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“Dad,” she said.
“Reaper and Preacher are looking for you. You shouldn’t go out on your own. You know it’s not fucking safe.”
“Language,” Anne said. “You’re in a library where children come and there’s a little girl right there.”
Bear sneered. “It’s the spawn of fucking Satan, is what it is, and this is none of your business.”
“My business or not, get out of my library, or I swear, I will call Billy and I don’t care what kind of friendship you have. I will have you locked up so fast you won’t know what to do with yourself. You have no right to come in here and spewing your hatred. She’s a little girl and doesn’t deserve your spite. You call yourself a man? You’re worthless.” Anne stepped up to him. “Now, get out.”
Bear glared at the woman and Robin saw a little admiration in his gaze.
“Do you want me to give you a countdown? Your cut doesn’t scare me.”
“I’ll be outside, Robin. Don’t make the wrong decision here. It will end badly for you.”
She watched her father go and felt even more deflated. “Great,” she said.
Getting to her feet, she picked Bethany up, who started to fuss because she didn’t want to leave.
“So, that’s your father.”
“Yep. It’s him. I better be going.”
“Robin, I’m always here if you need me. All you’ve got to do is ask for help.”
“I don’t need help right now, Anne. I need a miracle. I’m hoping to still come to work, but knowing my luck, I’ll probably be banned from coming or something.” She shrugged.
“Just so you know, I think you have the answer to your problem, you’re just afraid of making the wrong choice. This isn’t about how those men think or feel. You’ve got to think about what it is you want. Otherwise, you’re going to spend the rest of your life making the best of it. Just remember, one of them had you smiling, the other, you were making the best of a bad decision.”
She placed her daughter into the stroller, secured her in place, and moved away, saying thank you to Anne. Once she left the library, she found her dad smoking a cigarette outside.
“She’s a lively woman,” he said.
“I know. That’s Anne for you.”
“She’s married.”
“I guess you haven’t heard the gossip then.”
“What gossip?”
“Her husband sleeps around. She knows about it and puts up with it because of the kids.” She shrugged. “She deserves better but she will do whatever she has to for her children.”
“I know.”
“How would you know? You slept around on Mom.”
“I know, but she deserved it. She was fucking everything in sight. We were both as bad as each other.”
“You really hate me, don’t you?” she asked. Again, she felt close to tears and it was all becoming a little too much for her.
Bear stared at her. “No, I don’t hate you.”
“You think I’m a whore.”
“Again, I didn’t mean to … I … I’m angry, okay? You don’t know what it’s been like to be with Preacher while he was hunting for you, and to find this.” He pointed at her and then Bethany.
She nodded her head, pressing her lips together. “Of course. I mean, it wouldn’t be like I’d have a choice, would it?”
