Page 97 of My Secret to Protect

‘Hey, kid.’ My dad’s voice has me raising my head and turning to find him leaning against the door frame. He’s been here every day, sometimes for twenty minutes, sometimes for two hours. He, Lynnie, and Mrs. C have spent time talking, and he’s just been there, behind me, feeling like a real dad for the first time in my life. I can feel the regret pouring off him. He hates that we wasted so much time over stupid rules that meant nothing to the men who fucking betrayed him, the men now feeding the roses around that piece of shit cottage in the woods.

‘Hey, Dad.’

‘How’s your girl today?’ He joins me in the room but as always, doesn’t sit.

‘Same, they’re waking her up soon.’

‘Good.’ His voice is firm and sure. ‘Seems a stupid thing to say right now, but happy birthday, Arlo.’

Fuck. My birthday, I’d forgotten. I’m forty. Seems like a milestone I’d want to celebrate, but until my girl is awake and in my arms, everything is standing still.

‘Yeah,’ I huff out a laugh, ‘pretty stupid.’

Dad grips my shoulder and, for the first time, moves to stand next to the bed and really looks at Bree.

‘She looks like him.’ Miles. He never got over losing his best friend. ‘Prettier, of course.’ He smiles, and I nod. ‘Horse is still alive, kid.’ I glare up at him now, my nostrils flaring as a fire starts in my belly, and he holds up a hand. ‘Calm down, listen before you blow.’

‘He took her, he betrayed you, and you let him live?’

‘Living is subjective.’ He raises one eyebrow. ‘He has a pulse, put it that way. I thought you might want to be the one to change that.’

I hold my dad’s gaze for a moment while the gift that he’s trying to give me sinks in. He is giving me the chance to get revenge, to take something back to help close the gaping wound inside of me.

‘He called the cops.’ I feel my brow furrow with confusion, and he steps closer to me. ‘The day you got arrested, it was Horse. He spilled everything because he thought I already knew. He wanted you out of the way, thought after you did the job, you’d change your mind about leaving the club and take the VP spot from under him.’

Anger bubbles in my bloodstream as I remember Horse’s counsel during that time.

It must have been the girl. You shouldn’t have told her.

Cut her out, kid. Don’t let her in. She’ll just lie to you some more.

If your dad finds out what she did, he’ll kill her. You know he will. Campbell or not.

Serve your time and move on, kid. Forget she ever existed.

This stays between me and you.

He tore us apart, kept her from me, made me believe she betrayed me, then fucking helped kidnap her.

‘He says he didn’t know it was her they took, maintains that, but it doesn’t matter now. He knows he’s just waiting for you.’

‘I need to be here right now,’ I say firmly, and he nods just once.

‘I’ll keep him breathing until you’re ready.’

With that, he turns and walks away.

‘Okay,she’snolongerunder sedation. It’ll take a little time for it to fade, and she should wake on her own terms when she’s ready. She might be confused and probably thirsty when she wakes. Try not to crowd her, okay.’ The nurse smiles as she leaves the room, and I watch Bree eagerly.

Lynnie, Zoe, and Mrs. C are sitting in chairs around her bed. Doug and I are standing, arms crossed over our chests while we wait.

‘Did she say how long? I can’t remember,’ Lynnie says, and Doug answers.

‘No, Mama, just a little while.’

‘Right.’ She nods and reaches out to hold Bree’s hand.

My dad’sgiftfrom yesterday niggles in the back of my mind. I itch with the need to go to the club and put Horse down as painfully as possible, but I’m where I need to be.

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