Stryker

“Jake, you’ll have your father back.”

“I don’t—”

“Think before you speak,” Carter suggested.

I met Carter’s gaze while my mind was in turmoil.

Are you sure?

Sighing, heavily, I asked, “Tell me why?”

“He’s asked that he be the one to tell you. Evie, Millie, and myself know why. Evie wanted to be angry with him on your behalf, but after she saw his photographs of you, and heard what he had to say, I don’t think she could get there. Everything he’s done, he’s done to get you back.” Carter sat back, but looked to be anything but happy. “Look, he’s going to be meeting us when we land. I’m going to take over the driving while he sits in the back with you and talks. Just give him a chance.”

What I wanted was to have Evie with me when I talked to him. Coming out and saying that to Carter would make me look like a pussy so I kept my mouth shut. “I don’t want my head full of crap when I’m going to be up against…I don’t know…when we show up at Evie’s parents’ place.”

“You’re head won’t be full with crap. It might be spinning, and I know you and your father will have to work at getting to know one another again, but I truly believe he did everything he thought he could back then.”

I looked out of the window as we dropped altitude and wondered what the hell he’d have to say. I wasn’t sure anything could make up for letting them have me. I was a fourteen-year-old boy when I last saw him. I became a man pretty quickly because I didn’t have the choice.

“I’m not sure any explanation will make amends for what I went through as a boy becau

se of what he did.”

“I understand, but at least you can hear him out, and then decide. Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your life curious about what happened…I’d listen.”

I offered a mirthless laugh. “I guess I won’t have much choice but to listen.”

“What about Evie and Millie? All you’ve done is tell me about you, and my father. I want to know the plan to go and get Evie.”

“By tomorrow, everything should be in place so we’ll move in before the wedding.”

“They’ll know that I’m going for Evie. At least, Patrick will know where I’m headed.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re landing under radar and once we’re in the car I have somewhere to stash you.” Carter grinned. “It’s somewhere that Declan Fitzwilliam might consider, but would never look.”

I raised a brow.

“We’re the over night guests of Millie’s daddy, Jordan Michaels, except Millie has no idea. So I’d appreciate you keeping that news to yourself.”

“I can, but why would Millie be pissed at us staying with her family?”

He sighed. “Whenever I mentioned her parents, she’d change the subject. I actually already knew who they were, especially her father, but I wanted her to tell me. She promised to do so when I returned. Except, I left your father’s house to go and help you and ended up being dragged to Chicago. She’s probably wondering where the hell I am.”

“I take it her father does a lot of dealings like Declan?”

“Not anymore. At least what anyone can prove. He’s a much better man than Declan has ever been or ever will be. So let’s just leave it at that… I’ll give you some peace until we land. It will be hectic enough for you once we do.” Carter moved toward the back of the plane and stayed there.

I rubbed my brow wanting the whole damn thing over with. I wanted Evie in my arms without any worry that we’d be ripped apart. I wanted and needed her by my side for the rest of our lives.

Just her smile was enough to make me feel happy. My skin always felt fevered at her touch. And I was sure that I acted like an adolescent teenager with how quickly my cock responded to her.

Even thoughts of her had me hard and aching. Like now. I slipped my hand into my jeans and made myself comfortable, as I tried to turn my thoughts around to something else.

My father.

He must really have something to say if Evie couldn’t bring herself to hate him. But what? What could he say to remove the image of him running away and leaving me in that dark alley? I always hoped that he’d come back for me. Tell me it had all been a misunderstanding. He never came and eventually my dreams died and became nightmares. I’d eventually lost all hope and started hating my father.

I wasn’t sure that years of hate could turn into something else.