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Unlike Tai and his friends, who were right this minute, putting themselves in danger to help her.
Tenaya managed to keep up her end of the inane small talk, but gratitude welled within her again for Tai and the others. Her father, included. However dangerous their current gambit, at least they weren’t living in blissful ignorance like Jarrod. Like she had been for so long herself.
Jarrod chuckled, adjusting the band on his designer watch. “Well, I won’t keep you. I know you’ll want to hurry home to that new husband of yours.”
His knowing smirk ignited Tenaya’s simmering emotions. “You have no idea what my life is really like,” she snapped.
Jarrod blinked, smile fading. Before he could respond, a brisk knock sounded on her open door.
Graham strode in wearing an expensive suit and flashing a charming grin. “Sorry I’m late. Have you been waiting long?”
It took Tenaya’s sluggish brain a beat to realize he was playing a prospective client for Jarrod’s benefit.
“Oh, not at all.” She quickly composed herself, gesturing between the two men. “Jarrod, meet Mr. Brown, my two o’clock appointment.”
“Of course. Nice to meet you.” Jarrod pumped Graham’s hand enthusiastically, clearly relieved by the interruption. “I’ll let you two talk business.”
He beat a hasty retreat from her office. Alone with her father, Tenaya sagged into her chair. “Thank you for the rescue.”
“Anytime.” Graham’s smile faded to concern. “I know the waiting is hard.”
She raked both hands through her hair. “It’s more than that. I just had a harsh wakeup call about the person I’ve become.”
To her surprise, Graham dragged a chair over to sit facing her. “I think you’re being too hard on yourself. From what I can see, you’ve built an amazing life.”
Tenaya looked away, unable to meet his kind eyes. “You don’t know the choices I’ve made, the selfishness...”She took a shaky breath. “Like how I shut you out all these years. I was so angry, I never stopped to consider you might have had reasons for leaving.”
Graham leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “I did what I thought was best to protect you and your mother. But clearly it was the wrong choice. Or maybe I could have made it play out a different way.”
He scrubbed a hand over his beard, looking older than his years. “After that kidnapping attempt when you were a baby, the dangers of my career became way too real. I always knew I could die, but to lose you…or your mother…” He paused, swallowing hard. “I convinced myself disappearing completely was the only way to shield you both.”
Tenaya’s throat tightened painfully. She’d imagined a hundred self-serving reasons over the years. Girlfriends. Jet-setting missions. Never this.
His blue eyes were bleak. “Walking away wrecked me. But in my mind, staying would have put you at greater risk. I thought I was securing your safety.” He sighed heavily. “Obviously I was wrong. And I’ve regretted it every day since. It doesn’t mean I didn’t want to be involved, though. I’ve always kept tabs on you, Baby Girl.”
Tenaya pressed both hands over her mouth, emotion threatening to choke her. All this time, she’d clung to her bitterness and anger. Yet here her father sat, still trying to protect her after all these years apart.
Seeing the depth of his pain and regret cracked open her heart. She reached for his hand, blinking back tears. “I think I understand now.”
His weathered face creased in a tremulous smile. He squeezed her fingers gently. “It’s more than I deserve.”
Tenaya could only nod, too overcome to speak. But for the first time, a fragile bridge stretched across the gulf between them.
30
“The bet is to you, sir.” The dealer, a lean man with prison tattoos snaking up his neck, shuffled the cards with practiced ease as he eyed the player to Tai’s left, a pale, twenty-something with a sad little goatee.
The laminated cards made a soft sound as they riffled together. Across the green felt table, the weekend warriors eyed Tai warily, no doubt regretting joining this high-stakes poker game. The kid to Tai’s left fiddled with his chips, while on his right, a blonde woman in a skimpy dress toyed with her cocktail, clearly in over her head. These amateurs had no idea who they were up against, though the growing towers of chips at his elbow ought to be a big clue.
The dealer flipped the cards out with crisp snaps of his wrists, the plastic cards making faint clicks as they landed precisely before each player.
Tai upped the bravado, quipping lightly to the man on his left, “Gotta pay for that new Ferrari’s insurance premium somehow.”
The nervous man blinked at him. “You drive a Ferrari?”
“Bright red,” Tai boasted as he tossed chips into the pot. “You wouldn’t believe what they charge to insure one of those babies.”
The blonde woman perked up, eyeing Tai with new interest. “You’re doing well if you can afford one of those.”
