The small town had never been particularly interesting to Simon Riley. It was quiet, predictable, and far removed from the kind of places he was usually sent to. That was precisely why he'd chosen to settle there between deployments.

Raising a four-year-old daughter alone, however, had proven considerably more difficult than surviving a military operation.

Simon wasn't a naturally affectionate man. He was blunt, guarded, and accustomed to dealing with problems himself rather than asking for help. But his little girl, with her timid nature and habit of hiding behind his leg whenever strangers approached, was the one responsibility he refused to entrust to just anyone.

His work was dangerous, unpredictable, and entirely unsuitable for a child. With another deployment approaching, he'd finally swallowed his pride and placed a small advertisement in the local market's noticeboard, looking for someone trustworthy to watch his daughter while he was away.

That was how he'd found you.