AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That could work, Raeg agreed silently, glaring into the swamp.
“It’s not the first time some dumbass thought they could get the jump on us,” Bowe spoke up. “It’s just the first time they got so close to actually succeeding.”
Because Summer had been alone, Raeg thought wearily.
“She was distracted,” her father said, drawing Raeg’s attention to the images reflected in the window. Cal raked his fingers through his hair on a heavy sigh. “My fault. I should have just let things go.”
He should just let the old bastard take the blame for it, Raeg thought. It would get Cal off his back and keep it that way. If Summer’s father took the blame for her distraction and loss of attention to her safety, then it would ensure the older man never demanded Raeg’s respect again. Summer’s father would know for a fact he didn’t deserve it.
And it would be a lie.
As much as Raeg wanted to find a way to maintain his emotional distance, he couldn’t do it at the expense of Summer’s life or possibly her father’s, because he was plagued by guilt. And losing her father would destroy Summer.
“This wasn’t your fault, it was mine.” Keeping his back to the room, his arms crossed firmly over his chest, Raeg glared at the images of the men beh
ind him.
Complete silence descended behind him. A patient, waiting kind of silence.
“How is any of this your fault, son?” Cal finally asked heavily.
Son. Hell, even his own father had never addressed him like that.
“My mother and I were at the Hampsteads the night Davis Allen and Margot flew here and took Summer.” He waited.
He was certain Summer’s father would have an excuse. When nothing came, he turned back to stare at the other man.
Cal just stared back, his eyes damp, his expression creased with grief.
Why didn’t my daddy help me? He’d heard Summer ask Margot that question the next day, and it still haunted him. So why wasn’t he using it to drive the nail deeper into that man’s soul?
Summer’s father finally nodded. “I understand then,” he said hoarsely. “You have every right to hate me.”
The son of a bitch. Where the hell were his excuses? His desperation to make Raeg accept that somehow it wasn’t his fault?
“It’s not my place to hate you,” Raeg finally sighed wearily. “Summer said the two of you had already settled it, and her understanding is all that’s required. Summer was distracted and alone because of my insistent anger toward you. This one was my fault.”
“Yes it was.” Aunjenue stepped into the kitchen, her expression, her voice so like Summer’s that they could be twins. “Daddy, Summer needs you upstairs.” She turned to her father with a little wink. “Ya know how she gets when she thinks she’s been weak. Daddy has to tell her what a brave little girl she’s been. It’s so pathetic.”
Pride flashed across Cal’s face.
“Like he does when you break a nail?” Bowe snorted, laughter filling his expression.
“Boy,” his father growled sternly. “I warned you. Stop now while you’re ahead.”
Aunjenue threw her brother a gloating look before turning back to her father. “Go tell her how brave she was, Daddy. I need to get home. Momma’s gonna be running me ninety miles a minute to have dinner ready as it is.” She propped her hand on her denim-clad hip with a sigh. “So try to hurry.”
Her father nodded quickly, pausing only long enough to lay a kiss on his youngest daughter’s forehead before heading upstairs.
When he was out of earshot, she turned back to Raeg.
“Daddy might not shoot you, and my brothers might be too damned amused to stop your stupidity, but if you ever disrespect my daddy again, I will. And Momma will skin you out for it. So put a sock in it, mister, or take your ass back to where you came from. Your choice.”
Turning on her heel, she followed after her daddy, that nose lifted, anger shimmering on the air around her.
The brothers in question looked at each other before they chuckled, a sound they kept quiet enough that she wouldn’t hear, Raeg noticed.
“Welcome to the family,” Caleb snorted. “Momma only threatens to skin us daily. And according to Auna, her gun stays loaded to shoot one of us.” He indicated himself as well as his brothers. “Now, let’s see if we can figure out how to draw Dragovich out into the open to keep him and his men from striking out at her again. ‘Cause I’m tellin’ you, he sure is about to piss me off…”
