Page 15 of Nauti Boy (Nauti 1)

Then pride suffused Ray. Hell, that was his boy. Hard-eyed, determined, and ready to fight. He was more man than Ray had ever imagined. Rowdy wasn’t drinking himself silly because Kelly had been attacked, but instead, he was plotting and planning justice. It was enough to make a father proud.

Ray breathed in hard. He had discussed this with Maria earlier, knew what he was about to do was hard on her; it would be harder on Kelly.

“Come back home, boy,” he muttered. “I’m a damned fool when I get riled and we both know it. That’s your home. As much as it is mine. And you’re my kid. I want you there. ”

Rowdy’s lips quirked. “The duffel bag is still on the bike. I was coming back tonight anyway. ”

Ray cleared his throat again. “I trust you, Son. ”

Rowdy’s face changed then. If Ray thought it was hard before, it was more so now. Rowdy leaned forward, his eyes meeting Ray’s straight on.

“She’s mine, Dad. ” He kept his voice low, fierce. “Any other time I would have never disrespected your rules or your home. But I won’t pull back now. I won’t lose her because some bastard tried to destroy her. And I won’t play footsie under the table because of your sensibilities. Do you understand that?”

Anger flared in Ray. He rubbed his hand over his lower face before breathing out roughly. “Hell. Fine. Whatever. But”—he glared back at the boy—“you don’t play with that girl, Rowdy. You better be damned serious before you end up having sex with her. Son or no son, I taught you respect. She’s not one of those little tramps you, Natches, and Dawg screwed with when you were younger. ”

It was a warning he’d made when he first realized how sexual his son was. Good girls were solid gold. A good girl understood responsibility, values, and herself. A woman like that wasn’t a toy, she was a partner.

“I know how to treat a woman, Dad,” Rowdy grunted. “All women. Not just Kelly. ”

Unlike Ray’s generation, Rowdy didn’t differ how he treated women in regards to their sexuality. One didn’t deserve less respect, or more, for the amount of experience they had in bed. Rowdy had argued that with his father many times. But love…that made a difference, and Ray knew it. And he knew his son was learning it.

“So you’ll come home?” Ray’s throat was tight with emotion. Damn, he hated that. Hated knowing there was more he should say and not knowing how to say it.

Rowdy looked over at him, his expression somber, his eyes, that deep sea green, serious and thoughtful. “I missed you too, Dad,” he murmured.

If that knot in his throat could have gotten tighter, it would have. Ray swallowed, then tried again. “I love you, boy. ” His voice was so rasping he was ashamed of it. “And I’m damned proud of you. Damned proud. ”

“I love you too, Dad. ” That was his boy. Equal parts hellion and warrior but never afraid to say the words. “And I’m proud of you, too. ”

He poured the glasses full again; they toasted each other and settled down for a serious drunk. Hell, Ray had been waiting on this day for nearly thirty years. There just wasn’t anything like having that first good drunk with your son, and knowing it meant something. Meant something damned fine.

Kelly heard the Harley coming up the drive with her stepfather’s truck as the clock flipped over to two in the morning. Her mother had been pacing the house, muttering to herself, worry creasing her brow.

Maria turned to Kelly, her eyes dark as she watched her.

“Are you sure?” Maria asked, her voice soft, uncertain.

“For God’s sake. ” Kelly felt like snarling the words. “Mom, have you and Ray lost your minds?” Sometimes Kelly thought the attack had been more traumatic on them in a lot of ways. Kelly was never really certain how she felt about it. Frightened, yes. Terrified sometimes. Knowing her attacker was still out there kept her nerves on edge.

“He’s always wanted you. ” Maria had never been comfortable with that. Kelly had known it, though they never talked about it. Just as her mother knew Kelly had always wanted Rowdy. It was like some odd fact of life.

“I’m not a little girl anymore,” she sighed, curling up on the sofa, watching her mother pace the living room as the vehicles shut off. “You know they’re both drunk, don’t you?”

One of Rowdy’s friends had called from the bar. He hadn’t been too sober himself, warning them that the two men were heading home, thankfully being driven by friends rather than driving themselves.

“Ray hasn’t been drunk since before we got married. ” A smile curved her mother’s lips, and Kelly swore she looked a little too sensual to suit her. A daughter shouldn’t see things like that, she thought with a burst of humor.

“Well, he’s drunk now. ” She winced as it sounded like a load of bricks fell on the porch.

“Hell boy, I thought you we

re holding me up. ” Ray’s voice drifted into the house.

“Thought you were holding me up. ” Rowdy’s laughter was muffled.

Maria moved for the doorway and pulled it open with a quick jerk as Kelly rose from the couch to stand just inside the living room.

The two men were attempting to hold each other up as they paused in the doorway to get their bearings. Rowdy’s expression was relaxed, his gaze a little heavy lidded and so darned sexy he took her breath.

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