Page 70 of Pulse
“It’s going to take time Ren. I’m so disappointed in her.” He shook his head yet again.
Monica had been the apple of his eye, his beautiful princess who could do no wrong. It wasn’t until I came along and shook things up that everyone realized just how bitchy the princess could be. Monica Miller was not the angel he’d believed she was and that had to fuck with his head.
“Maybe now,” I said carefully, “she can become a better person.”
Dad glanced up at me. “I hope you’re right Ren. What about you and Ash? Is it really fine between you two now?”
Dad was the only one besides Josie who knew I’d been seeing Ash all this time. Not even the Twins knew where I’d been disappearing to now that I wasn’t going to Sydney. It was amazing the way I could talk to my dad. After so long hating him for abandoning me and Mum, shit, it was just amazing.
“We’ve worked through a lot of stuff,” I said. “It’s a lot better.”
His lips thinned with disapproval. “But why did you even bring him here?”
“Dad, you respected him once. After all the things he confessed downstairs, you still want to be on the outs with him? He thinks the sun shines out of your ass by the way. I know enough about Ash Fuller to know he’s still the kid that found his way in here off the street. He wants to do the right thing.”
Dad drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’ll never forget that day. He just wandered in and that was it. I couldn’t get rid of him. He told you about that?”
I smiled, perching on the edge of the desk. “He’s told me a lot of things.”
“That man would literally kill for you Ren,” he mused. “I won’t pretend that doesn’t worry me.”
“I know Dad.”
“Why is he back at all?”
This was the moment I was waiting for. “We’re going back to The Underground and we’re going to fight.”
Dad shoved to his feet, his face reddening with anger.
“You are not going back there,” he exclaimed.
“You don’t have a say Dad.”
“Like hell-”
I held up a hand, facing him off and his eyes cleared for a moment. “Like I told those assholes down there, I’m a grown ass fucking women. I’m not made of glass, I don’t need a man to protect me and I don’t need a father in this. I can fight, I can win and I’m going to get my revenge.”
“Ren…” Dad breathed, his expression crumbling.
“Ash and I are going to be together forever. We’re a team in this and everything life throws at us. We are going to take back what’s ours and you can either be a part of it or not.”
“And that’s it?”
“Yep.”
“Nothing I can say will change your mind, will it?”
“The money alone could set us up for life. It could help Beat, Ash’s sister…”
“Violet?”
I wasn’t surprised Dad knew about her and I could’ve been angry with him about not mentioning her to me before, but that was water under the bridge. “She’s as much a victim in this as all of us.”
“This isn’t about money or doing the right thing Ren,” Dad said shaking his head. “It’s about revenge.”
I snorted. “If I’m going to get payback, wouldn’t you rather me do it this way?”
“Fight in an illegal underground tournament?” He shook his head, obviously disappointed that this was the life I’d left the AUFC for.
