Strong and Steady

His cell rang. Neither of us would have noticed it in the loud casino noise if it hadn’t vibrated across the small table beside his drink.

He picked it up and glanced at the screen. I watched as his skin paled beneath the fake tan.

My cell vibrated once more but I just watched my dad. He actually looked… afraid.

“Answer your phone,” he said, without looking up from the screen on his.

I sighed, pulling mine from my pocket. “Green.”

“Gray, Quake Baker here. You met my son and grandson. Sorry for getting to you through your dad, but you wouldn’t answer your phone.”

What the fuck? Quake Baker had Dad’s number and had texted him. What the hell did the message say because it looked as if my dad just pissed himself. Besides that, how the hell did Quake know I was with my dad right now? How did he know my number? I looked around. There were people all around but too self-involved to be interested in either my father or me. It was a casino with cameras everywhere. We were two hundred miles from Brant Valley. How far was this man’s reach? Did I really want to know?

“You’ll have to tell me how the two of you are pals someday,” I said.

I heard a chuckle through the phone. “The MC’s got a big reach.”

As if that explained it all.

“What can I do for you?”

“Talked with Emory and invited both of you to the Double-B for dinner. She’s coming with friends. Told me they’re spending the day together. Nice job with the babysitters.”

I was trying to keep up. I knew of Quake and the No Holds Barred MC, knew of their dealings, and it was more than just the Early Bird Special and a slice of homemade pie. From the way my dad was reacting, he knew about them, too.

“If she’s accepted, then I’ll be there,” I replied. I didn’t want to say Emory’s name in front of my dad, so I kept it neutral. I didn’t want him to know jack shit about her.

“Good. Ask your pops if he wants to come too.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I had no interest, ever, in eating a meal with my dad, but Quake had a reason for it. “Quake Baker wants to know if you want to join me for dinner tonight at his diner.”

Dad turned to look up at me, and he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. This was the first time—ever—I had seen him weak and vulnerable. He cleared his throat. “Tell him thanks, but I’ll be staying at the ranch.”

“He offers his regrets,” I told Quake.

“Yeah, figured. Guessing your meeting’s over, so you should be back in time to get your girl. Later.”

I tucked my phone in my pocket and settled my hands back on my hips, waiting to see if my dad was going to say anything else. He sat there, shoulders slumped, skin orange and pale all at the same time. I saw him for what he really was. An old, pathetic man. He hadn't sent a man after Emory. It wasn't his deal. All he did was taunt, to fuck with me. He didn't have the balls to do more than that. He might be a powerful businessman, might own a huge swath of the state, but he had nothing on me. Nothing. I could deal with whatever shit he tossed my way, but it seemed I had an ally all of a sudden with Quake Baker. I had no idea what the fuck he had on my dad, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care about my dad at all.

“We’re done here,” I said, my voice hard. “We’re done, period. Leave me the fuck alone and you stay away from Emory. You forget she even exists. I’d be happy to beat the shit out of you, and I’m sure Quake will be thrilled to hide your body.” I leaned forward, so he could hear me clearly over the din of the casino. “You think I care what you do? I don’t think about you at all.”

I shook my head and looked at my dad one last time. I wasn’t trying to remember, I was trying to forget.

23

GRAY

* * *

I got caught in traffic just over the state line, some semi had jackknifed and brought the highway to a standstill, so I had to meet Emory, Christy and Paul at the diner. I’d spent the extra hour in the car thinking about Quake’s hold on my dad and the reason for the meal.

Quake himself met me by the hostess stand. He looked out of place in the restaurant, but I wasn’t going to say shit about it. I shook his hand, and he clapped me on the shoulder. “Had a good chat with your pops?”

“I didn’t realize you two were friends,” I countered. I was eager to get to Emory, so it was difficult to talk it up. But he was concerned for her, and so I owed him respect. And he had something over my dad. That made him my new buddy.

He offered a small shrug. “Friends? Fuck no. We have… an understanding. Even though he’s your pops, I doubt he’ll be a pain in the ass any longer.”

I narrowed my eyes and felt threatened. I wouldn’t put it past my dad to fuck with someone connected to the MC, but a guy like Quake didn’t do get involved in petty shit like this without wanting something in return.