He leaned forward and growled, “What?”
Oh, God. I took a deep breath to prepare myself for the shit storm. “Aunt Gretchen wanted me to terminate. It was too late, so I refused, and they kicked me out.”
I watched his fists curl around the edge of the table. His knuckles were white and his face was red fury. “I gave those motherfuckers every dime I had to look after you. I’ll kill them.”
“Daddy…” I looked around nervously. I was sure threats like that wouldn’t be taken lightly in prison.
“Son of a bitch.” He snatched his hands away from the table and ran his fingers through his hair. “I should have never trusted them with you. I had no choice baby girl, you have to understand.”
“I know, Daddy. It’s water under the bridge now.”
“The hell it is.”
“Please, calm down.”
“How can I calm down? You’ve been on your own for over a year, and I had no idea. Are you doing okay?”
“No, Daddy. I’m—we’re—not. I have no money, and we’re almost out of food.”
He frowned. “What about the money I left for you?” My father had built up savings in my name in the event I ever needed it. When he got knocked, the savings had accumulated to twenty grand.
“It’s gone.”
“How could it be gone?”
“I had no medical insurance for Caylen’s doctor’s visits. Our expenses were too much even when I held a job. I had no friends or family to babysit so I could work. There was just so much, and I couldn’t get ahead. I’m sorry. I—”
“No, baby girl. Stop it. I know you did the best you could.”
“But we’re going to starve,” I cried.
“You won’t let that happen.”
I sat up straighter to appear strong. Here comes the hard part. “No, I won’t and you won’t either.”
“Mian… I have no money. I gave everything I had to your aunt and uncle in order to convince them to take care of you. I—”
“I know that, but there’s another way.”
“How? Anything.”
“Your last job. I want to know who you were going to hit and for how much.”
“What?”
“I’m going to finish what you started.”
“No, baby girl. Anything but that.”
“It’s not up to you anymore. If I can’t do this job, then there’s nothing left but shaking my ass or selling it. Take your pick, but I willnotlet my son starve.”
His shoulders slumped. Maybe I won. “I didn’t want this for you.”
“I know, but someone switched the cards when we weren’t looking, and I was dealt a different hand.”
“It’s dangerous. He’ll kill you if you’re caught.”
I smiled despite the warning. I knew the way my father’s mind worked. He couldn’t convince himself not to give in so he’d try to scare me out of it first. I was winning.
“Then I won’t get caught.”
“No, Mian. You don’t understand,” he stressed.
“Thenmake meunderstand,” I countered.
“The mark… it was Art.”
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. My mind raced too quickly to piece together a complete thought.
How could this be?
Daddy may have gone down for Art’s murder, but a part of me had never believed he actually did it. When Bea named him as the person who shot Art in the heart, I still didn’t believe it.
Now my father was telling me…
“You did it, didn’t you?” He had never fully admitted it before. He allowed me to believe that something had gone horribly wrong,and he was left holding the blame.
His eyes were sad and full of remorse. “That’s between me and the dead.”
“You don’t think I deserve to know why you threw away your freedom and ruined my life to kill your best friend?” As soon as the words were out, I wished I could swallow them whole. I watched my strong father flinch. His eyes flashed with the hurt that I had caused.
“I am sorry, Mian.”
I hung my head because I couldn’t take the look on his face anymore. “I shouldn’t have said that,” I whispered to my lap.
“Four years ago, Art got this big client. Powerful. Word spread quietly among their inner circle and business for Art was booming. He was bringing in more money than ever.”
“Who was this client?”
“Too dangerous.”
“Daddy…”
“No. The client’s name is not relevant to the job, and I don’t want you mixed up in a politician’s dirty business. It’s never pretty.”
I knew the Knights did more than just grand theft. Business with politicians pretty much confirmed that their business got a lot dirtier than what met the eye.
“So, why bring him up?”
“I know you’ve been Crecia.”
I blinked. “I didn’t know you knew,” I admitted guiltily. My father avoided me, and I kept secrets. We both had reasons to feel guilty.
“Art rarely kept things from me.”
Then why kill him?
“Oh.”
“Anyway, after Art started bringing in truckloads of money. He said he wanted a bigger home, hoping it would persuade Bea to give him more sons. He had it built and moved his family.”