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Dad staggered sideways. Mom screamed. Fluffy groaned. Groot yapped. A happy yap. At least one of us was having a great time.
“Lucas!” I cried, stunned.
Lucas glared at my father. “Don’t ever talk to my fiancée that way again, Mr. Underwood.”
“Fiancée?” Mom gasped.
Dad gaped at me. “We go away for a cruise and you…what? Throw away your life? On Lucas Pratt? What? Has he gotten you pregnant?”
“And what?” Lucas balled his fists. “Ronnie would only marry me because I got her pregnant?”
“I can’t fathom any other reason,” Dad snarled. “She’s smart and has a future, and you’re—”
“Sleeping naked with her every night,” Lucas shot back.
Oh boy.
“That does it!” Dad lunged at Lucas.
I threw myself at Dad.
Groot yapped louder, prancing at my feet.
“Ronnie!” Mom cried.
With more strength than I thought I had, I shoved Dad away. He stumbled back a step, stare jerking back and forth between Lucas and me, and then he lunged at Lucas again.
“Stop it, Dad!” I screamed. I mean, I really screamed.
Lucas sidestepped him. Just that. A single step to the side. Dad half fell, half charged past him.
“William!” Mom snapped.
He lurched to a wobbly stop and turned to face us. Me, Fluffy, Lucas.
“First of all,” I said, calmer than I felt, “welcome back. I don’t know how you found us here, but welcome to our home.”
“Your home?” He sneered, shaking his head. “No daughter of mine is going to shack up with Lucas fucking Pratt. If you think we stopped our vacation halfway through to see you playing house with Pratt, you’re wrong. Look at this place! Paid for with drug money, I bet. Jesus.”
“Dad.” Cold anger licked through me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lucas. He watched Dad, calm and still, like a poised snake ready to strike. “Secondly, I love Lucas more than I could even begin to explain to you, so don’t ever call him ‘Lucas fucking Pratt’ again, unless you want me to deal with you.”
He blinked. Mom moaned. Where was she? Somewhere in the living room, but out of my line of sight. Near her, Fluffy also moaned, although his sounded more like a chuckle.
“Thirdly,” I went on, “fuck you for thinking the only reason I would marry someone is because I’m pregnant!”
His eyes flicked to my stomach.
More cold anger. And pain. Not physically, but deep in my heart. My soul. I loved my father, I really did. But he was being a prick at the moment. To me and to Lucas.
“Ronnie.” He took a step toward me, his voice frustrated. “Cupcake. It’s my job to protect you. From the people like Lucas f—from Lucas. I mean, look at what is going on here? We come in to find an unconscious woman on the floor, a shot man, and you talking about being engaged? Engaged? Less than a month ago you were gay! And now you’re…you’re…”
“Sleeping with Lucas?” I couldn’t help but smile. “Yes. Often. And nothing you can say will change that, Dad. You have no idea what Lucas has done, has gone through, in his life to keep mine amazing. You have no idea how much he’s protected me. Kept me safe. Nor for how long—so you don’t get to say anything bad about him. Ever again.”
Dad opened his mouth, but I shook my head and pointed my finger at him. “And lastly, that punch he just gave you? If he wanted you to be, you’d be knocked out. Cold. Not even close to conscious. Probably with a broken jaw. So thank him for not putting you on the ground.”
“Thank him?” Dad’s eyebrows shot up. “For not rendering me unconscious when he physically assaulted me? My God, Veronica! Look around you. Please? You’re surrounded by bodies and blood. Who is that woman? Why is there a dead dog on the floor? Who’s the muscle glaring at me, looking like he’s going to attempt to rip me apart? Who shot him? Just what the hell is going on?”
“It’s a long story, Dad. But first, we need to get Fluffy some help.”
