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)
“Yes and no. I mean, I never really thought about my dad, you know. There was no reason to think about him.”
“And now?”
“It hasn’t sunk in. He’s my dad, but ... that is all it is right now—a title. I don’t know what I should expect. Should I call him my dad?” She shook her head and frowned. “I have no idea what he expects from me.”
“I imagine right now he doesn’t expect anything from you. He just wants the chance to be with you when you need him to be.”
She looked up at Damion and nodded.
“You ready to head back to the high school?”
“Yeah, Delphine was okay with taking care of Betsy, right?”
“Sure is. She thinks she is adorable.”
Vicki laughed. “Everyone loves Betsy.”
He pulled her close and kissed her head. Vicki didn’t realize how much she needed his support until that moment. She had never really thought of what it would be like to meet her father. She certainly hadn’t expected it to be so hard.
From a young age, she had known it was going to be difficult to find out who her dad was. There were always so many different men close to her mother. Running fingers through her hair, she tried not to think of the life she could have had. She didn’t know if it was better that she had grown up not knowing who Neil was, or if it would have been better for her.
Either way, the past was the past, and she wasn’t going to allow it to affect her future.
Chapter Eight
Damion threw the towel over his shoulder after reading the text from Delphine, and then tasted his tomato sauce. He rarely cooked, but knowing Vicki was coming over tonight, he wanted the food to be perfect. He could have ordered in the perfect meal, but he didn’t want anyone else to cook for her.
It had been a rough few months since Vicki had learned that Neil was her father. She didn’t know he had to deal with some of the repercussions with the other families. They worried that his dating Vicki would give the Thames’s some leverage.
Vicki being Neil’s daughter didn’t change a fucking thing. For one, father and daughter were having a rocky start. They had nothing in common. Neil didn’t have any other children, and since Annette, he bounced from woman to woman. Vicki was his only child.
Then, he ran a family and dealt in a lot of drugs, which meant he also knew the science involved in making the drugs.
Again, this was not something Vicki enjoyed. She had graduated high school but didn’t go to college, and instead stayed local, working at the diner, taking care of her family. Night school had been out of the question because of Annette, and being responsible for her mother and siblings. There was a short time she’d been able to rely on Frank, only now he was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t come home in a long time, and even though Vicki wanted to know if he was okay, Damion had to explain that Frank made his choice. He was now in the hands of The Lords. There was nothing he could do, as part of the rules.
Dhalia, Smithy, and Pete all seemed to be doing fine. They didn’t mind that Vicki had learned the truth about her father. Betsy was her adoring self, which is why Delphine didn’t have an issue with taking care of the little girl and hanging out with the others.
He asked Vicki if she would like to have a meal cooked by him, and she agreed.
The chicken was smothered in parmesan cheese, and in the oven, keeping warm. The spaghetti was waiting to go into the pot of boiling water. His sauce was perfection. All he needed to do was add some basil. He didn’t go in for chopping up basil. He loved the taste of full leaves stirred through a sauce.
And then the doorbell rang, and he lowered the oven temperature and went to the door.
Vicki was there, dressed in the cutest blue summer dress, which he knew had seen better days. He intended to get her a whole new wardrobe, but he also knew right now that wasn’t something she would easily accept. He had to bide his time and allow her to get comfortable with him before he gave her anything else.
“Something smells good,” Vicki said.
He waved at Tank, who had volunteered to drive Vicki to his place. He made the arrangements to keep her safe. Closing the door, he locked it, and now he was all alone with his woman. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, and he stroked her arm.
“Come on,” he said. “I’ll take you for a tour later.” Taking her hand, he led her into the kitchen, and he heard her gasp.