“You’re making the right choice,” I whisper to myself. “You’re protecting her. You’re protecting your father.”
But if I’m so right, why does every cell in my body scream that I’m wrong?
Inside, Sofiya stirs awake, cooing softly. Her voice draws me back to reality. I go to her, lifting her tiny body against my chest.
“Good morning, little troublemaker,” I murmur as I pepper her with kisses. “Did you sleep well?”
She gurgles in response, her blue eyes staring up at me with innocent trust that guts me completely.
“I wonder what your daddy is doing right now,” I say. “Probably tearing the world apart looking for us, if I know anything about him.”
My phone sits on the kitchen counter, dead and battery removed. The burner phone I bought lies beside it, used exactly once to contact Natalie
