Chapter 178

Drew

The courthouse door opens and I nearly lose it as I see my daughter come out, flanked by cops and emergency personnel. She's holding the hand of the person who's on the stretcher. Must be the bailiff she's grown to be so fond of.

Behind them, there's another stretcher, surrounded with even more police. It's the injured body of Alec Tinsdale.

As soon as she comes out, Charity runs for her, wrapping her up in her arms. Then Caelin and Harley volley for their position with her.

But when they're done, I step forward, crushing her into my arms, crying softly. This is the second time we've almost lost her, and I'm fucking getting sick of it.

"I'm okay, Daddy," she whispers, her grip holding me up from collapsing onto the sidewalk. "I'm okay. I made it."

"You shoulda never been in that situation to begin with," I mumble.

"Life doesn't tell us what situations we're going to be given," she reminds me. Those are the words of ana intelligence far beyond her years.

"I hate to break this up,"