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Daddy’s Promise

K.L. Ramsey

Soren Kane was a dangerous man who built his empire on power, secrets, and blood. But when Lily Brooks witnessed him kill her boss, everything changed.

Lily had spent years surviving a world that had taught her that love came with pain. Soren should have been the last man she trusted. Instead, the ruthless protector offered her something she never had—safety, tenderness, and a place to call home.

As dangerous secrets unraveled and enemies closed in, Soren will do whatever it takes to protect his baby girl, because Lily wasn't just under his protection anymore—she has become his heart, his future, and his home. And Daddy always takes care of what was his.

Chapter One

Lily

Lily Brooks knew better than to work late. The empty office building settled around her with eerie creaks as the cleaning crew finished on another floor below. Most of the employees had gone home hours ago, leaving only the glow of her computer monitor and the soft hum of the air conditioner to keep her company.

She rubbed at the knot in the back of her neck and glanced at the clock. 9:47 p.m. Wonderful—another fourteen-hour day. "One more report," she muttered, forcing herself to focus on the spreadsheet in front of her.

Her boss, Richard Collins, expected perfection. He also expected loyalty, silence, and long hours that never seemed to end. Lily had tolerated it because she needed the paycheck. Running from her ex-boyfriend had drained every cent she'd managed to save, and starting over in a new city wasn't cheap. She'd promised herself she'd only stay long enough to rebuild her life, but six months later, she was still here.

A loud bang echoed somewhere down the hallway, and Lily's fingers froze over the keyboard. She told herself that it was probably maintenance, then exhaled slowly and returned to work. Another bang, followed by voices—angry voices—pulled her from her keyboard again. She knew one of the voices. It belonged to Richard, but he wasn't supposed to be here this late.

Curiosity tugged at her despite the warning bells ringing in the back of her mind. She told herself not to leave her office and to mind her business. She'd survived the last year by staying invisible, but another crash, followed by glass shattering, got her attention. Lily stood before she could talk herself out of it.

The hallway outside her office stretched long and empty beneath fluorescent lights that buzzed overhead. Every instinct told her to turn around, grab her purse, and leave. Instead, she followed the noise. The conference room door stood slightly open, and she slowed in the hallway, barely breathing.

"I already paid you," Richard snapped.

"You paid the wrong people." The voice that answered was calm, cold, and deadly. Lily couldn't see the speaker; only Richard. His face had gone ghost white, and he looked as frightened as he sounded.

"I can get more money,” Richard breathed.

"It's not about the money anymore,” the man insisted.

Her stomach twisted. She knew that she should leave; instead, she took one careful step backward. The floor creaked beneath her shoe, and every hair on her arms stood on end.

"No," Richard whispered, just before a gunshot exploded through the hallway.

Lily jerked violently, her scream catching in her throat as Richard collapsed backward across the conference table. Blood spread across his white dress shirt. She knew that she should run, but her entire body felt frozen to the spot where she was standing. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, and couldn't move.

The man stepped into view. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and wore a black suit tailored to perfection. His dark hair fell over his eyes, and his expression never changed as he lowered the pistol. His icy-blue eyes landed directly on hers, and it felt as though time stopped. Lily told herself to run, but her legs didn’t seem to get the message. She spun and sprinted down the hallway, heels slamming against polished tiles. Her purse bounced against her hip as panic clawed at her lungs.

She pushed the elevator button. Come on. Come on! She stabbed the button repeatedly, and it remained on the first floor. She couldn’t waste any more time waiting for it and turned to take the stairs. Lily shoved through the heavy metal door and nearly stumbled down the concrete steps. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, and she looked back over her shoulder for any sign of the man, but there was none. He wasn't following, and she wasn’t sure if she should thank her lucky stars or worry that he had already outsmarted her.

She burst into the lobby and raced toward the front entrance, only to find the door was locked. The security doors had switched to after-hours mode. "No, no, no." Her trembling fingers fumbled with her employee badge as she swiped it through the reader. She got the red light again and again as her fingers fumbled with the badge.

"Please,” she begged. Footsteps echoed behind her—slow and steady. She turned to find the man from upstairs standing only twenty feet away. He hadn't even broken a sweat chasing her. Hell, he looked almost bored, and Lily's heart hammered painfully against her ribs.

"I—I won't tell anyone,” she promised. His gaze remained unreadable. "I didn't see your face." That was a lie. She'd seen every sharp angle of it and would probably see it every night in her dreams. He continued walking toward her, and she backed away until the locked glass doors pressed against her spine.

"Please,” she whispered.

He stopped several feet in front of her. "You saw enough." His deep voice rolled over her like distant thunder.

"I swear I'll disappear,” she promised. He stared her down, and Lily found herself closing her eyes and holding her breath. She wasn’t sure if she should pray or beg in a situation like this—maybe a bit of both.

She was just about to make the man some more empty promises when the front windows exploded inward. Gunfire erupted through the lobby, and the stranger moved faster than humanly possible. One second, he stood across the room, and the next, he slammed Lily against the wall behind one of the marble columns, shielding her completely with his body. Bullets shattered glass behind them, and men shouted outside. The stranger drew another pistol from beneath his jacket, and his face seemed to transform right before her eyes. He wasn’t frightened or angry but focused. He looked lethal.

He fired twice, and two men fell to the ground outside. Lily squeezed her eyes shut as more shots rang out. Her entire body shook uncontrollably, but the man never flinched. "Stay behind me," he ordered.