Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34081 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Frank laughed. “We don’t even know who our fathers are. I just ... with The Lords, it’s easier. That’s all.”
“You know what you have to do to be initiated,” Vicki said.
“I know.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
There was a knock at the door and Vicki got to her feet. Answering the door, she found Damion on her doorstep.
“Damion,” she said.
“Can I come in?”
“Uh, yeah, sure.” She offered him a smile and he stepped into the house.
Frank looked at Damion, then at her. “I’m going to head to bed.”
With his alliance getting heavier into one of the families, his involvement with Damion had to be limited. If he did anything to upset Damion, it could cost him and the family he was trying to be part of.
Damion didn’t say a word. “Can we talk?”
“Yeah, of course. Do you want to sit down or have a drink? I only have tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and water.”
“I’m good,” Damion said.
She led him into the sitting room. They didn’t have much. The sofa was old, and she had gotten it at a thrift store. She didn’t have a sewing machine, so she had spent months hand-stitching and covering it so it looked much better. She loved to fluff up the cushions and clean it.
The artwork on the walls came from all of them, from pictures they drew when there were snowstorms. Most of the ornaments came from trinkets made at school. There was a single small television—again, all she could afford—and that was it. The carpet had seen better days, but she did what she could to keep the place clean. Fresh licks of paint on the walls, scrubbing them.
“It’s not much,” she said, “but it is home.”
“I’ve got something for you.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope.
“What’s this?” she asked, taking it and looking inside to see a lot of money. “Damion, what is this?”
“It’s from Neil. The head of the Thames family.”
“Oh,” Vicki said. “Is this payment for Mom?”
“No,” Damion said. “This is compensation for the stress one of his men caused, and for putting your life at risk. It is part of his punishment. There is also something else.”
Vicki held the envelope full of cash, feeling even more uncomfortable having it in her hands. This was not a good feeling.
“Did your mother ever talk about any of the guys she was with?”
“No,” Vicki said. “There were so many of them. Sometimes they came around here and left her some cash.”
“Do you have any idea who your father might be?” Damion asked.
It was the first time she looked at Damion, and she had this sick feeling in her stomach. Had she been getting the wrong signals? “Are you my father?”
“What? No, fuck no,” Damion said. “I never touched Annette. Never wanted to.” He scrunched up his nose, and Vicki was so relieved she couldn’t help but burst out laughing at how disgusted he looked.
“Okay,” Vicki said. “I didn’t know if you were trying to tell me there was a chance you were my father.”
“Hell, no, I am not your father, and I wouldn’t have taken you on a date if I even thought there was a chance. Trust me. I have never been with Annette.”
This gave her some relief.
“Neil, the leader of the Thames family, said there is a chance you might be his. He would like to know if you are his kid.”
“Oh,” Vicki said.
“He wants to know if you are willing to do a test, confirm or not.”
She had never thought about finding out who her father was. Her mother often told her to shut up, and that men were not good for sticking around, just sticking their dicks where they wanted to.
“What do you think?” Vicki asked.
“Again, this is not something I can say.”
“Is this because you don’t have an opinion, or because you’re Damion Archer.”
“Because I’m Damion Archer.”
“So right now, you’re working?”
“I’m doing both. I’m working and I’ve come to see my girl.”
Her heart did a little flip. She couldn’t help it as she looked at him.
His girl.
“Your girl?” she asked. Did she sound stupid?
Damion reached out and put a hand to her cheek. “You’re my girl, Vicki. You know this.”
“What do you think I should do?”
“The decision is yours. I can’t help you with this.”
Vicki stared into his blue eyes, and she got lost in the depth of them. She didn’t know if it mattered to find out her father was. It wouldn’t change anything.
“It’s just a test?” Vicki said.
“Yes.”
There was no harm.
“Okay,” Vicki said. “I’ll take the test, but you’re going to be there, right? With me?”
“If that is what you want. As a civilian—”
“No, as my ... person. Not as Damion Archer, but if I’m your girl, that makes you my man, right?”
He nodded.
“Then you are there as both,” Vicki said.