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“I just want to know where you’ve been,” Dad concedes with a sigh. He’s still trying to talk around Demyen, like I’m the weak link here. “I was worried. Martin’s beside himself with worry. He’s been tearing apart the whole city just to find you.”
My brow arches. “He didn’t look very hard.”
At first, I meant it as a reference to the fact that Oleg kept me within city limits the entire time, so any claims of “tearing apart” Vegas is a gross exaggeration.
But now, Dad’s glancing between me and Demyen and I realize he’s coming to a whole different conclusion. And it’s not the worst angle to take, either.
So I lean into Demyen and slip my arm around his waist with a contented sigh and smile. “I’m fine, Dad. I just needed sometime to process everything. You threw us for a loop at the cocktail party. And after Martin attacked me?—”
“He didnotattack you!”
“Were you there?” Demyen snarls. “Were you standing there, watching him, to make that determination,Detective?”
Dad’s mouth snaps shut. He’s not winning any ground and he knows it. He knows it and hehatesit.
Truth be told, I completely forgot all about my father the second Oleg bought me and spirited me away for his sick games. I’ve been so worried about protecting Willow from the monsters in my world that I forgot I have my own monsters to deal with—and my father is probably the biggest of them all.
Except instead of facing him head-on, bracing myself for a backhanded comment or literal backhand to the face…
Demyen’s standing guard, shielding me from him. Protecting me.
Just like he promised he would.
I am not used to this. But I definitely like it.
“You need to show me some respect, boy,” Dad snarls in Demyen’s face. “I don’t care what you think you’re doing withmy daughter.”
Demyen only meets him nose to nose and scoffs. “What are you going to do, old man? Smack me around? I invite you to try.” He steps into Dad’s space so close, so fearlessly, that Dad actually takes several steps back. “It won’t work on me and it won’t ever work on ‘your daughter’ ever again. Are we clear?”
Nurses are watching on full alert now, but no one has called for security since neither of the men have raised a finger against each other.
Though part of me kinda wants to see Demyen chuck him across the room.
How does it feel, Dad? Can’t take what you dish out?
The rest of me—the part that’s tired of all the violence—just wants some peace and quiet while we wait for Pavel’s surgery to end. I rest my head on Demyen’s chest and smile serenely at Dad. “Thanks for coming by, Dad. I’m great, really. I’m safe, I’m happy, and Willow’s loving her new home.”
Dad glances around. “Where is she, anyway?”
“With our friend,” I reply before Demyen can jump back in on the defense. It’s not that I don’t trust him to defend Willow with every fiber of his being. I just think things will be more effective if we approach this on a united front.
Judging by the look on Dad’s face, I’m right.
“You left Martin forhim?”
“I left Martin for all the same reasons you gave Mom to leave you.” Now, it’s my turn to take a bite out of his ego. “I just decided to do what she should have done ages ago. I’m ashamed I even let it go on for as long as I did. Now, unless you have official police business here, it’s time for you to leave.”
Even though I’m shaking, I’m not afraid. Not with the way Demyen’s tucking me into his embrace.
Not with the way every nurse and now a few quiet security guards are watching the exchange, waiting for some signal to jump in.
Not with the way Dad, for the first time in my entire life, actually looks a little afraid.
“You think you know what you’re doing?” He sniffs and nods once. “Fine. Have it your way. But don’t come crying to me when this all blows up in your face.”
Demyen’s brow lifts. “Is that a threat, Detective Everett?”
But Dad only waves his hand at us in disgust and shuffles onto the elevator. The doors shut between us and it feels like a literal severance of whatever twisted connection we used to have.
