Page 121 of Vicious Little Snakes

“Yes. Yes, I am, Liam.”

I’m dumbstruck. I don’t know what to say, but I don’t have to speak because he doesn’t stop.

“I don’t need to hear anymore because what I hear is that my son has a passion he’s willing to fight for. That would make your grandfather incredibly proud. I hear that you’re in love, and I know what that feels like. And I hear my son speaking like the man I raised him to become.”

A lump in my throat keeps me silent. I may have been ready to live without his respect but fuck if it doesn’t feel good to have it again.

Tucker grips the back of my neck. “I failed you, son. I’m not perfect, but I hope you can forgive me. I am ridiculously proud of the man you’ve become and that you were brave enough to become that man, on your own, while I was busy being a narrow-minded prick.”

He pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tight, and my arms wrap around him. My dad kisses my cheek, giving me another squeeze before pulling back and looking at me.

“‘It matters not how strait the gate. How charged with punishments the scroll.’”

I cut him off, “‘I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.’”

The Invictus poem on his office wall.

Patting his arm, I smile, stepping away toward the curb, lifting my arm to call a ride.

“Thank you for bailing me out, and I love you, but I have to go. I need to get to Caroline. Can we raincheck the rest of this conversation?”

He nods. “Go. I understand. And once you charge your phone, hire someone to clean up my fucking building. I’m not paying for Caroline’s lips. I already paid for your mother’s.”

I laugh as I open the cab door and slide inside as he continues down the street. Caroline’s address leaves my lips as I tap my knees like a set of drums, wishing this cab driver would go faster, which isn’t something that’s usually a problem. The moment we pull up, I’m paying and out the door taking two steps at a time to the door. The doorbell gets a workout as I knock, too, waiting for someone to open.

Come the fuck on. There must be twenty people that work in Grey’s house. Is everyone off for the damn day?

I’m knocking over and over as Bradley’s disapproving face comes into view, but I’m already slipping through the door as it opens, ignoring anything he’s saying.

Speaking over my shoulder, I head toward the stairs.

“Bradley, where’s Care? Upstairs? Her room?”

My feet hit halfway up the stairs as Grey’s voice comes from behind.

“Where the fuck have you been?”

I glance over my shoulder, still bounding up the stairs, yelling back, “Jail. I’ll explain later. Where’s Carebear?”

“Gone.”

I skid to a stop and turn around, racing back down.

“What do you mean gone?

Grey crosses his arms. “As in, she left about an hour ago. Something about wanting to start the year off in better company. I thought she was just being Caroline. But now. Explain.”

I don’t explain, asking instead, “Where’d she go?”

Damn, if this isn’t Grey and me about to stand off.There have only been a handful of these moments in our life. Once when we were kids. Once when he lost his shit over Donovan and now. Now because he’s not getting in my way. He’s telling me where my Carebear is, or I’ll beat it out of him.

He shakes his head. “You’ll need to explain first.”

Dick.

“No. We’ve been here before, Grey, and I let you have an opinion. This time you don’t get one. I love her. That’s all you need to know. Now tell me, or we’re throwing down until you do.”

Our eyes are locked, both of us ready as Donovan comes from behind Grey, making us immediately cool as she lifts his arm to drape over her shoulders.