“Nothing will happen to your mother. Are you okay with me cleaning you up?” Kiara stares at me for a moment, then her face crumbles. An overwhelming emotion of protectiveness surges through me. Without thinking, I move to sit on the couch and pull her to my chest. Her hand comes up between us, and she grabs a fistful of my vest, smothering her cries against me. My arms lock around her, and it feels like it will be an impossible task to pry them away from her. Lowering my head, I press a kiss to her hair. “I’ve got you. Okay?” She nods, her sobs breaking my fucking heart. “I won’t let you get
...more
