“Dad, what’s wrong?” The only time I see him doing what he’s doing now is when he’s stressed. His AA chip, stating he’s been sober for six weeks, is being thumbed over and over again, flipping between his fingers like a coin.
“I should have known, Jo-Jo. Had I known, I would have made her leave years ago.” The guys come up behind me, Decker’s hands going to my hips, silently giving me his strength.
“What are you talking about, Dad?” He’s standing behind the counter, eyes moving from me to the computer.
“You left the computer unlocked. I was looking to see if there were any bookings and came across Lola’s plans. Decker, this shit that she somehow brought you into because of my dumb mistake is all mine, and I’m truly sorry.”
“Dad, whatever you read, it isn’t your fault. Get that thought out of your mind right now. You can’t control other people, and Aunt Shere Khan wouldn’t have allowed it anyway. You’ve seen how she acts.” My hand grips Decker’s on my hip, squeezing it, hoping he’s thinking the same thing.
“Henry, you’re my Ol’ Lady’s father. This ain’t on you. Just like Jolie said, it’s on Lola. Though, sweetness, she’s gone, so you don’t gotta call her evil characters anymore.” God, this man, he knows just how to lighten the mood at just the right time.
“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m still going to take some of the blame. If I weren’t such a douche, she wouldn’t have weaseled her way into our family and caused more chaos than we needed.” Dad hangs his head in defeat. Decker squeezes my hip, then pushes me forward to go to him.
“Dad, why don’t we go into the kitchen. The guys can look through the emails. You and I can have a cup of coffee,” I tell him while I’m walking. Once I get there, my arms wrap around his middle, hugging him like I did when I was a little girl, comforting him when he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“Yeah, we’ll do that, Jo-Jo. I’m sorry, Decker. Guys.” He nods to the guys. Dad didn’t go into detail about what the email said, but for him to completely shut down like this, it must have been bad.
Seventeen
Rage
“Leavin’ in five. Say goodbye to your women. I’ll call Shadow and have him meet us at the warehouse, then we’ll take care of the cunt,” Shovel grunts. The lawyer left shortly after we figured out who set us up and with whom. All we needed him for was to make sure a court appearance would suffice and to pay for the outstanding tickets.
“Sounds good. Gonna give Jolie the cliff notes.” Not sure how she’s keepin’ so calm. Her dad was a mess. She had no idea what was going on, but she remained stoic and didn’t demand anything from me or the club. Even though this revolves around her family, not gonna fucking tell her just how cuckoo her aunt is. The goal was for Lola to get me arrested and to sidle her way back into the family. Her number-one objective was to gain access to any and all money. No matter what it took, at least that’s what she told some hitman she hired. It’s gonna double our work, but if it means Jolie’s safe, nothing else matters.
“Jolie, come ‘ere, sweetness.” I step into the kitchen. She’s there with Persephone and Raven, her dad nowhere in sight.
“It’s bad, isn’t it? I knew she’d never rest until she made everyone I know and love miserable. I really wish my mom were around. She was the one who knew how to deal with Aunt Evil Queen.” She face-plants into my chest, her arms wrapping around my waist, her body sinking into mine.
“Well, it’s not good. But this kind of evil, sweetness, it doesn’t go away. It’s built deep inside them and never leaves, no matter what you do. Lola hired someone to stage the warehouse. It backfired and didn’t put me in jail longer than I already was, but it’s the rest that’s concernin’ me the most. The guys and I are heading out. Keep your phone on you and eyes peeled. If Lola comes knockin’, you call the cops. The lawyer is trespassing her as we speak. I’ll tell you more when we get shit situated, okay?” She tips her head to look into my eyes.
“Alright. I love you, Decker. Please be safe. When things settle down, we have plans to make.” Those last words make me curious, but it’ll have to wait.
“Love you, sweetness. I’ll be home soon. Gonna need my woman in our bed, wet, ready, and writhin’ in desire.” I don’t say anything else. Instead, I kiss her in the hopes to make all the crazy shit in her head quiet down, making her get lost in the moment, like she always does when my lips devour hers.