Page 109 of Wild Distortion

“Of course. It’s where I fell in love with the island girl.”

The nickname makes me smile. He hasn’t called me that in years. I haven’t felt like her in years. The craving to have salty water on my skin faded with my memories. And my tan. “Well, you might get lucky again and see her, Ball Boy.”

He flashes a wicked grin, the one that will always give me butterflies in my lower belly. “Maybe if I get naked and act like I’m passed out on the bed, she’ll show up.” He wags his brows and I drop my head. I would say it wasn’t one of the brightest moments of my life, but that would be a lie. It was the best.

I run a hand up his chest with my back against the door as I swipe the key with my other hand. “That’s a fantastic idea.” I twist the knob, pushing on the door with my butt.

“That sounds like a horrible idea,” a male voice rasps.

I yelp, stumbling back into Ryker’s chest, staring at the man in our living room. My lips quirk up and I jump forward into his arms.

“Dad.”

His frame is larger than the last time I saw him. I guess when you’re not pretending to be sick, you don’t have to watch your diet.

“Hi, hun.”

I don’t have any regrets, I’m welcoming him with open arms. Whether he was right or wrong keeping me, he was a wonderful dad. My real parents' understanding of my feelings helped me get over the anxiety I was having. They might not welcome him to family reunions, but they accept him for what he was to me and not what he is to the world—a monster.

“Rudy,” Ryker says, extending a hand. An offering of peace. I know how hard this is for Ryker. My dad is a murderer. A wanted man. And I’ve never asked Ryker for acceptance.

My dad takes his hand in his. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

“Thank you for not killing me,” Ryker says, half-jokingly. I slap my hand against my forehead. Is this what their relationship boils down to? Relief?

Rudy’s laugh echoes against the wall. “I won’t say I didn’t think about it.”

Ryker’s eyes widen at his admission. I jerk my gaze in his direction, surprised too.

“I’m kidding. Geez.” He holds his hands up in the air. “I saw how much you loved my daughter. But don’t think I’ll ever stop watching.” His voice is heavy, leaving no question that it’s not a joke.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Ryker shove his hands in his pockets.

“Where are you hiding out these days?” I scramble to change the subject.

“I’m around.” He winks but then wrings his hands together. “Do you think…” He pauses for a beat. “Maybe you guys can go on a sunset sail with me this week sometime?” He gestures to his boat, docked against the deck.

I glance at Ryker before answering. He nods with a subtle smile. I silently promise to do whatever he wants me to do this vacation. “Yes, we’d love to.”

“It’s a date. I’ll let you get back to settling in. It’s great to see you, Aspen.” My heart squeezes at the emotion in his voice. He mock salutes and turns on his heels, exiting the back door. Before stepping into his boat, he casts a quick glance over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t be dropping by out of the blue again.”

“Thank god,” Ryker mumbles into my shoulder. We watch his boat drift away and as soon as he’s out of the shallow water, it disappears around the island. “How the hell does he know everything? Like how we were staying here?”

“He knows people,” I tease, making him chuckle. I twist my body, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Thank you. I know how awk—”

He puts his finger against my lips, stopping me. “He’s your dad. I get it. Seeing you happy is everything I’ve ever wanted for you.”

“How did I ever find you?”

His tongue wets his bottom lip as he pulls his shirt off in one swoop. “It seems you need a reminder.” He walks inside, dropping his shorts and underwear on the way to the bedroom. “Make sure to sing and swing those hips as you’re walking in.”

While he gets situated on the bed, I strip, shaking my hair out of the bun. When I round the corner, singing off tune, I stop and stare at the gorgeous man. I had no idea eight years ago that he would change my life. That I would find my life.

Thank god I took another peek.

“Whiskey, you going to join me?”

This time, I’m not running.

The End

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