“Elizabeth?” Dash turned to her, watching Cassie in alarm.
Elizabeth shook her head. “She’s frightened.” She ran her hand down Cassie’s back soothingly. “Big men scare her, Dash. Except you. She thinks she knows you…” She let it trail off. She and Cassie didn’t know the man now standing patiently on the other side of Dash’s door, his expression concerned as he waited on Dash to open the door.
Dash breathed out deeply as she watched him somberly. “She’s just a baby…” She tried to explain, afraid Dash would now expect more from Cassie than she could give. Cassie had her moments of terror. Her moments of happiness. Elizabeth had learned to accept each as they came.
“I know that, Elizabeth.” His voice was soft, though his eyes flashed dark fire at her reprisal. “I was worried for Cassie. Not Mike. We can sit here as long as you need.”
Elizabeth shook her head. Better to find out now what awaited them here in this new atmosphere.
“If she finds safety, she’ll calm down.” She left the rest unsaid. Dash pushed his fingers wearily through his hair as he pulled the keys from the ignition and opened the door. Cassie tensed, a small, mewling whimper escaping her lips. Dash stopped. His jaw tightened before he closed the door back once again.
“Cassie.” His voice was so incredibly gentle as he turned that Elizabeth wanted to cry at the sound. Had she ever heard a man speak to her or her daughter with such warmth? “Cassie. The door’s closed, honey. Won’t you look at me?”
Elizabeth rocked her baby slowly, knowing the fear could lead to deep, shuddering tremors that came so close to convulsions they terrified her.
Surprisingly enough, Cassie peeked up at him, though her hands gripped Elizabeth’s neck so tightly they felt like bands of quivering steel.
“I’ll be okay.” Cassie was fighting to be brave, but her voice trembled with her fear. “The fairy said it’s okay. The fairy is always right. She’s always right.” Elizabeth could hear the tears filling Cassie’s voice now.
“You know, Mike has a little girl, too,” Dash suddenly said softly. “Just a few years older than you are. Her name’s Mica. And I bet, living out here without any little girls to play with, that she’ll be very happy when you come in the house.”
Cassie’s head lifted further. She glanced outside the Hummer. “Is she here now?” she asked him suspiciously.
“She’s in the house, Cassie,” Dash said. “I heard her playing when I talked to Mike on the phone earlier. Would you like to meet her?”
Cassie didn’t loosen her grip on Elizabeth, but the shudders eased perceptively.
“You’re sure she’s here, Dash?”
“Tell you what, I’ll step out here and talk to Mike and have him get Mica to come to the inside garage door.” He indicated the closed door at the side of the wide room. “How does that sound?”
Elizabeth lowered her head, kissing her daughter’s curls as she fought to hide her tears. Dash was being gentle, understanding. His voice wasn’t patronizing as Dane’s would have been, but kept its usual inflection without being demanding.
“He’s a good daddy?” Cassie’s voice was still rough. “He doesn’t hit his little girl, does he?”
Elizabeth glanced at Dash. She prayed only she saw the spark of violence that shot through his eyes for a second.
“No, Cassie.” He swallowed tightly. “Mike would never hit his little girl. You can even ask her if you want to. Mike loves his little girl very much. He would never hit her.”
“She’ll come to the door?” Cassie worried. “I can see her before I get out?”
“Yes, you can. And I’ll close my door when I get out. That way, you won’t get cold waiting.” Or frightened that there was access to her by the big man standing outside, Elizabeth guessed. Cassie nodded cautiously.
“Good girl.” Dash smiled tenderly as he eased his door open once again and stepped out of the Hummer.
Chapter Eight
Dash wanted to kill. Again. He wanted Grange in his hands, struggling, blood flowing as he pleaded for mercy. A mercy Dash knew he would never be able to give. He was shocked to realize how terrified Cassie had become when she saw Mike. It had been driven home to him then, just how much that little girl trusted him. How much she depended on him to keep her safe and how hard that battle was being fought.
He cursed silently, breathing out roughly as emotion swamped him. The fear he had smelled in that vehicle had nearly strangled him, ripping through his defenses, if he had any against her, and searing his soul with fury. Grange would pay for the damage he had done to that child and Dash would make certain of it.
“Hey, buddy.” Mike’s voice was questioning, and Dash knew the other man could sense his fury. They had fought together too many times, had covered each other’s backs in too many ways. Men who fought together learned the basics of each other’s personalities, strengths and weaknesses in a way that otherwise took a lifetime during peace. War was an alien ground of kill or be killed, and the men you fought with were as necessary to living as breathing. You had to know the mettle of the man whose back you covered, who covered your back.
“Please tell me Mica’s still up,” Dash said wearily as he rubbed his hand over his face. “Cassie’s edging into hysteria seeing only you. She’s terrified to come out of the Hummer.”
The other man stiffened imperceptibly. The implications of the reasons for such terror washed through his gray eyes. His jaw tightened, teeth gritting for a long second as Dash watched him fight his anger. Mike finally glanced at the darkened windows of the Hummer. “Hang on. I’ll get her.”
Moments later, Mike’s wife, Serena, a tall willowy blonde, and his petite blonde-haired daughter stepped out. Mica wrapped her arms around her daddy’s waist and leaned against him as she smiled back over at Dash.
“You remember Dash, don’t you, Mica?” Mike asked his daughter softly. “The little girl he brought to visit is scared to get out of the Hummer. Why don’t you go with Mommy and introduce yourself? Make her feel more at home.”
Dash watched as the family came down the landing. Mike separated from them and returned to where Dash stood, watching quietly as the Hummer’s door slowly opened. Soft female voices murmured through the garage. Dash had met the little girl and Mike’s wife several times over the years during brief furloughs stateside. Both were kind and soft spoken, and just what Cassie and Elizabeth needed right now, he thought.