ve barely been here two hours.”
“Can’t you report on what you’ve seen so far?”
“Of course. It’s been very quiet. Between pretending to paint, I’ve been watching the street feeds on my phone from the last two days to see if I spot his car. So far nothing.”
I grimaced. “That could be both good and bad. I don’t like the idea of him out there plotting.”
“Me either. I’ll check in with Vance and see if he’s found any leads.”
“Thanks, Niall.”
“You’re welcome, boss.”
“I’m going to check on Ava.”
“Of course you are.”
I swept my hands to my hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re very thorough when it comes to protecting people.”
“Bullshit.”
He grinned. “Maybe I was alluding to how fate has brought her back into your life.”
“You’re entirely too optimistic now that you’re an old married fart.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
Jerking my thumb at the door, I replied, “I’m going to go check on Ava.”
“I’ll keep watching the feeds.”
“Thanks.”
I was glad to see Ava had the presence of mind to have a ring camera. That was one thing I wouldn’t have to put in. After her reaction about having bodyguards at her house, I’d decided not to tell her I was having cameras installed.
When the door flung open, I expected Ava to be standing before me. Instead, I had to drop my gaze considerably. A little girl with dark auburn hair and bright blue eyes stared curiously at me. “Hiya.”
I blinked at her. “Um, hello.”
“I’m Piper.”
“Dare,” I replied absently as I reached into my jacket for my phone to check the address. Maybe I’d given Niall the wrong street number, or he’d put the wrong one in the GPS.
Fuck, what if my men had been guarding the wrong house all this time? Furiously, I scrolled to find the address.
“That’s a funny name,” the little girl remarked.
Craning my neck, I squinted to try to read the number on the mailbox. “So I’ve heard.”
“Wanna play princesses with me?”
I glanced back to find the little girl staring earnestly up at me. “Tempting. But I think I have the wrong house.”
“Why do you talk funny?”
“I’m Irish,” I replied absently.
As I started backing away, a shriek came from behind the little girl. “Piper, what have I told you about opening the door without me?”
“Sowwy.”
Every molecule in my body shuddered to a stop at the sight of Ava rushing down the hallway.
Right house.
But it was also so fucking wrong.
When she met my eyes, she gasped. “Dare, what are you doing here?” she demanded.
As I still tried processing what the fuck was going on, I questioned, “Wait, this is your house?” Part of me held out hope that she was at a neighbors.
“Yes,” she said softly.
Pointing to the little girl with a shaky hand, I said, “And that’s…”
“My daughter.”
Ava was a mother. Why in the hell hadn’t she mentioned that before? Why wouldn’t she want me to know?
Unless…
Unease pricked along my skin. “How old is she?” I croaked.
Before Ava could answer, Piper held up three fingers. “I just had a birthday.”
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, FUCK!
This couldn’t be happening. Piper wasn’t my daughter. I did not have a child. I could not have a child.
“Dare, I–”
Shaking my head, I slowly started backing away from the door. With bile rising in my throat, I turned on my heels and raced off the porch. Even though Ava was calling my name, I continued sprinting to the car.
“Boss?”
“Take me back to Boston.”
“Yes, sir.”
I held up my hand. “On second thought, take me to Callum’s.”