Page 100 of Hard Corps (Selected Sinners MC 7)

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Late Summer 2015, Austin, Texas, USA

Unconditional love is something I had always believed was shared between parents and children; and at times, between two people who fell in love. I never expected it to exist between friends, or between a parent and a child who weren’t related.

“Your father needs ya. There ain’t a damned thing I can do to fix that, other than offer my love and understanding. You know, we take care of you when you’re little, and there comes a time when it’s your turn to return the favor,” he said.

I was completely shocked by his open-minded acceptance of what it was that I felt I needed to do. His insistence that Katie went with me was equally surprising, and although I was relieved, I realized my next step was to actually go through with it and leave.

“I’ll see how things go, and we’ll hope for the best,” I said. “I appreciate your understanding, Sir.”

He wrinkled his brow, narrowed his eyes and glared at me. “You appreciate my understanding? What the hell did you expect, Son? Resistance? Did you honestly think that I was going to stand between you taking my daughter – your future wife – with you to take care of your sick father? I might seem like a mean son-of-a-bitch, but I ain’t. Well, ‘less I have to be. Hell, Alec, I love you like you’re my own. Whenever you get the gumption to go ahead and get married, you’ll be just as much family as she is. Hell, to tell you the truth, you are right now. Appreciate my understanding? Shit, that’s almost funny.”

My throat constricted and my mouth went dry. I didn’t know how to respond. I shifted my eyes toward Katie and met her gaze. As we shared a silent moment, she grinned.

“Stand up,” her father said in a demanding tone.

I looked up and realized he had stood from his chair and was hovering over me. I stood, only to be immediately pulled into a hug. As he held me in his arms and patted my back with his hand, he gave me all of the reassurance I needed to understand what he was allowing us to do came from deep within his heart.

“I love you, Son,” he said.

As his words sank in, I realized I was an extremely fortunate man.

A month prior, as far as I was concerned, I had no parents.

And now, I had two loving fathers.