Vengeance (The Protectors 5)

“Everything okay?” he asked when I finally eased up my hold on him. I was glad when he didn’t release me right away.

“I missed you guys,” was all I said and that seemed to be enough. “So Pops threw up?” I asked.

My dad chuckled, his laugh rumbling through his chest so I could hear it against my ear. “On the ladybug roller coaster, no less.”

I pulled back and said, “Are you kidding me?”

My dad shook his head and his pale blue eyes lit up with mirth. “First ride in the park. Him and Sylvie in the first car. Luckily your uncles were still getting tickets and organizing who was going with who on rides. I had to go on all the rides after that while your Pops told everyone he preferred staying behind with Sierra and all the strollers.”

“Oh my God,” I said with a laugh.

“Logan?”

“In here, Dom,” my dad called.

My other father came rushing out of the kitchen and I bit back my smile as an image of the big strapping, bald-headed man sitting in a kiddie roller coaster popped into my head. My father was either unaware or uncaring that he was wearing an apron covered in flour because he dragged me into his arms for a bear hug. “Hi, Pops,” I said softly as I returned the hug.

Pops pulled back and studied me before hugging me again. He started reaching for my hand when he noticed the splint and frowned. “What happened?”

The nerves I’d been dealing with from the moment I’d left the hotel came back in full force. I knew in my gut that my fathers wouldn’t be angry for the mistakes I’d made, but I also knew that what I was going to tell them was going to hurt them.

“Um, I was hoping to talk to you about this,” – I held up my injured hand – “and some other stuff.”

My dad and Pops exchanged a look. “I can call Rafe to come pick up the kids,” my dad suggested and Pops nodded. My Uncle Rafe and Uncle Cade only lived a couple of miles away so within a half an hour, my sister and brother were hugging me goodbye and I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with a pile of freshly-baked cookies stacked high on a plate in front of me and a cup of my favorite tea between my hands.

“Talk to us, son,” Pops finally said when I struggled to figure out where to start. “You can tell us anything,” he added and I nodded my head.

It poured out of me like water after that – my decision to contact my birth father, his requests for money, how he’d come to New York. I had to keep my gaze on my tea so I wouldn’t break down in tears, but it happened anyway and before I could even react, my dad was coming around the table and wrapping his arms around me.

“Tristan, we’re not upset,” he said against my hair. “We meant to tell you about your father one day…we just wanted to give you some time to adjust to school first.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry, I should have told you as soon as I realized I’d messed up.”

Pops reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “Tristan, did he hurt you?”

My dad sat down in the chair next to mine and wiped at my tears. I used my sleeve to wipe away the rest before taking in a deep breath.

“He owed some guys some money and when I told him I wouldn’t give it to him, he hit me,” I admitted. I didn’t need to look at Pops to feel his rage.

“Did he do this?” my dad asked as he carefully brushed his hand over my injured one.

“Indirectly,” I said and then I forced my head up and looked at Pops. “He followed me back to Seattle – he showed up a few days before you left for Florida. But he wasn’t alone.”

I went on to tell them about both attacks and watched as Pops stood up and began pacing. It was a move I’d seen him do on numerous occasions as he tried to get himself under control.

“I’m sorry, Pops,” I whispered. “So sorry.”

I dropped my eyes again and felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me – not my dad’s this time, though. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Tristan. I’m going to take care of everything, okay? They won’t lay a hand on you ever again.”

“He’s dead, Pops.”

My father pulled back slightly so he could look me in the eye. “Your birth father?”

I nodded. “Would you…would sit so I can tell you the rest?”

Pops nodded and sat back down, though he sat in the chair on my other side.

“Brennan found me after the loan sharks did this,” I said as I held up my hand. “He took me to meet up with a friend of his who he knew could help me. He made sure Brennan and me were safe and then he took care of the guys who came after me. He flew to New York a week ago to make sure my birth father – Ray – stayed away from me, but found out he was already dead.”