Rugged Daddy

“And thanks for, you know, for calling until I woke up.”

“Anything you need, Heather. You know this.”

“Okay. Talk to you later!”

Then, she quickly hung up the phone call.

“Who was that?” Audrey asked.

“Miss Heather,” I said.

“Oh! Can we go see her today?”

“She’s not feeling well. She’s sick.”

“Oh. Why?”

“Because sometimes people get—”

I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, and I leaped to my feet. My kitchen window crashed, glass flying everywhere, and the sound of my daughter’s screams filled my ears. I scooped her up from the table and ran down the hallway, holding her close to me as she clung to my back.

“Daddy!”

“Hold on,” I said. “Just hold on a second.”

I ran to the end of the hallway and threw the door open. I raced us down into the basement of my cabin and pressed my hand against the scanning mechanism. The panic room opened, and I put my daughter down, but she wouldn't let go of me.

“I’ll be right back,” I said.

“Daddy, no. Stay with me.”

“I’ll be right back, sweet girl.”

I heard tires peeling off and fear rushed through my veins.

“I’m sorry,” I said as I pulled her hands away from me.

“Daddy, no! Don’t!”

Then I closed the panic room door and sealed it before I raced to the closet.

I pulled out my hunting rifle and grabbed fistfuls of ammunition. I stuffed my pockets with them and slowly made my way back up the steps. My gun settled against my shoulder as I breached the hallway, my ears trained for any sound that could indicate someone had been left behind.

My heart jumped into my throat with every creak the cabin made.

I steadied my breathing and bent my knees. I crept, like Brad taught me, without a sound through the halls of my home. I cleared the corners of the rooms and kept my eyes trained ahead of me while my ears listened for any sort of sound. Footsteps. Whispering. Breathing. Anything to alert me to the presence of another human being.

I turned to make my way into the kitchen and finally got a good look at what happened. There was a brick lying on the tile floor with glass shimmering everywhere. It had string tied around it, and something small and white po

ked out from underneath the bottom of it. Throwing bricks through people’s windows wasn’t the Mafia’s style.

They would’ve busted down my door and not thought twice about putting bullets in both myself and Audrey.

I looked around the expanse of the open space before I put my gun down. I laid it on the table and picked up the brick, taking in the note attached to it. I peered out the window as I fisted the brick, anger rising in my veins.

Then, I ripped the note from the underside of the red brick and began to read it.

Stay away from Heather. You’re no good for her. And if you don’t, I’ll make sure you do.