Page 18 of Sully
I heard his soft sigh through the door.“Knuckles sent word.Your father’s here.In the common room.”
My father.The words hit me like another punch to the ribs, stealing what little breath I had.I braced myself against the sink, watching my knuckles turn white with pressure.“He’s not my father,” I said automatically, the denial like a prayer I’d repeated too many times to believe anymore.
“Tonio Miles is waiting,” Sully amended, his tone careful.“And according to Knuckles, he’s not the kind of man who likes to wait.”
No, he certainly wasn’t.Antonio Miles had spent twenty-three years not knowing I existed, and now suddenly I was supposed to drop everything because he’d decided to play Daddy?I’d spent the last three months making as much a nuisance of myself as I could so he’d forget this ridiculous notion we were going to somehow make up for all the years we’d lost and we’d magically be a family.I didn’t believe in fairy tales.
“Give me a minute,” I said, turning on the cold water and splashing it over my face, careful of my split lip.The shock of it grounded me, bringing me back to the hard edges of my reality.When I emerged, Sully was leaning against the wall opposite the bathroom door, his arms crossed over his chest.He’d changed his shirt to a clean black tee that hugged his muscular frame.His gaze tracked over my face, lingering on the bruise with a flash of something dangerous.
“You don’t have to see him,” Sully said quietly.“Say the word and I’ll tell them you’re not up for visitors.”
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it.The most feared crime boss in Nashville, reduced to a “visitor” in Sully’s world.“And then what?He sends more guys to collect me?Puts a price on your head for interfering?”
“He didn’t do any of those things, honey.Knuckles said if you didn’t want to go with him you didn’t have to.So Iwillpull the plug on this.”
I shook my head, regretting it immediately as pain lanced through my temple.“I need to face him sometime.Might as well be now.”
Sully nodded once, then pushed off from the wall, offering me his hand.I hesitated before taking it, not sure how I wanted to enter the room with my father holding Sully’s hand.No matter how bad an idea it was, I knew I couldn’t let go of Sully.Not on my own.
He led me out of the warehouse and back to the main building where the common room was.Sure enough, we turned a corner, and I felt the atmosphere change.The hallway widened, the lighting grew warmer, and the sound of voices became clearer.Sully squeezed my hand, a gesture of support that sent an unexpected flutter through my stomach.
“Remember,” he murmured as we approached an open doorway, “you want to leave, say the word.I don’t give a fuck what Tonio Miles wants.”
I smiled up at Sully.“Thanks.I’d appreciate it if you stayed with me.”I stiffened and dropped his hand like he’d burned me.“I mean.Never mind.I’m good.”
Sully snagged my arm, bringing me to a stop.Gently, he turned me to face him.“Darby, I got you.I have your back.No matter who you’re facing.”
“I’m not afraid of him.”I knew I sounded defensive, but it was actually the truth.Tonio Miles wasn’t a good guy, but I could tell he put a lot of belief in protecting family.“He’s never hurt me or even hinted that he might.”I shrugged.“He gave me a place to live.I just don’t like to follow rules.He needs to figure that out.”
“Good.I’ve still got your back.”He snagged my hand and gripped it firmly, making his point.
We stepped into what could only be the common room.Leather couches and armchairs were scattered throughout the room.A bar ran along one wall; pool tables rested in one end of the vast room while the other had big screen TVs.Kind of a giant man cave.
Tonio Miles stood as we entered, unfolding his tall frame from one of the leather armchairs.Unlike me, he looked completely unruffled, not a hair out of place, his dark suit perfectly tailored to his broad shoulders, his dark beard neatly trimmed.He looked exactly like what he was, a man of power, a man accustomed to getting what he wanted.
Across the room, a massive biker with hair and shoulders like a bull nodded at Sully.“Tonio, this is Sully.Sully, Antonio Miles.”His green eyes flicked to me, assessing.“I assume you’re Darby.”
I nodded, putting my shoulders back.“I am.”
He stuck his hand out.“I’m Knuckles.President of Kiss of Death.”I started not to take it, but I didn’t want to insult the guy.He’d let Sully take me in and I was grateful.I’d give them the benefit of the doubt.“I’ll leave you three to talk.”He looked pointedly at Sully.“You good here, brother?”
Sully nodded once.“We’re good.”
Knuckles departed, leaving an awkward tension in the room.Tonio’s dark eyes, so much like my own, swept over me, cataloging each visible injury with what looked disconcertingly like genuine concern.And a whole lot of anger.
“Darby,” he said, my name sounding formal.He cleared his throat.“Sully.Thank you for taking care of business earlier.I’m in your debt.”
Sully shrugged but said nothing.He retained his hold on my hand.Knight hurried into the room and paused as he caught sight of us.
“Dude!What the fuck, man?”
My hand tightened on Sully’s.I wasn’t sure why Knight was upset but he was storming our direction.
“It’s not like you to be careless in looking for someone who means something to you, Tonio.”Knight marched up to Tonio, jabbing a finger in his chest.“You tell us and have us find her.Better yet, you tell us the second you found her so we can protect her when she’s not at your place.That way you avoid her running to begin with.”
“Don’t you presume to tell me how to take care of my family, Knight.”Tonio’s tone was deadly and his gaze not exactly what I’d call friendly.
“Don’t do stupid shit and I won’t!”Knight heaved a sigh.“I get you wanted to erase her identity as much as you could so she’d be protected, but you kept me from finding her.And more importantly, you caused my friend here significant emotional anguish when I couldn’t find his girl.”
