Rolling over, I grabbed the framed image of my mother that I stored on my bedside desk. Sniffling to carry again my tears, I whispered, “I actually want you have been nonetheless right here, Mother. Miss you a lot.”

My dad rapped his knuckles in opposition to my door, and I hugged the photograph to my chest as he popped his head inside my bed room. “Stand up and make me breakfast.”

As I listened to him stomp down the steps, I pressed a kiss to my mother’s face earlier than setting the image again down. Then I did what I’d executed each morning since I’d come residence from faculty for the summer time—cooked my dad over straightforward eggs, sausage hyperlinks, and toast.

I’d been damage that he barely spoke to me aside from to make calls for. Make meals. Clear the home. Do the laundry. My father had handled me because the employed assist as a substitute of his daughter, however that was nothing new since he’d mainly executed the identical final summer time earlier than I left for college. And after what occurred yesterday, I used to be relieved that he didn’t take note of me whereas consuming.

When he was executed, he pushed the empty plate towards the center of the desk. Leaving it there, he stood and grabbed his keys off the hook by the door that led to the storage. “I’m headed out to run some errands. Gained’t be gone too lengthy.”

I hoped like heck “errands” wasn’t code for one more poker recreation earlier than the financial institution had even processed my withdrawal request. “Okay.”

I didn’t perceive why he bothered to inform me what he was doing till he added, “Log into your checking account and see in the event that they did something with the paperwork but.”

“Will do,” I muttered, gritting my tooth so arduous, I used to be shocked they didn’t crumble below the stress.

He hadn’t been completely satisfied to be taught that the one who dealt with faculty financial savings accounts wasn’t within the workplace on Saturdays. He’d needed that cash immediately, however I’d been advised the earliest the test could be lower was Monday morning. That didn’t cease him from asking me to test the account final evening. Or once more in the present day, apparently.

As quickly as I heard his automobile pull out of the storage, I made myself a bowl of cereal. Whereas I munched away, I searched on-line for job alternatives in my faculty city. I figured the best-case situation was that I discovered a approach to pay for the upcoming semester since I already had my dorm room lined up for the yr. Qualifying for an residence while you have been nineteen with no job or credit score historical past was practically inconceivable from what I’d discovered on-line earlier this morning.

Sadly, so was arising with a approach to pay for faculty since I wasn’t having a lot luck at finding any scholarships that also had open purposes. And qualifying for any grants required my dad to fill out his a part of the monetary support software, which I didn’t see occurring. Loans have been in all probability my solely possibility at this level, however I wanted his assist with getting these too.

Contemplating I used to be on this place as a result of he had a playing drawback, that appeared like an enormous danger. If my dad knew how straightforward they have been to get, there was an opportunity he’d saddle me with greater than I might ever pay again…and I’d nonetheless be in the identical place as a result of he’d run out and blow it on one other poker recreation.

I wanted assist, and I couldn’t cease fascinated by the large man I’d ran into as I used to be strolling out of the financial institution yesterday. Though he’d been dressed properly in a grey swimsuit that didn’t do a factor to cover how muscular he was, there was nonetheless a harmful air to him. Which was why it was ridiculous that I stored picturing him because the hero who would come using to my rescue. Then once more, together with his intense blue eyes, brief, darkish hair, and the 5 o’clock shadow on his chiseled jaw, it wasn’t a shock that I couldn’t get him off my thoughts. Particularly with how tall he was and the muscle mass that have been inconceivable to overlook after I’d crashed into him.

But it surely wasn’t as if he would miraculously present up on my doorstep to resolve all of my issues since we have been strangers. Though, he seemed like a person who knew how one can get stuff executed. And the additional years he had on me—at the very least fifteen if I needed to guess—meant he had far more expertise than I did with figuring stuff out. Which was in all probability why my mind had fixated on him as my solely approach out of this mess. That and the truth that he was the primary man who’d ever made my panties moist…and that was saying rather a lot, contemplating the circumstances.

A tough knock on the entrance door pulled me out of my ideas, and I set my laptop computer down on the espresso desk earlier than padding over to see who it was. It was a great factor I wasn’t a gambler like my dad as a result of if I’d positioned a guess on who it was, I’d’ve misplaced.

Virtually as if I’d conjured him out of skinny air, the person from the sidewalk stood in entrance of me. “It’s you.”

“Rattling straight it’s me.”

He gripped my waist to nudge me again into the home, kicking the door shut behind us. I ought to’ve been scared by the large stranger who’d mainly simply compelled his approach into my residence, however he’d been so light with me when he’d executed it. And there was a young gleam in his eyes that tugged at my heartstrings. “I don’t perceive.”

“I couldn’t depart city understanding that I left you behind with bruises in your fairly pores and skin.” He wrapped his fingers round my wrist and thoroughly turned my arm. Fury stuffed his blue orbs as he stared down on the marks my father’s fingers had left behind. “Must know who I’m gonna finish for hurting you.”

His eyes flicked to a household portrait on the wall, and I briefly puzzled if he knew it was my dad.

Was he severe? Whoa. He actually was my knight in shining armor.

4

PHANTOM

I’d been throughout the road from her home in a motel parking zone for practically 4 hours. Ever since Gray had tracked down her location—which had taken far too fucking lengthy. Fifteen years with The Firm had taught me how one can be inconspicuous. I’d been ready for her father to go away earlier than approaching, understanding it might be a fuck of rather a lot simpler to get her away.

However her bruises, a part of me wished he was nonetheless round so I might give him a style of his personal medication. I didn’t need my girl witnessing that type of brutality.

Which may ship her operating and screaming in the wrong way, although. So it was for the most effective that we have been alone.

“Um, kill?” she requested in a breathless voice.

I wasn’t certain if it was worry or pleasure, and that intrigued me. I doubted she was a bloodthirsty little factor, so I hoped it was extra of that fireside I’d glimpsed inside her.

My mind advised me to tread flippantly and never let on how completely obsessed I already was together with her, however my arms had a thoughts of their very own, they usually cupped her cheeks. “I’d do something to guard you, candy woman.”

Her eyes widened with shock, however a glimmer of hope emanated from their depths. Perhaps I ought to have anticipated her response as a result of she’d been made only for me.

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