And with my heart thundering in my chest, I rush after him, catching up with him in the living room, just in time for me to hear him explaining his plan to Adam and Smith. Just in time to hear them agree that it’s a good plan. I can’t stop this from happening. He’s going to go see the man who has always made him feel like a monster. And the thing about believing you’re a monster or anything for that matter is that you try to live up to the expectations.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Savage
I claim the chair by the couch while Smith fills a glass of whiskey and shoves it in my direction. I shove it away and with good reason. Booze, me, and my father are a bad mix. “I need my father’s phone number.”
Adam arches a brow. “You don’t know your father’s phone number?”
I scowl. “Just call Asher and have him hack the damn number. I need to do this now, tonight.”
“I have it,” Candace says, stepping into the living room, “but this is not a good idea.” She rounds the couch and looks at Adam. “He and his father are like a volcanic eruption about to happen.”
“You and him—that’s a volcanic eruption about to happen,” Adam replies.
“That remark serves what purpose?” she challenges.
I snatch the phone from her hand. “Why do you have his number?”
“I always had his number,” she says. “Unlike you, I didn’t delete it.” She cuts her stare and then looks at me again. “It was the only connection I had left to you. Or he was.”
She held onto me, even when I was certain she’d let go. That knowledge grinds through me and fills my black soul with regrets a black soul shouldn’t be able to feel. “I can handle my father, baby. I promise.” I tug her down to sit next to me, kissing her temple before I tab through her phone, find my father’s number, and dial. He answers on the first ring.
“Candace,” he greets. “This is a surprise.”
“It’s not Candace,” I say. “How about a surgical match-up father? Military lab in an hour? We’ll match scalpels.”
“I’ll have a pass waiting for you at security. See you soon, son.” He disconnects.
Son.
Fuck.
That word from that man makes me want to shoot someone, someone like him.
Candace catches my hand. “Rick?”
I glance down at her and kiss her. “I’m good.”
“Matching scalpels with your father? That’s good? Are you even licensed to operate?”
“Yes,” I say. “The military made sure of it and Walker maintained my provisional licensing for our special operations. And no, I will never go into private practice. That’s never going to happen.” I don’t look at her when I say that. I can’t get in my own head, or hers right now, about where we once talked about our future taking me and us. “This is a go,” I say to the room, changing the topic.
“I’ll ride shotgun,” Adam offers.
“And I’ll stay with Candace,” Smith chimes in.
“I didn’t think I was in danger,” Candace objects. “Go with Rick.”
“Better safe than sorry,” I say. “He needs to stay with you.” I hand her phone to Smith. “I need you to put everyone she might ever need in there and make sure she knows who they are.”
He takes the phone and eyes Candace. “This will take me about fifteen minutes. It’s a lot of numbers.”
“My phone,” Candace says.
“You want me to make you a list and you can put in the numbers?” Smith offers, holding it out to her.
“No,” she says. “That’s not it.” She turns to me. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you this. I snuck into Gabriel’s offices before the party. His door was locked and I couldn’t get in, but I took random photos of documents in his secretary’s desk.” She glances at Smith. “They’re in my photos for your review.” She returns her attention to me. “You should search his campaign manager’s house. I hid under her desk when he came into the offices with her, and apparently, she’s his best fuck and I’m his arm candy.”
“Holy fuck,” I murmur, catching her to me, blown away by the fact that she knew and endured that crap to protect her father. “Baby, I’m sorry.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.” I cup her face. “It felt bad. I know it felt bad.”
“Understanding from a cold-blooded killer? What’s wrong with you?”
“Don’t glamorize who or what I am, baby. That’s not good for either of us.” I kiss her and release her. “Smith—”
“I’ll go search her place,” he confirms.
Adam looks at Candace. “We have a man watching the street.”
“How many of you are there?” she asks.
“They’re like gnats that multiply every time I tell them to stay out of this,” I say.
Adam stands up. “I’ll meet you in the car,” he says. “I’m going to alert the gnats about the plan.”