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“Always people-pleasing because I didn’t want to be left out or hurt. Only to end up with trust issues and confused about why I can’t find someone who wants to stay.

“No, not someone. I’ve been looking for him. I’ve been trying to find a father who I thought walked out on me in everyone I’ve let in to hurt me.

“Including your trifling-ass daughter. I want to trust Ronan. I’m trying so hard to, but I can’t tell that man I love him because I’m terrified he’s going to leave me.

“That’s why I didn’t tell you about him. That’s why I haven’t told him the truth about anything about me.”

“Danny, baby, I’m sorry. It doesn’t make sense to me now either. Freddie tried to tell me it was wrong.

“That’s why he was always there. He felt guilty. He wanted to fix it.”

“How? By making me just like him? Trust me, that didn’t fix a damn thing. It just fucked me up in a new way,” I seethe.

“Watch your mouth, Danika. He didn’t make you like him. He made you just like your father, the original pale horse. The one who taught him everything he knew about the streets to put together with all that book smarts and wisdom.”

I jerk my head back as I narrow my eyes at her. She nods her head as she looks back at me. She then tilts her head to the side.

“Oh, you thought I didn’t know? You think you’re the only bad chick in this family? I was in those streets with my brother and your father way before the money, way before I gave birth to your little ass.

“I knew each of those men your uncle ran with before they were high and mighty and were given that name. It belonged to your father first. He was the one who was feared.

“I’m the original Baby Girl and your father was a bad motherfucker.” Tears fill her eyes as her lips begin to tremble. “Thatis why I was devastated when they took him from us. My brother promised me he would make you untouchable and give you back everything they took from us.

“I’m not going to shame you for anything you’ve done. I know you have done what was needed every time. Your heart is a good one, but you’re still your father’s daughter.

“If they fuck around, they’re going to find out. Make peace with who you truly are, Danika, and embrace the love that man wants to give you. It’s time.”

“What if he can’t accept who I am?” I whisper to my lap.

She bursts into laughter, then reaches to lift my head by my chin. I search her eyes through my tear-filled ones. There is so much here for me to process.

“Girl, I know my brother taught you better than that. You don’t see the killer in that man’s eyes? I know a killer when I see one, it’s all I ran with when I was younger.” She snorts.

“Oh, you’ve been thinking with that thing between your legs. Look again, baby. You two are one and the same.”

My head is officially fucked up. Could she be right, and I’ve been ignoring the signs all along? I’m going to figure that out, but first, I’m going to find out who killed my father.

Yeah, that shit didn’t go over my head.

CHAPTER30

Betting the Odds

Dean

“You’re forty-four?Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Mom says as she looks across the table at Ronan.

“Aye, I got lucky. Some say I know the location of the fountain of youth. I say the good Lord wanted to take the piss at my brothers. I looked a lot older than my age as a young lad, but the clock stopped somewhere after twenty.”

“Your brothers don’t look their ages either,” I snicker.

“Aye, if ya say so. I’m the best looking of the lot.”

“I love the confidence. It’s needed with Danny. If she lets you in, you’re lucky, but she won’t spare your feelings just because she cares about you,” Mom says.

“Ach, I’ve come to love that about her. I’m not a bullshitter and neither is she.”

“Okay, so I have a question for you. Danny will turn thirty-three this year. You are going to be forty-five. Do you want to have children?”