Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“Adan!” I shriek, as he climbs out and shuts the door.
He turns and mouths “lock it” before walking off.
I lock it, boy do I lock it.
I also double check the gun situation, just to be sure.
He’s right there is one in there.
I watch as they all go into the large warehouse with the guards following close behind them, leaving two on the gate still. Those two stare at me ... a lot. It’s freaking me out, actually. They just look at me, and then talk, and then look at me and talk again. I have no idea why. They’re probably going to come over here and order me out, they probably think I’m some sort of spy.
God.
This is awful.
I sink down into the seat and try to be as still as I can, I don’t want them to think I’m doing anything that I shouldn’t be.
One hour passes, and it’s the longest hour of my life but, finally, the club walks out of the warehouse, followed by three or four men that aren’t guards.
That’s when I see him.
It takes me a minute, mostly for my brain to comprehend what it’s seeing.
But I’d know that face, I’d know that face anywhere.
I’d know those large shoulders.
That gruff appearance.
The way he looks so terribly scary, but he’s not.
I make a gasping sound and shake my head, as if that’ll clear my vision and show me I’m wrong.
I’m opening the door before I can think, before I can do anything.
My body just moves.
I step out and start walking toward the group.
The guards yell out and everyone turns. Riggs shouts something. Adan shouts something.
I don’t stop.
My eyes are locked on the one man I’m waiting to look at me.
When he does, I stop in my tracks.
I’m right.
I know I’m right because his face changes.
His entire body stiffens.
His eyes scan me, over and over, as if trying to believe what he’s seeing.
I know he’s waiting for me to say the words, to prove what is happening.
I do, in a low whisper.
“Daddy?”
8
“Don’t touch her.”
The voice roars as the guards reach me and take my arms. They immediately release me, and the confusion on everyone’s face is stark. They’re trying to figure out what the hell is going on here.
I’m struggling to keep it together.
I knew he was around, of course I did, but I didn’t know he was this close.
I also didn’t know the club had anything to do with him.
I haven’t seen him since I was younger, god, I was just a kid.
He’s exactly the same, though.
Age hasn’t bothered him.
They were young when they had me, so the man doesn’t look old.
He’s rugged and dangerous, with messy dark hair that sits atop his masculine head. His eyes, stark blue, just as they always were. His skin the same olive, his jaw covered with stubble, not quite a beard, but not much less. His body is large and strong. Muscled and covered in tattoos. To any other woman, my father would be a knockout.
My heart feels like it’s going to explode.
I can’t breathe.
He takes a step forward, then another, and by the time he’s near me, I can no longer take a full breath. He reaches out, his rough hand resting against my cheek. A tear bursts forth and rolls down, slipping over his fingers. I can’t stop the tears. I have wondered about this moment since he left.
But that’s the thing.
He left.
Mom told me he didn’t want a single thing to do with me.
He never proved otherwise.
He never came looking for me, even after I turned eighteen.
He could have found me, if he truly wanted to.
He didn’t.
I turn my face away. My hurt too strong.
“Ramona,” he says, his voice as gruff as he is. “Sweetheart ...”
God.
His voice.
The way he used to call me sweetheart when I was little.
He was always my hero. So strong.
But he left me.
“I can’t ...” I croak. “You left me. You never came for me. I can’t.”
Adan walks over and is by my side in a second.
“Take me out of here, Adan. Please.”
He does as I ask—he wraps an arm around my waist and turns me away.
“Ramona, please,” Dad says.
“Let her be.”
That’s Riggs’ voice.
“You know where she is now. Let her process this.”
“Tell her I’ll come for her. I will come for her.”
I don’t hear anything after that.
I let Adan lead me to the car, and I slide into the driver’s seat. I pull away, and as I do, I catch sight of my dad, just staring at me, his face a mix of shock and confusion, and a whole lot of pain. A tear runs down my cheek as I drive out, speeding off down the dirt road.
Adan doesn’t say anything.
He doesn’t tell me to slow down.
When I make a hiccupping sound as I sob, he doesn’t say anything.
When I scream out in frustration, he doesn’t say anything.