Page 174 of Burning Ember
“Yes.”
“An old friend or her ex-husband?”
Her eyes widen further and she sends a pleading look to Smoke like she’s seeking help on how to answer, or permission to answer.
WHAT THE FUCK?
The darkness I’ve tried to bury the last few days’, crashes into me. Turns my blood ice cold. Striding forward, I snake my hand into her hair and grip it. Use it to force her head back so her eyes lock with mine. I growl, “Don’t. Don’t you fuckin’ look at him. I asked you a question, and last I fuckin’ checked you were mine. So why the fuck would you look to him for an anything? Or is there somethin’ more going on that you need to tell me?”
Smoke takes a step toward us. My voice thick, I grate out, “You stay right the fuck where you are. This is between me and her.”
Ember places a hand on my arm. “I don’t know how to answer that.”
Wrenching her head back, I snap, “How about with the truth! Is Dean Pierce your father?”
She’s flinches and then fights to deny it. Her mouth opens and closes twice. When her shoulders deflate and eyes fill with defeat, I know I have my answer.
Even so, I direct my question to Smoke.I want to hear him say it.I need somebody to.
“Is he? And don’t lie to me or I’ll make sure any ties we have with the Greenbacks are cut, and the cleaning we do for you disappears.”
“Yes,” Smoke sneers. “But you’ve got this all wrong, boy.”
“I told you,” Taz voices behind me.
I close my eyes and grind my jaw.
Of course, he’d follow me.
“She’s one of them. Been playin’ us from the start.”
Opening my eyes, I turn to see his Glock aimed on Smoke. He moves fast across the room and shoves the barrel of his gun into Smokes temple.
“Hold a gun to a man’s head, you better be ready for the blowback that’s gonna have,” Smoke growls.
“I’m more than ready,” Taz responds as he clicks off the safety.
“Mav.” Her small hand lands on my stomach, slides up, finds its destination over my heart.
Peering down at her, my throat thick, I say, “Tell me the truth. Was it all an act?”
Her mouth tightens and her brows draw together. “Jesus, Mav. Is that really what you think?”
Grasping her arm, I shoot a pointed look at Smoke and then back to her. Digging my fingers into her wrist, I bark, “What the fuck else am I supposed to think?”
She winces under my grip, and the anguish covering her features has me confused as fuck. So does her temper as it ignites. She yanks her arm away, and then shoves me back. Fire lights up in her eyes. “How about for once you give me the benefit of the doubt. How about you trust me like you said you did. How about you give me a damn second to explain.”
“Then explain it to me, Doll. Make it make fuckin’ sense.”
“No!” She shoves me again. “Don’t you see? I shouldn’t have to.” Her face is flushed red with anger, but a tear and then another fall down her face. “I’ve alreadytoldyou everything. Ishowedyou who I am. I’vesharedthings with you that I never shared with anybody. And every chance you get you believe the worst of me.”
“Do you know how bad this looks? Huh? Do you? I just find out he’s your father, and then I catch you in here meeting with him”—I point at Smoke—“behind my fucking back.”
Shaking her head, her voice softens. “Did you ever really see me? Because if you did, you’d know I’m not capable of what you’re accusing me of.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he was your father?”
“Because I didn’t know!”
