and most of that came from the values of his MC. Ours was a family by blood, but his a brotherhood united in the hope of bringing prosperity, safety and protection to Pleasant Valley.
It was valiant, and I was jealous.
"I'll tell you shortly. First, you tell me why you seem so distant from me lately? Your cousin, Mateo, mentioned that you've been spending a lot of time just sitting on the roof late at night. Something on your mind, Selene? You need to talk to someone?" He rubbed his strong hands down the side of my arms, and gave me a look that was almost convincing.
"I'm fine. Just trying to toughen up. I'm the only woman in this MC, and gaining respect is ten times harder for me than anyone else. I figured if I hardened a little, it would help." I kept my voice steady. The thought of giving up the playful, joking side of me left me wanting to curl up in bed and cry. Without Lucky to pull pranks on, there really wasn't anyone left to share that side of my personality. Everyone else was serious, focused and most likely--scared shitless of my father.
"I think that's a good idea. You sure this has nothing to do with that boy we beat the shit out of a while back?" My father smiled again. He was baiting me.
I hate you, you black-hearted bastard.
"What guy?" I asked, making sure to not give him an inch where my true thoughts were concerned.
"Lucas Morrison, Selene. Don't play like you don't remember." My father pulled his hands from me and slid them into his pants pockets. "He meant something to you. I could tell that night. And I think that was the only reason why I didn’t kill him. But I wanted to teach him to stay away. What we did was for your own good. You were a silly girl then. You're growing into a woman now."
"Very true." I shrugged as if the conversation was getting on my nerves, which it was. "He was a friend, Papa, but you took that away from me. Like everything else in life. It's all good. I don't need friends."
His brow pulled tight and he took my chin in his grasp, leaning down and getting in my face. The stance used to scare me, but that was before I honestly had nothing to lose.
"You belong to me. I will do anything I need to do in order to keep you in line. So help me, God."
"Would God help a murderer?" I clenched my teeth and narrowed my eyes, not quite capable of keeping my thoughts entirely to myself.
"Don't damn us, butterfly. I'm not nearly the monster you make me out to be." He leaned in farther and kissed the tip of my nose. It took all I had not to pull back and slap him. I wouldn't survive the beating to follow, and he'd not done anything but point out the truth. Lucky meant something to me. Bravo. He'd hit the nail on the head. I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of a heartfelt response.
"Right. So tell me about this job, so that I can get to it." I pulled back and pushed his hand away, done with him touching me.
He lifted an eyebrow, as if a little surprised that I would deny him anything. If I couldn't, I would deny him everything... I’d almost come to the end of my dedication to my family. I was teetering on the edge of running away and starting a new life, but something held me in place. I wasn't sure if it was my Grandma or the memories of a time when my father wasn't a villain. Whatever it was, I prayed it would soon subside. I wanted out. Needed it. Desperately.
"I have Zachary Banks in the shed out back, at the edge of the property. Do you know who he is, love?" His eyebrow rose sharply as he studied me with his dark gaze. Something about the way he asked the question let me know I should know the answer. And I did. Everyone knew who Zachary Banks was. He was up and coming, but in a way my father would never be. Worse, he was the competition, which wasn't at all welcome in my father’s world.
He motioned for someone else to come into the room, and without turning around, I knew it was Dante.
My father's favorite goon was head over heels in love with me, and I felt
It was valiant, and I was jealous.
"I'll tell you shortly. First, you tell me why you seem so distant from me lately? Your cousin, Mateo, mentioned that you've been spending a lot of time just sitting on the roof late at night. Something on your mind, Selene? You need to talk to someone?" He rubbed his strong hands down the side of my arms, and gave me a look that was almost convincing.
"I'm fine. Just trying to toughen up. I'm the only woman in this MC, and gaining respect is ten times harder for me than anyone else. I figured if I hardened a little, it would help." I kept my voice steady. The thought of giving up the playful, joking side of me left me wanting to curl up in bed and cry. Without Lucky to pull pranks on, there really wasn't anyone left to share that side of my personality. Everyone else was serious, focused and most likely--scared shitless of my father.
"I think that's a good idea. You sure this has nothing to do with that boy we beat the shit out of a while back?" My father smiled again. He was baiting me.
I hate you, you black-hearted bastard.
"What guy?" I asked, making sure to not give him an inch where my true thoughts were concerned.
"Lucas Morrison, Selene. Don't play like you don't remember." My father pulled his hands from me and slid them into his pants pockets. "He meant something to you. I could tell that night. And I think that was the only reason why I didn’t kill him. But I wanted to teach him to stay away. What we did was for your own good. You were a silly girl then. You're growing into a woman now."
"Very true." I shrugged as if the conversation was getting on my nerves, which it was. "He was a friend, Papa, but you took that away from me. Like everything else in life. It's all good. I don't need friends."
His brow pulled tight and he took my chin in his grasp, leaning down and getting in my face. The stance used to scare me, but that was before I honestly had nothing to lose.
"You belong to me. I will do anything I need to do in order to keep you in line. So help me, God."
"Would God help a murderer?" I clenched my teeth and narrowed my eyes, not quite capable of keeping my thoughts entirely to myself.
"Don't damn us, butterfly. I'm not nearly the monster you make me out to be." He leaned in farther and kissed the tip of my nose. It took all I had not to pull back and slap him. I wouldn't survive the beating to follow, and he'd not done anything but point out the truth. Lucky meant something to me. Bravo. He'd hit the nail on the head. I wasn't giving him the satisfaction of a heartfelt response.
"Right. So tell me about this job, so that I can get to it." I pulled back and pushed his hand away, done with him touching me.
He lifted an eyebrow, as if a little surprised that I would deny him anything. If I couldn't, I would deny him everything... I’d almost come to the end of my dedication to my family. I was teetering on the edge of running away and starting a new life, but something held me in place. I wasn't sure if it was my Grandma or the memories of a time when my father wasn't a villain. Whatever it was, I prayed it would soon subside. I wanted out. Needed it. Desperately.
"I have Zachary Banks in the shed out back, at the edge of the property. Do you know who he is, love?" His eyebrow rose sharply as he studied me with his dark gaze. Something about the way he asked the question let me know I should know the answer. And I did. Everyone knew who Zachary Banks was. He was up and coming, but in a way my father would never be. Worse, he was the competition, which wasn't at all welcome in my father’s world.
He motioned for someone else to come into the room, and without turning around, I knew it was Dante.
My father's favorite goon was head over heels in love with me, and I felt
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