Page 28 of Deuce

I sighed.“You know those dating apps you thought were a bad idea?”

He narrowed his eyes.“Yeah?”

“Well,” I said.“Turns out you were right.”

“Coffee’s ready!”Janet’s voice sounded from the kitchen.

I stood, holding a hand out to help my dad get up.“We might as well go sit in the kitchen while I explain.”

Beast was busy stuffing loops of rope into the garbage can, and a sheepish looking Tiny was standing by the stove rubbing the angry red welts on his wrists.

I didn’t ask, but I noticed the smirk on my dad’s face when Tiny glared at him.Someone could fill me in on that later.

When we were all seated, coffee in hand, I took a deep breath and explained the whole situation to my dad.I left out the part where I suspected Deuce or Rattler had shot one of the guys.As I recounted the prior day’s events, I realized the story sounded bad enough without adding dead bodies.

“So, Deuce offered the services of Riptide to watch over me until it’s safe,” I concluded.

“Why leave me out of it?”Dad sounded hurt.

“These guys are pros, Dad.I’ve only got one of you, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’ll stay until they find the guys who hurt you and deal with them.I was in the SEALs for over a decade.I’m not exactly helpless.”Dad slapped one palm down on the table for emphasis.

Janet choked on a mouthful of coffee.“Well, that could be awkward.”

I glared at her.

Dad looked from one biker to another, his attention lingering on Deuce.“Why?Which one you sleeping with?”

“I’m not sure there was much sleeping involved.”Rattler snickered.

“Careful, son.”Dad glared at the biker.“That’s my little girl you’re talking about.”

Deuce cleared his throat.

Afraid he was about to confess; I held up a hand.“I’m not a little girl anymore, Dad, and my sex life is none of your business.”

He reached across the table and took my hand in his big callused one.“You’ll always be my little girl.”

I tried to hide the wince as he gave my hand a gentle shake, causing the road rash to bump onto the table.

“You’re hurt.”

I nodded.“Just a little.Road rash.From jumping out of the van.”

He pursed his lips and turned to the group of bikers.“I’d like a few moments with the assholes when you catch up with them.”

“No.”It was my turn to glare.“You are not going to land yourself back in jail on my account.”

“Backin jail?”Rattler spoke up.

“It was nothing.Bar brawl that got out of hand.Some idiot college kid got his face messed up.His rich-assed parents pressed charges, and they gave me a couple of days in the clink to keep everyone happy.Just because I served in the SEALs, they thought I had an unfair advantage.”

“It left you with a criminal record,” I pointed out.

He shrugged, the ghost of a smile on his face.“Keeps the nosy neighbors out of my hair.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to make my point.“I don’t need you here.Deuce and his buddies will make sure nothing happens to me.”

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