Page 56 of Stealing Jia

The regret on my father’s face brought tears to my eyes. “It wasn’t your fault. My birth records were falsified, and I was placed in Saint Michael’s Home for Lost Sheep. An orphanage that catered to children withspecialtalents.”

My father gently touched my cheek. “If Salvatore Genovese wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him for what he did to you.”

“It’s okay, Dad. They taught me survival skills I needed when the Tai-Kok came.”

His face lit up. “Dad, huh?”

“Would you prefer father or pops or papa or pappy?”

Dad laughed. “Dad’s fine.”

Bey twitched.

“Merda! Cut me loose, Dad.”

Kneeling, he hacked at the sticky webbing. “Bey’s bad temper is legendary.”

“Color me surprised. Instead of a thank you for rescuing LeeLee and LooLoo, the jerk compared me to a frightened petka.”

“He did the same to Kaylee.”

“Seriously?”

Zarek teleported in and stared at Bey for a long moment. “I have been summoned to deal with the Tabor problem, but it seems you have it under control.”

Trayon bellowed his war cry.

“Or not.” As Zarek entered our quarters, a bowl of blood worms whizzed by his head.

An army of cleaning bots scurried down the corridor. “That’s not a good sign.”

Dad helped me up. “No, it isn’t. How about we catch up over some Merlot and chocolate cake?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Chapter Eleven

I felt an instant connection to my father. I glossed over my life as a thief, the horrors of the Tai-Kok invasion, Adam’s abduction and how I became Trayon’s mate. “Enough about me. How did you meet my mother?”

Dad grinned. “Viola picked my pocket.”

My mother had been a thief too? “Did you get your wallet back?”

“Darlin’, I’m a cop, what do you think?”

“I think she led you on a merry chase.”

“Yes, she did, but I caught her and found out the hard way she was highly skilled with a knife.” Dad tapped his side. “I still have the scar.”

“She stabbed you!”

“More like a deep cut. I’ve been in a few knife fights and I quickly disarmed her,” Dad replied.

“I bet that pissed her off.”

My father threw back his head and roared with laughter. “She turned into a wild cat; biting and clawing me. But she was a little thing like you, I pinned her down until she wore herself out.”

I gaped at him. “How in the world did you end up in bed with a woman who tried to kill you?”

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