Free Piecing Together Sydney (A Sydney West Novel Book 3) by Brittney Coon Page A

leave.”
    I stepped in front of Jason to make sure my future husband didn’t murder his father and spend the rest of his life in prison. “Mister—”
    “You can call me Daniel. You must be Sydney. It’s nice to meet you.” He offered me his right hand like we were going into business together.
    Out of habit, I shook his hand. It was hard to leave him hanging. Jason pulled me behind him. “Don’t touch her. How do you even know my fiancé?” His voice was deep and venomous. I had never heard him this pissed before.
    “I saw your wedding announcement online. I keep tabs on you and your sister and thought I’d come in person to congratulate you and Sydney.”
    Jason held my wrist tightly, making me whine in pain. “Jason, that hurts.”
    He let me go. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Please go back inside.”
    “Don’t send Daddy away again!” Kylie screamed from within the house. She broke my heart, crying for her father like the innocent girl she was when he left.
    “Kylie, that’s enough,” Jason barked. He shoved his father toward the porch’s steps. “Go now.”
    “Wait…I just…” Daniel moved down the steps and stood at their base. He glanced over at me. “Could you talk some sense into my boy? I’m staying at the Eclipse Hotel a few miles from here.”
    I shrugged, not wanting to answer in words and upset Jason further.
    Kylie leaped off the porch before I knew she passed me. She grabbed her father and sobbed. “Don’t go! Please, not yet.”
    “For fuck’s sake!” Jason threw his hands in the air.
    Ellie padded onto the porch, rubbing her forehead. “How did he find us?” she muttered to herself.
    “What should we do?” I asked, watching Kylie hug her father like he was going off to war.
    “I don’t know. Daniel just took off on us after the divorce. Kylie was heartbroken. I don’t want to hurt her again, but…” She looked over at Jason as he paced up and down the porch. “We can’t let Jason get too angry either.”
    I nodded and dared to speak to the love of my life. “Hey, do you want—”
    He waved me off and looked over at Kylie again. “No, I’ll go upstairs so my sister can visit our piece of shit fath…whatever the fuck he is.” Jason stormed into the house and each step up the stairs was pounded into the wood.
    Ellie sighed and wrung her hands together. “Kylie, sweetie, come back inside…he can come too, for a short visit.”
    She turned her head. Her green eyes were saucers and wrinkled in the corners due to her enormous grin. “Are you serious?”
    Her mom gave a brief smile and nodded toward the front door. Kylie grabbed her father’s arm and towed him into the house, talking a mile a minute. He laughed and gave Ellie and me a nod as if thanking us for letting him in.
    Ellie rubbed her forehead. “God, I can’t believe this.”
    I dug my nails into my palms, unsure what to do or say. “What should I do?”
    She gave me a ghost of her smile. “Can you make some coffee and spike mine, a lot?”
    I squeezed her shoulder. “Of course.”
    We entered the house, and Ellie sat down on the rocking chair watching her daughter catch up with her long-lost father on the couch.
    My heart hammered in my chest as I made a fresh pot of coffee and pulled Bailey’s out of the cabinet. “Hmm…” I tapped my finger to my chin and exchanged Bailey’s for Jack Daniels. Times like this we needed a stronger drink.
    Part of me wanted to go upstairs and check on Jason, but he made it clear he wanted to be alone while Daniel was here. I also felt like I needed to stay downstairs to make sure Daniel didn’t break Kylie’s heart again. Not sure how I could do that, but I wanted to protect her. She was going to be my sister soon.
    The coffee pot spat; it was done. I poured two cups and a lot of Jack into the mugs. I gave Ellie’s splash of creamer since she didn’t seem to like the bitter taste of black coffee. I entered the living room to see Kylie showing her father