Chapter 116
CHASE
Laughter echoed through the living room as Leonie tugged on my arm, her giggles infectious. Her small hands pressed on my chest, her face glowing with happiness. “Daddy, you’re not even trying!” she teased, her voice full of joy as she tried to wrestle me onto the couch.
I let her win, flopping dramatically onto the cushions with an exaggerated groan. “You’re too strong for me, Leonie! I give up!”
She clapped her hands, triumphant, and crawled onto my chest. “That’s because I’m the strongest!” she declared.
I smiled at her, running a hand through her soft curls. Moments like these reminded me why I’d fought so hard to protect her, to keep her safe from the chaos of my past. But no matter how hard I tried to pretend everything was fine, the nagging ache in my chest never fully went away.
“Daddy?” Leonie’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. She tilted her head, her curious eyes studying my face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, sweetheart,” I lied, forcing a smile. “I was just thinking about something.”
She frowned, unconvinced, but didn’t press further. Instead, she hopped off my chest and grabbed her stuffed rabbit from the floor.
I needed to see Emily.
The thought hit me like a freight train, and I sat up, rubbing the back of my neck. Maybe it was time to return to my pack. Emily wasn’t in Tristan’s pack anymore, and that gave me an excuse, at least, that’s what I told myself.
Reaching for my phone, I hesitated. The last time Emily and I had spoken, we’d fought. Her words still stung, even now, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear them again. My thumb hovered over her name in my contacts, and then, as if my body rejected the idea, my hand slipped, and the phone dropped onto the couch.
I let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair. This wasn’t going to be easy.
Leonie returned to my side, climbing onto the couch beside me. She leaned her head against my arm, her quiet presence comforting. “Are you going to call someone, Daddy?”
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I picked up the phone again and, on impulse, opened the browser. If I couldn’t call Emily, maybe I could distract myself.
What I found shocked me.
There, staring back at me from the screen, was a picture of Emily holding Ben’s hand. My chest tightened as I stared at the image, my mind racing. It felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
Leonie noticed my change in expression. “Daddy, what’s wrong?”
I quickly plastered on a smile, locking the phone and setting it aside. “Nothing, sweetheart. Everything’s fine.”
But everything wasn’t fine. Not even close.
As soon as Leonie got distracted with her toys, I picked up the phone again and searched through the comment section beneath the photo. My fingers trembled as I scrolled, desperate for answers.
The comments were a mix of speculation and praise, most of them talking about how Ben had saved Emily from some kind of embarrassment. I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening on the phone. She had turned to Ben for help, confided in him, and not me.
Why?
The question gnawed at me, the answer just out of reach.
“Daddy?” Leonie’s voice broke through my thoughts again. She climbed onto my lap, her small hands on my cheeks, forcing me to look at her. “Are you sad?”
I shook my head, forcing another smile. “No, sweetheart. I’m just thinking about grown-up stuff.”
She tilted her head, her bright eyes narrowing in suspicion. “You always say that when you’re sad.”
I laughed softly, pulling her into a hug. “You’re too smart for your own good, you know that?”
She giggled, snuggling into my chest. But then, after a moment of silence, she asked, “Daddy, when are we going to see Mommy?”
The question hit me like a ton of bricks. I froze, my mind scrambling for an answer. “Leonie…” I began, my voice hesitant.
“I miss her,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
My heart ached at her words. I held her tighter, resting my chin on her head. “I know, sweetheart. I miss her too.”
“Then let go see her,” she muttered.