Damaged and the Knight (Damaged #2)

“Farah’s marrying a rich guy, huh?” Dad said from where the garage gate came to a grinding close.

Turning towards him, I noticed how tired he looked. Worn down from months of hiding, eating what he could steal, screwing any lonely woman he could con, and living from day to day with the hope of a miracle around every corner. His dark hair was too long and hung awkwardly over his ears. He had no cap on, but his jacket looked new. Likely stolen along with his shiny new boots.

“What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he said casually, a fake smile on his handsome face. “I told you to wait at the motel. When I went back, you were gone and the window was kicked in. I assumed something bad happened and have been looking for you.”

My father could con conmen because he had a face devoid of the con. He always looked completely honest, even when pulling one lie after another out of his ass. I knew anyone else would believe his concerned expression. They would believe he came looking for me except logic said it wouldn’t have taken him this long to visit Ellsberg. He hadn’t cared where I went because I was one less mouth to feed. Sure, I could have earned him money, but I think he suspected I would have run anyway.

Now, he was standing in front of me looking like the father I wished he was, instead of the father I knew. This Brian was a worried dad, not the man who beat me with a belt because he was having a bad day. He wasn’t the man who planned to pimp me out to pay his debts. This Brian was the kind of man I should run to and embrace. I wasn’t fooled though.

Instead, I slid my hand into my bag and felt for the gun Judd gave me. While I didn’t intend to shoot my father, I would scare him if necessary. Make him back off until I could reach the elevator and use the code for it to open. Once I was inside, he couldn’t get to me. Then, I’d call Judd who would deal with him. The plan was vivid in my mind and I already saw myself safe in the elevator.

“I need to go,” I said, taking a step towards the elevator. “You should call Farah and visit her. She’d be happy to see you.”

Dad grinned. “I know who her rich mark is and he won’t be happy to see me.”

“He’s not a mark,” I said defensively before remembering I had no reason to explain anything to this man. “What do you want?”

“I need to pay my debts, Tawny. I’m a hunted man and you can save me.”

“You want me to give you money?”

“Your man works for Farah’s man. I don’t want either of them knowing about me being here. I want you to ask Farah for the money, but don’t tell her it’s for me. Say you need it to pay for something, but you can’t tell her what. She’ll give it to you.”

Knowing my father was lying again, I inched backwards while wondering what his real plan involved.

“I’ll ask her.”

“Do you think she could get her hands on fifty grand without the rich kid noticing?”

“Maybe. I don’t know what kind of money they have. I can ask though.”

“You won’t though.”

Realizing he knew my lies as well as I knew his, I shook my head. “No, I won’t. What do you want?”

“Your sister loves you more than anyone. Even more than her pretty boy. She’d take a beating for you and I know she’d steal Johansson’s money for you.”

“Steal?”

“To get the money to pay for your safety.”

My feet begged me to run, but my head said I wasn’t fast enough. Even exhausted from months of hiding, my father was fast and strong. I’d seen him beat down plenty of strong men before. Not guys like Judd, but men bigger than me. I also knew he would hurt me as much as necessary to get his money.

“So you’re going to ransom me?” I said, rolling my eyes. “What makes you think she can even get that kind of money from Cooper? You think people like the Johanssons wouldn’t notice anyone messing with their money?”

My father didn’t take the bait. His gaze focused hard on me, waiting for me to run. “Your sister was a good kid. She always worked hard at school and never started shit. I liked to tell people about her report cards and how she was on the honor roll. She was the kid who made me proud. You were the one who ate our food and took up space. You owe me, Tawny, and you’re getting me that money whether I have to put you on the streets to get it.”

Maybe my father moved or maybe I was just done waiting for him to make all the decisions. Either way, I clicked off the safety on the gun and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore through the purse and hit him in the gut. Startled, my father fell to the ground before reaching for his own weapon.

“Stop!” I screamed, running over and kicking his hand struggling to remove the gun from his jacket. “I’ll shoot again.”

“You fucking bitch.”

Kneeling down, I grabbed the handle of his weapon and yanked it free. I immediately stepped away from him and tried to figure out what to do next. Only one word echoed in my head, so I dialed without thinking of what to say.