Six

RULE KNEW RIGHT AWAY something was wrong the moment he pulled up the driveway and saw his daughter already waiting for him outside their home.

She rushed up to him and started speaking even when he had barely gotten out of his car. "You need to call Vixen, Dad."

The moment he heard Riley mention her name, he knew right away that Beatriz had caused trouble again. But even though this had Rule feeling sick to his stomach—-

"You need to talk to her, and—-"

His daughter came first, always.

"Riley, slow down."

"But you don't understand, Dad! Mom was so—-"

Rule pulled his daughter into his arms when she started crying.

"It's going to be okay, alright? So calm down, and then we'll talk about this properly."

Riley's body gradually stopped shaking, and Rule took a step back. "Better?"

"Mom's still inside."

Rule only nodded, knowing that it was his daughter's way of saying she wasn't yet comfortable at seeing Beatriz again.

"Want to go for a drive?"

RULE FOCUSED ON THE road ahead and keeping a rein on his temper as his daughter recounted everything that happened since his ex welcomed Vixen to his home in a bathrobe.

Classic Beatriz , he thought grimly. She had always been the type to make a scene, either to get what she wanted...or in this case, because it was the opposite. He had refused to give her a loan, and this was his payback.

"I really thought it would be the end of you two, Dad."

That wasn't possible, Rule thought. There was nothing to end since he and Vixen hadn't begun anything, and maybe they never would.

"But then I heard her tell Mom that everyone has a past. And that she also had a past—-"

"Your mom?"

Riley shook her head. "No, Vixen. She was telling Mom that she had a past, too, and...and that everyone makes mistakes, and that's why she'd never hold anyone's past against them."

If it had been anyone else, Rule would've been tempted to think that person was simply mouthing off platitudes. But because this was Vixen, Rule knew she had meant every word, and that was why...

I don't deserve her, God.

His old self, which had been full of pride, wanted to push her away.

Can't you see she only pities you?

But Rule was done living in the past and making the same mistakes over and over.

I know I don't deserve her, God.

But I can pray about that.

Because You chose us for each other.

And Your plans are always good and perfect.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

Riley's tremulous tone pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I didn't mean for this to happen. I should've asked you first. I just wanted to surprise you..."

Rule pulled up to the curb before shifting his seat to look at his daughter. "You have nothing to apologize about. I'm the one who's at fault here. I should've told you in advance that your mom had come to visit. But I failed to do that, and I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

Riley's eyes teared. "Of course." But even so, the sadness in his daughter's gaze remained.

"What is it, Riley? Talk to me."

"I just...I just want to know," Riley whispered. "Will everything still be okay between you and Vixen? Between us?"

I don't know.

Rule used to forbid himself from thinking such words. He used to think only weak people admitted to not knowing anything, and so he had always tried to do everything on his own.

But not anymore.

He was done pretending he was strong. He was done pretending in any way. Even with the past threatening his present, Rule knew he still had a choice to make.

Jeremiah 29:12-13.

He had read the next verses on a whim while waiting for the ferry to dock. But now he knew it was God who had made him read those words. Because God had also known those words were what Rule would need right now.

"Do you want to pray about it?"

His daughter's face lit up with hope. "I...I want to, but I don't know how."

"I've never prayed much either," he admitted, "but I don't think there are any rules to it. And I certainly don't think God would be a good God if he'd laugh at us. Right?"

A smile slowly broke over his daughter's lips. "Right."

"So...you want to give it a try?"

Riley nodded. "Should we close our eyes?"

"If you want..." His voice trailed off since his daughter had already closed her eyes.

"Dear God..."

So far, so good. Right, God?

"Please make my mom go away—-"

"Riley."

"I'm just kidding, Dad."

Rule fought to keep his face impassive at Riley's pious tone.

"Dear God," Riley said again. "Please help Dad and I survive Mom's visit without wanting to—-"

"You know what? I'll pray instead."

"But—-"

"Dear God."

His daughter stopped protesting as soon as he spoke the words.

"I'm sorry that we're new to this. I hope and pray we'll get better as the days go by. But right now, we just want to ask for your help. We want to do the right thing. For everyone. Amen."

"Amen," Riley echoed.

A few moments of silence passed.

"Dad?"

Rule was about to restart the engine when heard his daughter speak.

"That felt good, didn't it?"

The wonder in her voice made his chest tighten.

Because he realized he felt the same thing.

"Yes," Rule said gruffly. "It did."

And somehow, even though nothing had been resolved, and things had even become worse, it was just like that morning again.

They found peace.

Rule warned Riley to keep her voice down when they got home, but his daughter seemed incapable of containing her joy. "I just can't believe it, Dad. You feel it, too, don't you? The power of prayer?"

"I do, sweetheart. I feel it, too."

Inside her room, Beatriz could feel her rage burning hotter as she listened to Riley and her ex talk. Why that was, she couldn't even begin to explain. All she knew was that she hated the way Rule and her daughter were acting, and only one person was to blame for it.