Page 162 of Split You Open

“You? Emotional?” I roll my eyes.

Dad sighs. “I know I’ve always been shit at showing it but I do love you, Blair. I always have. Even when I was trying to kill you—it was out of love. I would rather you die by my hands—someone who loved you—than have someone else who wouldn’t have any qualms about how long they dragged out your torment and death.”

What does it say about me that I understand his thought process? It’s so on brand for him that of course he’d rather kill me than let me suffer.

Anyone else probably would’ve suggested I just stay out of the job altogether but not Dad. That’s not how he rolled. There was no leaving me behind when he took jobs. I either came with or he wouldn’t take it. We didn’t separate, ever. At first it was so that he could keep an eye on my hiding spot. But as I got older and my skills developed—I became his accomplice.

Just because I understand, however, doesn’t mean I agree with it. Closing my eyes, I suck in a deep breath of fresh mountain air to settle myself.

“Where does Ledger factor into all of this?” I ask him.

Dad doesn’t answer right away.

I wonder if this is it, where his social battery dies out and he leaves me wondering for days, weeks, or for the rest of my life. You never know when Dad will speak or what he will—or won’t—discuss.

“You know I always call him in for back up on harder jobs,” Dad replies after a pregnant pause. “I always seemed to wait to try to kill you until I was sure Ledger was nearby. It was like I needed him to be the one to make the call. If he’d stood back and simply let me do it, you wouldn’t be here. But each time he just…” Out of the corner of my eye I can see Dad shake his head slowly. “Ledger could talk me out of doing it every time and I was—and still am—grateful for that, even when it seemed like I wasn’t.”

I suck in a shaky breath.

Ledger was my childhood hero—I always believed that. I just didn’t know exactly how true that title was until now. Before he saw me as a woman, he saw me as his to protect and that… That means the world to me. My heart swells painfully large in my chest.

This only makes me love him even more.

“Which is why…” Dad hedges. “His betrayal burns so terribly. We need to leave, Blair. We’ll handle this threat together, as we have always done, and start anew somewhere else.”

Why am I not surprised that this is where the conversation is headed?

Father-daughter time is officially over. The time to strategize our next move has commenced.

Pressing my lips together in disapproval, I push off the railing and turn to face him. “I’ve dealt with the betrayal. Ledger and I are on the same page now. He’s got a lot to atone for but⁠—”

“I was wrong to trust him,” Dad snaps, cutting me off. “You can’t believe a thing out of his mouth. Not now. Somewhere along the way, he’s switched up his allegiance. I don’t know who he’s working for, but they must be good because I can’t find anything to suggest that any foreign agency has made contact with him.”

“He’s not working for anyone,” I object. “He just wanted me. This was all about me. He went about it in the worst way possible but he’s willing to see this through until the threat is taken care of.”

Dad’s eyes narrow on me. “Blair, you can’t trust him anymore.”

“Why not? Because he put a hit on me? What’s one attempted murder compared to the five my own father attempted?”

“Don’t be petty, I said I was sorry, Blair Bear.”

I raise a brow. “Did you?”

Dad opens his mouth but chokes on his words. As he sits with that, the back door opens. Dad stiffens and I turn to see who’s joined us. Wes smiles as he comes out, walking toward us. In his hand are two steaming mugs.

“Good morning,” he greets us as he strolls over.

I take the mug he offers me with a grateful smile. “Thanks.”

“Of course, baby girl.” He glances over my head at my dad. “I would’ve brought you one, but I didn’t think you’d take it from me.”

“He wouldn’t have, but the thought is appreciated,” I reply.

Dad steps closer to me. I can feel his presence right behind me. “My daughter doesn’t need you to bring her something to drink. She’s capable of making her own cup of coffee.”

Wes raises a brow. “I know she can. She knows she can. But I want to make her a drink and I want her to know she doesn’t have to do everything on her own. That’s what being a partner is all about.”

My face heats as my heart hums with joy.