“He likes to think so,” I said in return, shoveling my last bite into my mouth as I stood from the table. Both men chuckled, and even Axel chimed in.
“He lets her sleep in unless he has to go to work, and she’s been on vacation from the studio,” Axel said.
“Sounds like he spoils her,” Dad concurred, standing from the table and pressing a kiss to each of the kids’ heads. “I hate to eat and run, but I need to get to bed. I promised I’d open up at six tomorrow so a friend could drop off his Cadillac.” Ryker stood too, following Dad closer to the front door. He stopped next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging me into his side. “Thank you for having me over, Son,” Dad said, and I swore I felt my heart pumping at my feet as my world bottomed out. He’d never, not once, even come close to calling Chad Son.
“Anytime, August,” Ryker returned, and emotion clogged his throat. Despite my rising concern, I pressed further into his side. Given the loss of his family, I could only imagine how it felt to have someone call him Son.
"I have to say, I questioned if this was smart. It came out of nowhere," Dad said, his eyes on Ryker as he stood at the door. The kids still shoveled cake into their mouths, distracted by the sugary sweet mess of frosting.
"I'm sure it seemed that way," Ryker said evasively, but Dad's eyes came to me knowingly. He saw through some of Ryker's shit I suspected, but I also didn't think it would stop him from encouraging the relationship either. "I'm a man who sees something good and doesn't let it go. A woman like Calla has got no place living alone. It's too dangerous, and all I've ever wanted to do is keep her and the kids safe. I'm sure you've figured out that I have the resources to do that here."
Dad grinned at him. "Safe to say I figured that much, yeah. You take good care of them, I can see that, even if my Calla Lily doesn’t want to admit it."
"I do my best," Ryker admitted, and I felt my throat burn with tears when something in my father's face shifted.
"All I ever wanted was a man who saw everything she was worth and wanted to protect that. Chad never appreciated her or the kids, not really. You give her that, then I'll be in your corner."
"Daddy," I whispered, feeling my heart break for him. I hadn’t considered how it might hurt him to see me live out a lonely marriage, knowing his life and loneliness had influenced my relationship.
"I'll walk you out," Ryker announced, and I didn't know if I should be suspicious or just grateful for the reprieve to pull my shit together as I sniffled back my tears.
It didn't matter, because my father murmured to me softly, "See you soon, Calla Lily."
And then they both walked out the door.
Twenty-Five
Ryker
"I could use your input on the paint job for the Chevelle. The guy I usually use had an unfortunate accident," I said, conveniently leaving out the part where he'd been using the connection to me to spy on the Bellandis for one of the rival territories outside the city.
It hadn't ended well for him. Somehow, I didn’t think Calla would appreciate me telling her father the accident had involved my hatchet.
"That's too bad. I have a guy, and he'll do whatever you want, but he has an expert eye if you're willing to just let him run with it."
"If he has your trust, he has mine," I agreed, and I shuffled my feet when we stepped up to August's Mustang Cobra. The woman had me tied up in knots so hard that I couldn't even imagine how I could ask her father the question I needed.
“I’ll have him call you. He’ll love that car,” August laughed, opening the Cobra door. He sobered. “Don’t hurt her. She’s been through too much, and half of it she doesn’t even have the first clue that she should be upset. I don’t know how he managed it, because my Calla Lily is far from stupid, but Chad twisted her up, made her think it was normal to raise their kids practically on her own. She was too young when they met, and I don’t think she ever really got to experience what a healthy relationship was supposed to be before that snake dug his teeth into her.”
“Calla fights for what she loves,” I answered him, pushing the hair back from my face with a sigh. I needed a haircut. “She fights hard. But she never fought for him to give her more. Now, you make what you will of that, but I know what I think about it.”
“You don’t think she loved him?” August asked, and his eyes were intense on mine. As if he thought I might condemn his daughter for her loveless marriage.
“I think Calla believes she loved him, but actions speak louder than words. If she loved him, she’d have wanted him to be there more. She’d have pushed for him to be more active with the kids. I think Calla loved the idea of Chad, of everything he could give her, but she didn’t want to admit she’d chosen him because she knew he never would.”
August’s face twisted in confusion as he studied me, and I knew he was trying to process how I knew so much about Calla so quickly. But he seemed to shrug it off when he sighed. “She’s always been a loner. My girl doesn’t let people in easily. I think you’re good for her, so don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve got a hell of a road ahead of you if you think you’re going to work your way under her skin.” I glanced at the sky, enjoying the sight of the stars that I could never see from inside the city limits.
The light pollution of the city, the lack of true darkness and shadows, made me feel claustrophobic. It reminded me of my childhood and sleeping with the lights on so I could always see what was coming.
I found joy in the fact that I’d long since become the monster who went bump in the night.
“I know, but unlike with Chad or other people, she doesn’t have much choice with me,” I admitted, and I expected it might be that moment where I could have lost Calla’s father’s blessing. But just like with her, I wouldn’t lie. I might omit certain truths, but there was no disguising the fact that I’d pushed my way into his daughter’s life and taken her as my own. Not to some extent, anyway.
His chest heaved with a restrained chuckle as he cleared his throat. “I suppose that is a key difference, yes.”
“I’m going to marry her,” I admitted, pulling the ring box from my pocket where I’d kept it tucked away safely all night. “I’d like your blessing, but know that I’ll marry her without it, too.”
“Isn’t it a little soon for marriage?” August asked, taking the box from my hand and opening it to peek inside.