Page 87 of Reaper's Claim

“Dad, can we talk?” I stepped into his office, closing the door behind me.

He looked up from his newspaper, a morning coffee in hand and a burning cigarette leaning on the ashtray.

For a moment I saw relief wash over his face, and he folded the paper up. I moved to sit in the chair across from him.

I noticed his glance drop to my plastered arm.

“How’s the wrist?” His smile formed into a frown.

Well, that was getting to the elephant quickly.

“That’s kind of the reason I’m here.” I swallowed sharply. “Dad, I’m sorry. I should have listened to you. This is all my fault, and I’m sorry for ignoring you.”

Dad’s face twisted quickly into shock and disbelief. “You got nothing to feel sorry about, Abby. This was my fault. I’m the one who should be saying sorry to you.”

“I’m the one who walked around half naked in your bar! I was asking for trouble.”

“No woman, no matter what she is wearing, should be attacked.Especially you.”

I could hear the protective father coming out in his voice.

“Still, Dad, I was the one walking around like bait. It’s my fault, and I’m sorry for embarrassing you like that.”

He huffed. “The only embarrassing thing about this is I wasn’t the one to wring the bloke’s neck.”

“Yeah, sorry about that too. Getting Reaper involved. I know you hate it when the boys fight.”

“He was defending you. I Would have done the same thing. Should have been what Trigger was doing instead of egging it on.”

My eyes widened slightly; I hadn’t expected Dad to know about that.

“You should know better than anyone, Abby. There isn’t anything that goes on around here that I don’t know about.”

Yeah, I suppose I should know that by now. Guess it was a miracle that he didn’t know about my relationship with Reaper yet.

“About Reaper and you…”

God, I spoke too soon.

“Um yeah?” I faked a frown. “What about us?”

“Want to tell me what is going on between you two?”

“Nothing.”

He gave me a pointed expression.

“I’m serious, Dad. Nothing is going on between him and I. I just… well, it is going to sound stupid.”

“Try me.”

“I feel safe around him.” I met Dad’s examining eyes. “That’s all, I swear.”

I was leaving out a lot of details, but I suppose I wasn’t lying either. The foundation of the relationship I have with Reaper was built on trust. I trusted him. I felt safe with him.

Dad slowly sighed, seeming to have accepted my explanation. “You got plans for today?”

Change of subject, which meant that awkward conversation was over.