Page 37 of Hard Rock Heat

"So you've got a workaholic dad who also taught you aboutcars?"

I was surprised he remembered. Then again, I had made kind of a big deal about hisride.

"That was before," Isaid.

"Before your mom passedaway?"

"She died in a car accident. Afterthat…"

Damon nodded in understanding. "So he threw himself into his work. Like father, likedaughter."

"I suppose." I hated to think I was turning into my dad. He'd used work to ignore his feelings. He worked so hard he made himself sick. But that's exactly what I'd been doing since Damon first walked into my office. "Maybe we're all destined to turn into ourparents."

Damon's eyes went dark. "Fucking hope not," hemuttered.

I paused, eyeing him. Damon didn't want to turn into his father anymore than I wanted to turn intomine.

"Is your dad the reason you left home?" I askedslowly.

Damon flicked his gaze up to meet mine. He nodded once. "Yeah. My father… is not a good man." The tightness around his mouth, the tired lines around his eyes, made my heartclench.

For all my father's faults, he was a good man. He'd simply fallen too deep into a hole of despair, unable or unwilling to reach out for help. I hadn't left home because of him. I'd left homeforhim. My sister and I had moved out in the hopes that he'd getbetter.

"I'm sorry," I saidhonestly.

"I'm not," Damon said. "All the shit that happened, it lead us to Darkest Days. I wouldn't trade that for anything. I just wish, for Ian's sake—" Damon exhaled sharply, lookingaway.

Something hard and unyielding in my chest softened. Based on what Hope had told me about her boyfriend, I had to assume some of the personal problems Ian had been dealing with stemmed from hischildhood.

"Is Ian the younger twin?" I asked. "Hope's younger than me by a minute. You've got that protectiveness thing all older siblingshave."

Damon smiled softly. "I try not to bring it up. He hates to be reminded ofthat."

"Every younger twin does, I think." I tried to keep my rapidly beating heart from pumping too much blood to mycheeks.

"So you're protecting Hope from something, too?" heasked.

It didn't escape me that he used the presenttense.

I'd never confided in anyone. But maybe Damon would get it. He'd understand the need to protect his lovedones.

"My dad's not a bad man," I finally said, saying my thoughts out loud. "Hejust…"

Couldn't stand to be aroundus.

Couldn't bring himself to look at his daughter'sfaces.

Couldn't be the father we wanted him to be. The father we needed him tobe.

"He changed after your mom died," Damon guessed. "He wasn't the sameperson."

"He never really recovered," I said. "Even now, he'sstill…"

"He still what?" Damon askedgently.

"He worked himself too hard," I admitted. "He got put on medical leave. With nothing to do all day he just…" I cleared it and sat up straighter in my chair. "Hope doesn't need to deal with that," I said firmly. "It was bad enough when we still lived at home. Being ignored, being neglected, no kid should have to grow up thatway."

"Sometimes being ignored is better than the alternative," Damonsaid.