Larkin widened her legs. "I'll always be able to take you, daddy. Always.
Elder knocked on the office door.
"Come in," Darian called.
"Gage is here, sir."
Darian nodded. "Good, send him in."
Gage came through the door with a briefcase in one hand and a suit coat in the other.
"How was the drive?" Darian asked.
Gage set his things on the sofa table and plopped down in a chair on the other side of Darian's desk. "Good. I brought the files we need to go over, but first, I need to hear about this girl the guys were telling me about."
Darian grinned and relaxed back in his chair. "Her name is Larkin, and she's fucking perfect."
Gage stretched his long legs out, laced his fingers together over his stomach, and chuckled. "Where'd you meet her?"
"Hicks and I were driving back to the condo when we saw her and three guys on the sidewalk. I could tell she was scared."
"How bad did you hurt the guys?"
"One probably won't be able to get an erection for a while."
Gage grimaced.
"Another one," Darian said, "will probably have to have his jaw wired shut, and the third one ran off."
"Jesus, man, they must have pissed you off."
Darian looked at Gage. "I've never been madder in my life. If you had seen it, seen the look in her eyes, you probably would have killed them."
Gage nodded. "Most likely. I can't stand to see a woman or child hurt."
"You and me, both," Darian replied. "She was drunk, so I took her home and took care of her. She ran from me the next morning, but I quickly found her, and she's been with me ever since."
"How long has it been?" Gage asked him.
"Three months."
"You love her," Gage commented. He didn't have to ask from the look on his friend's face.
"Very much."
"You're a lucky bastard."
Darian chuckled and looked toward the office door when it flew open, and Larkin raced in.
"Daddy, you'll never guess what happ—" Larkin stopped short when she saw the other man. Tears burned her stricken eyes when she looked back at Darian. "I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was here…"
Darian smiled gently. "Come here, baby," he said and held out a hand to her.
Larkin went to him and let him pull her into his lap. She put her arms around his neck and sniffled. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "Please don't be mad at me."
He kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her. "I'm not mad, baby."