Page 40

D ev’s hiding something from me. That dream he had last night proves it. He looked so tortured while he was trapped in that nightmare, and I know whatever it is that's troubling him is something he wants to protect me from.

“You look pretty today,” he tells me, putting on a brave face when I join him in the kitchen. I swear, as soon as I get this meeting with my father out of the way, I’m going to get to the bottom of all this, even if it means going back to that bar and speaking to Jodie again.

“What time do you gotta be at your dad's place? he asks, placing his mug in the sink and coming straight for me. He lifts me up onto the kitchen counter effortlessly, placing himself between my legs and gripping under my chin with his thumb and finger.

“I said I’d get there for eleven.” I focus on his lips, willing them to kiss me. I seem to forget all the complications surrounding us when he does.

“You know I’m taking you there, right?” he warns

“I know, and I don’t care if he sees us together. He’s finding out the truth today, anyway.” I’m nervous as hell, but I know I’ll feel better when everything's out in the open. I’m sure Mom not being there is going to make everything a lot easier.

All night, I’ve been reminding myself of the stories Gran would tell me when she was alive.

Stories from when Dad was young that I’m sure he never wanted me to hear.

From the way they sounded, he was a free spirit.

I’m relying on that side of him to come through for me today because if he makes me choose between my family and Dev, my family will lose.

“I wish you’d let me come with ya, I could talk to him and–”

“You’ll have the chance to do that, but not today.

Me and my dad have a special bond. He loves me, and when I explain, I know he’ll want me to be happy,” I assure him.

He ws under the influence of Mom the other day when he booked that plane ticket to New York.

Today, I’m going to convince him to start standing up for himself.

“And what if he convinces you not to come back to me?” Dev furrows his brow.

“That's never gonna happen. I’m right where I wanna be, Dev.” I get fed up of waiting for him to kiss me, and I press my lips against his.

“You know there's nothing I wouldn’t stop at if he tries to take you from me.” He pulls back to warn me, his eyes dark, and his body tense. I can’t help but wonder if he’s saying what I think he is. Surely he must know that I could never forgive him for that.

“It would never come to that.” I stroke his face and wonder why this man doesn’t scare me. I’ve seen for myself how brutal he can be, but I’ve also felt how soft his touch can be. I don’t doubt Dev’s warnings, I just have faith that I can get my father on board with this.

“Come on, the sooner I get you there, the sooner I get you back where you belong.” He kisses me hard and possessively before picking up his keys and leading me out to his bike.

“I remember a time when you told me I didn’t belong with you or the club.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes I get things wrong.” He lifts me onto his saddle and kisses me scandalously, causing his neighbour to shake her head and storm inside the house.

“You call the second you need me,” Dev tells me once I hop off the back of his saddle.

I can see he’s uneasy about leaving me, but he’s respecting that I need to do this alone, and for that I’m grateful.

If my father is going to accept us, it’s going to require some time and understanding.

Dev storming in and telling him how it’s going to be from now on would never work, and I don’t want to risk the consequences of my father disagreeing with him.

“You're not gonna hang around out here, are you?” I ask him nervously, the last thing I need is the worry of him barging through the gates because I’m taking too long.

“No, I’m gonna stop by at the club and pick up a cage so we can take some of your stuff when I pick you up. I’ll be back in an hour.”

I can’t help smiling at his change of attitude toward us. I never thought I‘d see the day that Dev would want me living with him. He really is all in on this. We’ve got a lot to overcome, but at least we have that.

“Don’t take no shit.” Dev smiles, looking up at the camera on the gate as he leans in to kiss me. “If you ain’t waitin’ out here for me in an hour, I’m coming in,” he warns, dragging himself away so he can start up his engine.

“See you in a little while.” I smile to prove to him how confident I am, before taking a deep breath and pressing the buzzer.

The gates slowly open, and Dev watches me inside before he pulls off with a loud roar that I know would make Mother horrified to think the neighbors would hear.

I start feeling more and more nervous as the gates open and I take the walk up the drive toward the front door.

It’s eerily quiet here. I’m guessing it’s because Mom isn’t here demanding that Gregg stand by his post, the way he usually has to when we have guests.

Since I don’t live here anymore, I guess that’s what I am now.

“Dad?” I open the front door to let myself in, and hear nothing in response. “Dad!” I call out a little louder as I step inside, and when I see a blood trail on the marble floor, leading from the stairs to the kitchen, I follow it with my eyes and see that it leads to a pair of feet.

“Greg!” He’s lying on the floor with Rachel’s body lying over him, both of them still, both of them bleeding. Both of them dead!

“ Dad? ” I stare down at their bodies and call out again, my voice trembling as I take out my cell so I can call Dev to come back for me.

“Not so fast, missy.” I freeze in fear when I feel a hand wrap around my face and cover my mouth.

“I’ll be taking that from ye.” Whoever it is snatches the phone from my hand and crushes it under their shoe.

“I think yer father be wantin’ a word with ye.” The voice that speaks into my ear is unmistakably Irish, and it makes my heart sink like a brick to the pit of my stomach. “Come on, let's go fill him in on all you’ve been up to.”

He takes a fistful of my hair and starts dragging me back through the hall, toward my father’s office. When he opens the door, I see him, tied up and gagged in his office chair with three men, all armed behind him, and I curse myself for not letting Dev come here with me.