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“I don’t doubt anything you’re saying. But again, it’s been three decades of Nate being a liability—” Bella held her palm up like she expected an argument. “I’m just talking about his actions. I’m not maligning him as a male.”
Nalla exhaled slowly. “I don’t know what he did, but I’m not going to dispute facts.”
Bella smiled a little. “You have turned a corner.”
“I have. And so has Nate. And I really don’t want to have to choose between the male I love and the father who raised me, whose blood is in my veins.”
Bella’s look got serious. “I also hope that’s not what it comes down to.”
When there was a long silence, Nalla said, “But…”
Yeah, except where could she go with any arguments on that front? If her father wasn’t going to listen or even give Nate an opportunity to prove he was pulling his act together, there was no hope.
“I know myhellren, unfortunately.” Bella shook her head. “And you may not like the way he loves you, and he may not be perfect, but when it comes to his daughter, he’s not going to compromise, even if that means losing you.”
Tears blurred Nalla’s vision. “I don’t want that. I don’t want to choose.”
Hermahmenclosed her eyes like she was bracing herself for a cold wind. “I don’t want you to, either. And I’ll do whatever I can to support you and Nate—as long as that male really does gather his own reins and turn his attitude and actions around. He needs to prove himself to me, too, but at least I’m willing to give him a chance.”
“Thank you. I feel like it’s more than I deserve.”
Bella smiled. “You deserve every happiness in life, Nalla. I love you so much that I can’t put it into words. And I truly am glad you and Nate found each other.”
Yes, there was an asterisk in that statement, but Nalla had meant what she’d said. She wasn’t going to argue and she was done with the pushing. Besides, what was that saying? The proof was going to be in the pudding.
“You know what…” she murmured. “I think I’ve grown up a hundred years since I left the house the other night. And it was way overdue.”
Resolve2Evolve.
Not a bad tagline, after all.
Now, if she could just get her father to not want to kill the male she was in love with. Maybe they’d start and build from there—
Oh, fucking hell, who was she kidding. Her father had made up his mind.
And no matter what Nate did or didn’t do, it was going to take an act of Lassiter to change it.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Miles away, in the Brotherhood’s training center, Shuli made another trip to the break room. As he pushed open the door and eyed the array of vending machines, he didn’t go over to the chips and bullshit. He also looked past the hot fare buffet, which was shut down, and the bowls of fresh fruit, which he would rather die than eat—because fuck vitamin C and fiber—and instead focused on the male who was sitting in one of the armchairs under the muted TV.
L.W. was looking like the cushion under his ass was full of cut glass, his limbs at odd angles, his torso shifted to one side, his lips tight as a line drawing. He was wearing a pair of surgical scrubs bottoms, his tattooed chest on display, the bandage at his side suggesting that his interior had gotten the help it needed.
“Should you be out of bed?” Shuli headed over to one of the machines after all and decided a Snickers really would satisfy. “Weren’t you just on the operating table.”
As the candy bar thunked into the well, the future King said, “Why are you looking all Hugh Hefner up in here.”
“I have standards.”
“Yeah, and they’re fucked up.”
“Just because you choose needles and ink and I like silk doesn’t mean we can’t agree on something.”
“What’s that.”
Shuli nodded at the television and then walked across to sit in the chair next to the male. “Homer Simpson is comfort food for the brain.”
L.W. looked up at the TV, too. Then nodded.
