Page 151 of Colt

The thought of a beating didn’t scare me, I’d had ‘em before and no doubt would again. I was more afraid of the disappointment Prez would throw my way. He trusted me and although I’d broken that trust for what I believed was a good reason, I knew it didn’t take my colossal betrayal away.

So, sitting there next to the woman I loved, I took everything in, because it would be the last time.

Everyone’s mood seemed melancholy.

Bowie sat the other side of me with Sunny next to him, and I could overhear him talking to her.

“It’s been a year today since you became my daughter,” he said softly.

Sunny looked up at him and beamed. “I wished for you,” she murmured. “Mommy was sad, and she was too thin, and I knew she didn’t eats enough ‘cause she wanted me to eats all the food. I prayed to Jesus to send me a daddy who’d looks after Mommy.”

My throat thickened.

Bowie took his daughter’s hand and squeezed it. “I knew you were meant to be mine at our first barbeque. Do you remember?”

She nodded furiously.

“You told me to get your mom flowers and take them to the salon. Said she’d love me if I did.” He grinned down at her. “Best advice anyone ever gave me.”

By then the table had fallen silent, everyone listening to the conversation.

“Then remember when I brought you your Switch?” he continued. “You ran at me, squealin’ and I thought I’d done somethin’ wrong. Then you looked up at me with those big, baby doe eyes and it hit me in the chest, Sunny. You were mine, the same as your mom was. I knew I was put on the Earth for you two. Then we had Willow and we’ve got the twins coming soon and I’m so fuckin’ happy, Sunshine. You’re the light of my life.”

Layla let out a quiet sob.

John gulped.

Even Atlas looked at father and daughter with the softest eyes I’d ever seen on him.

“Daddy?” Sunny said gently. “That’s five dollars, please. You swored.”

Everyone began to laugh.

I took the bottle of wine Bowie passed to me and poured Freya then myself a glass. I’d chosen it so I knew it was good stuff. It was the wine my mom used to serve at dinner parties. My stomach jerked at the thought of my mom, and I realized I hadn’t called her to wish her a merry Christmas. She’d probably be drunk by now anyway, so I decided to call her the next day.

I reached under the table and squeezed Freya’s knee again. She looked gorgeous in her baggy sweater dress and high boots. I smiled at the notion that soon, we wouldn’t have to hide anymore. I didn’t mind admitting it was beginning to wear me down.

“Are you okay?” Freya asked softly.

I took a bite of potato, put my fork down, and twisted my body to face her, chewing thoughtfully. “Just thinkin’ about life and where we’ll be next year,” I told her, voice low to avoid being overheard.

Freya looked around the table, then back to me. “I know. It’s hard to imagine. I’ve never known anything but this.”

“Any regrets?” I asked gently.

Her eyes lifted to meet mine and she shook her head. “Not one. I’ll miss this but I don’t think it’ll be long before we can come back. In the meantime, we can have our own Christmas’s together.”

I gave her knee a supportive squeeze, hoping to instill some confidence. We could do this. We could build our own life, our own family, and traditions.

I turned back to the table, lifting my fork to take another bite, but the motion stilled halfway to my mouth when I caught sight of Atlas watching us. His stare hardened as it flicked between me and Freya, and his lip curled angrily.

My heart plummeted into my ass, and I heaved out a slow breath.

Of course, he knew—Atlas was smarter than he looked. Thoughts and questions raced through my mind but only one stood out.

What was he going to do about it?

I’d have to speak to him, explain the situation and ask him to hold off on telling Dagger. I wanted the chance to tell him myself.

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