Raine’s first instinct was to run. God, when had she become such a coward? More to the point, could she ever be happy if she kept ducking and dodging everyone who simply wanted to know her?
“I should face him,” she admitted.
“Liam? Hammer?” He shoved another bite of potatoes into his mouth.
“My dad.”
“At some point,” he agreed.
Why wait? Prolonging this limbo wouldn’t give her any way to move forward. “Today.”
“That’s…decisive.” Beck drew in a breath, considering. “Let’s talk about that for a minute. Do you know what you’re going to say?”
Raine had rehearsed so many speeches in her head, mostly after she’d first gone to live at Shadows. But so many of the words crowded her head now, she wasn’t sure where to start. “I’ll think of something.”
Beck set his fork down. “He’s dangerous. I can’t let you see him without going, too. I’ll give you space to talk to him, but I won’t be far off.”
Raine considered that for a long moment. She’d pondered storming her father’s castle before, but always pictured going with a gun…then rethought it because, frankly, he scared her. At least a foot taller than her and a whole lot meaner, he’d probably take the gun away and shoot her. Or she’d see him, lose her damn temper, and shoot him on the spot. Prison didn’t sound like fun. A few times she’d considered that doing hard time might be worth killing the bastard, but something had always held her back.
“I can’t put you at risk.” She shook her head.
“Well, either you and I can go together, or I’ll stick about ten feet off your sweet ass all day, and you can pretend not to notice me. Your pick.”
“Amazing choices, Beck.” Inside, she turned warm. Who would have guessed that the rubber paddle-wielding sadist would turn out to have a huge heart? His kindness and protection were a surprising but blessed relief. “I guess you can go with me, then. I’d feel better if we had more backup.”
“Oh, we will. My friends Smith and Wesson are coming along.” He grinned. “I’ll clean up the dishes. You get ready. An hour?”
“Thirty minutes. I’m not getting dolled up for that old bastard.”
“Good girl.”
The plan made sense and sounded so liberating when she’d been tucked away in the safety of Beck’s condo. Zipping down the road toward her childhood home half an hour later…not nearly as much. Raine’s stomach twisted. She wrung her hands. Her palms started to sweat. Her heart thundered.
Beck put a hand on hers. “It’s going to be fine. Say what you need to say. You’ll be safe. The most important thing is that you purge as much of your anger as you can.”
“I really can’t thank you enough.” She looked at him gratefully.
“Then stop trying and go get him, princess.” He pulled his Mercedes up to the curb at the end of the block and rolled up to the house slowly. “This it?”
Her heart lurched as she nodded. “Yeah.”
She’d been more terrified in her life, but not in a long, long time. Hammer had taken her in and given her the safe environment her father hadn’t. She’d repaid him by running away without a word. Just like she’d given Liam a brick wall rather than her heart.
With another glance, Raine drew in a deep breath. She was doing the right thing.
Beck stopped the car and killed the engine, then climbed out. She opened her door and looked around. Nothing much had changed in the neighborhood. Mr. Markland’s religiously trimmed shrubs stood in a meticulous, straight line. Mrs. Fullsome’s garden looked full of color, despite the fact that December had begun.
As she stepped onto the sidewalk, she turned her attention to her father’s house. The red front door had faded, but it still looked imposing. Behind that solid surface lay a house of horrors. Each year—hell, each day—had turned exponentially more terrible. Raine stared at the house like it was a demon that would steal her soul.
She clutched her stomach. God, she needed to be unshackled from her past, but she did not want to be here. She’d vowed never to lay eyes on Bill Kendall again. For six years, she’d kept that promise.
Now, Raine forced herself forward, determined to take back the parts of herself he’d maliciously stolen.
Beck walked with her to the edge of the property, then he grabbed her hand, squeezed…and let go. She sent him one last stare. He nodded at her. Silent encouragement.
Later, she’d tell him again how grateful she was that he’d come along.
Time now to face down the devil.
Sucking in a bracing breath, Raine knocked.
It seemed like forever before the door jerked open. Her knees nearly went out from under her when her father stood in the portal, glaring when he laid eyes on her.
His stark gray hair stunned her. He’d been salt and peppery the night she’d run away. The grooves around his mouth and chin had deepened, as if he’d been wearing an angry scowl every moment since she’d gone. The faint white scar of her handiwork slashed down his cheek. The sight brought back both brutal memories and deep satisfaction that she’d fought Bill off and marked him for the rest of his miserable life. His blue eyes hadn’t changed. They were the same eyes she saw every day when she looked in the mirror.