Payback (Dueling Devils) (12 page)

The doorbell rang and she frowned.
I’m not expecting anyone, maybe it’s Dani?
Dani had been visiting another charter and got caught out there, once shit had gone down. Eager to see her friend, she hurried to the door. She glanced through the peephole and froze. Confused, she opened the door. “Da?”

“You look better than I expected you to.”
Her father shoved his hand into his pockets and rose on the balls of his feet.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was worried about you.”

“Um, why? I talk to Mom, all the tim
e, wasn’t she relaying things?” Still stunned, she stepped back and waved him in. “You could’ve just called, you know?”

“No, I need
ed to see you with my own eyes. You think you fancy Demon? Have you caught a case of Stockholm syndrome or what?” Paddy frowned.

His abrasive tone made her take a step back. She held up her hand.
“Da, it’s nothing like that.”

“Ardy?”
Rockets’ voice drew her attention to the two little beings watching Paddy with large eyes.

“This is my Dad, don’t be scared of him. He just missed me so much he came for a little visit. How about I put on a movie for you to w
atch while I go cook, then me and Da can talk in the kitchen.

“Okay.” Rocket
relaxed instantly after hearing the
stranger
was a family member.

Quickly
, Ardy found their favorite movie, popped into the DVD player and situated them on the couch with drinks in spill proof cups.

Her father watched her silently. His gaze burned her skin and his anger filled the room.

“Okay, we’ll be just in the kitchen, okay?”

“Mm
-hmm.” They nodded, already engrossed in the cartoon playing on the television. She laughed and headed to the kitchen with her father at her heels.

“This is a damn domestic scene.”

“Da, this is what he hired me for, to take care of his children. You know I love kids.”

“Right.” He snorted. “To take care of his kids, so it was fortunate happenstance you discovered you were meant to be together?”

“Yes, actually.” She walked to the sink and washed her hands.

Her father kept dogging her every step.
“This isn’t like you Ardy. You always think with your head. “

“Maybe that was the problem. What did that ever get me
, but stuck in the same place with no real plans for the future and no love interest?” She dried her hands on a dishtowel and moved to take out ground beef for the spaghetti she planned to make. Slicing open the plastic, she placed the meat in a frying pan on the stove.

“Wh
at is that supposed to mean…Ardy Colleen?”

She threw away the garbage and turned to face him. “It means I never branched out, or tried anything new. I love you and I love our family. There’s nothing
I wouldn’t do for you. You must know that.”

“Of course
, I do. It’s my fault you’re here now. I never should have agreed to it.” Paddy shook his head.

The guilt in his voice
made her heart ache. It had to feel like a noose slowly strangling him. She moved closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad you did. It forced me to take a hard look at myself and decide what
I
want for myself. You don’t have to feel guilty. I don’t blame you for anything. It’s not the start of a downfall.”

“You
expect me to believe you want to stay here shackled to some hard ass biker?”

“I’m not
shackled, will you stop saying that?” She shook her head, walked across the room, grabbed a pot, filled it with water, then set it on the stove to boil.

“The hell you aren’t
! Looking at you playing house wife for them, practically ignoring me.”

“I’m not Da
, but the kids still have to eat and Jonah will probably be home soon as well. I have duties that still need tending too.”

“Jonah? You’re using his given name now? Jesus, Mary
and Joseph. This is worse than I thought.” Paddy clucked his tongue.

“I think you’d lik
e him if you gave him a chance Dad. He isn’t the man you think he is.”

“Oh, I know better than you what kind o
f man he is. You might have blinders on now. What about when they come off and you’re in too deep to get out? I’d never be able to live with myself if I didn’t put a stop to this. Whatever he wants us to pay; I’ll find a way to come up with it. Even if it means selling the bar.”

“Da, stop.”
She held up her hand. “Our debt is paid. I chose to stay.”

“No.” he shook his head. “I refuse to believe that.”

“Haven’t I always been the type to know my own mind?”

“Yes, which is why I don’
t understand you right now.” Paddy shook his head and sank down into the closest chair.

“Da, what’s so confusing?
I’m happy here. I love Jonah and the kids. This?” She circled her finger in the air. “Makes me happy.”

“How am I supposed to look at the monster who stole you away and be happy about it? He took you from me by force. Do you know how hard that was to let happen? I’ve never felt so helpless in my life. You’re my first born. I look to you to help me. Maybe too much.
I forgot you still needed looking after. That’s something I have to live with for the rest of my life.”

“Not if
you see it as the blessing it is. We’re happy together. I never would’ve found this back in Denton. I would’ve spent the rest of my life working at the bar, helping others find their own happiness while I remained in the background. An envious shadow who watched life happen to everyone else, but her. That’s not the life you wanted for me, is it?”

“Were yo
u really so unhappy?”

“N
o, Daddy. I wasn’t. I was just…numb.” She shrugged. “Jonah makes me feel alive. I know it’s a dangerous life. But tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us. Please be happy for me? That’s what I need more than anything from you and Mom. The others will follow your example.”

“I don’t know if I can do that darling. It do
esn’t seem right to me. I’m not convinced you’re not doing this to protect me. “

Ardy cursed her penchant
for self-sacrifice. “Before you form an opinion, can you at least see us interact?” Being at odds with her family didn’t sit well with her. Uprooting and moving away from them had been bad enough.
I can’t believe my mom sent him down here like some sort of bounty hunter, hell bent on bringing me back.
“Da. You drove all the way here, what’s a few days spent with us?”

“
Us
.” He scowled.

The
sound of a lock turning drew Ardy’s attention to the door. “Just let me get him caught up.” She dashed out the kitchen before her father could protest.

“Daddy!” Rocket and Harley jumped off the couch, beating her to their father. Dangling off each leg
, they looked up and grinned.

“You missed me
, huh?” Demon said.

“We need to talk,
” Ardy whispered.

His face fell. “I
don’t like the sound of that. Guys, can you go back to the couch please? Daddy needs to talk to Ardy.”

“Aww
h,” Rocket grumbled.

“I’ll be with you in a few minutes, little man.”

“Alright.” He huffed and released his hold, tuning on his heel and all but stomping back to the couch.

“You too
, little lady.”

“Awwh,” Harley muttered,
mimicking her older brother as she stuck out her bottom lip and trudged to the couch.

“My
Da is here,” Ardy whispered.

“What?”

“He t
hinks we’re fake. That you’re still holding the debt over me, or you’ve brainwashed me. Maybe a combo of both.” Ardy shook her head and sighed.

“Did you set him straight?”

“I tried. I asked him to stay a few days with us.”

“Ardy, hell no. I don’t want someone in our space who
doesn’t like me.”

“Please, I don’t want to completely lose my family and be at odds.”

He sighed. “The shit I do for you woman.”

She stood on her tip
toes and kissed his lips. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, I’m going to take my payment out on that ass.” He patted her rear end
.

She giggled.
“Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes okay?”

“Alright, I’ll stay in here with the kids.”

“Thank you.”

Demon glared at the
cock-blocking bastard who’d turned his life upside down. Seeing Ardy with her father had been a revelation. She doted on the old man, trying to make him as comfortable as possible, while maintaining her standards of care for Demon and his family. It pissed him off. He’d been here for two days and he’d long worn out his welcome. “I think it’s time we talk,” Demon said pushing his chair away from the table after breakfast.

Ardy glanc
ed up.

“I think you’re right,” Paddy
agreed.

“Let’s take it to the back porch.” Demon nodded his head at the backdoor.

“I’m right behind you,” Paddy said.

They stepped out
into the early morning sunshine and Demon leaned against the railing while crossing his arms. “Look, I know I’m not the man you’d want for your daughter. I can understand that. But the fact of the matter is, she’s here because she wants to be. I love the fuck out of her. I won’t let anything happen to her and I’ll always provide. But she’s not going anywhere, unless it’s for a brief visit.”

“Mighty possessive, aren’t you?”
Paddy’s brow furrowed.

“
Have you seen your daughter? I was shocked she wasn’t already taken.”

“She’s not an object!
” Paddy snapped.

“
No, but she’s mine all the same and I intend on having her stay that way. I promised her I’d try to be nice. I get you wanting to make sure your daughter is okay. But the imbalance in your relationship pisses me off. She’s not supposed to take care of you. You took her for granted for far too long and now you want your worker back. Not going to happen.” Demon shook his head.

“You know nothing about me.”
Paddy’s face turned bright red.

“
I know you cash checks your ass can’t cover and your daughter could’ve paid a hefty price had the President been someone else.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“I don’t’ know. You seem pretty ambivalent to me.”

“You don’t get to come in and judge me.”

“Aren’t you doing the same thing?” Demon laughed.

“No, I’m trying to protect my daughter from getting her heart trampled.”

“Listen up old man, ‘cause I’m only going to say it this once. The shit between me and her is the forever kind. You try to step in between it and I will shut you down. I don’t give fuck who you are.”

Understanding flickered in green eyes identical to Ardy’s. “You really do love her don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Paddy
shook his head and laughed. “Her mother’s going to have a shit fit over this. Don’t know that I can manage my blessing, but you have my acknowledgement.”

“Better take on respect
too. You talk out of turn to her or me and we’re going to have a problem.”

“No, I’m done
meddling. I get it. Don’t like it much. You get my daughter hurt or killed and I’m going to come for you. It’s not a threat it’s a promise. As a father, you should be able to understand that.”

“Fair enough.”

“Good. Now, let me go say goodbye to my little girl.”

Demon watched him leave and shook his head.
This domestic shit is complex. She’d better never question if I love her after this shit.
He hadn’t done the family thing since his old man died. Being a father was different. You didn’t interact with your own children the same way you did with an elder in the family. After giving them a few more minutes alone, he walked toward the house.
Plus side, the kids earned a set of grandparents.
Watching his kids wrap the old man around their fingers had been hilarious.