Page 10 of Tech

I nod and state, "I'm not mad about that; I was ready to poke the guy's eyes out, but what I am mad about is you getting in the way of my dating life, and teaching my siblings violence."

Daddy scoffs, "Firstly, I'm not teaching them violence; I'm teaching them how to defend themselves and their big sister, and secondly, what dating life? You've had one boyfriend, who liked it in the ass."

I choke on a laugh, my determination to stay angry completely disappearing on my father's words, while Momma glares at him, but he shrugs.

"Don't know what you expect me to say. Your taste in men is shitty. I don't want a tool for a son-in-law, my daughter deserves the best, and dammit, you're going to get it. I already know a few men who want to date you."

My eyes widen as Momma snorts but coughs to cover it up.

I put my hands up and back away a little. "Daddy, this, uh…I mean. You can't be seriously trying to set me up? I thought fathers were supposed to be against that kind of thing."

He nods. "Yeah, we are, but Jasmine would haunt my ass if I allowed you to settle down with a mooch, while your momma here would kick my ass if I got in the way of you finding your forever love."

Not this crap again….

I sigh. "Daddy…."

He cuts in, "I know you don't believe in forever love or depending on someone. I know you've struggled with the idea of love, especially after I lost your birth momma, then found your momma and fell deeper. I won't let you give up on it. I'm sorry, Petal, I just won't."

Momma shakes her head and gives me a sympathetic smile, knowing he's made his mind up.

I sigh. "Dad, I still have two years of vet school left; I need to concentrate."

He nods, his eyes watching Josy and Ollie as he states, "And you will, I promise, but you're also going to date and get out into the world with man that you will not choose, because, Petal, you suck with them, end of the story."

I groan, dropping my forehead against his bicep, making him chuckle and wrap an arm around my shoulders.

Momma shakes her head at Daddy; we both know Daddy won't give up, but I don't see myself falling for someone like Daddy did with my birth momma, and then even deeper with Momma.

I don't understand how someone can depend on someone else, to give them your heart; it doesn't seem appealing.

Hopefully, Daddy will give up on this dream of his, and I can just focus on my animals. They and my family are all I need in life.

I smile as Shadow runs over to me, and I kneel, taking the very big German shepherd fluff ball in my arms, her pups following behind her.

Blue, Ivy, and Duster are all five years old, the spitting image of their momma, with dark gray coats and blue eyes—except for Duster, who has one brown eye. I giggle as they all jump on me, and the biggest grin stretches across my face as Shadow licks me.

Yeah, I don't need a man when I have these babies.

Famous last words.

3

Tech – Thirty Years Old

I furrow my brows, reviewing Devil's Temptations, the club's strip club, books, and noticing something not right, yet again.

Shaking my head, I grab my phone and call Breaker, our Sergeant-at-Arms and manager of the club. He answers after the fourth ring.

"Hey brother, is this important?" he asks.

I snort and ask, "What did Noah do this time?"

He chuckles with a hint of stress. "Spilled hot coffee all over some woman in the coffee shop. I, fuck, I don't know what to do, brother, he's getting worse, and I can't condone this behavior."

Shit. Noah, Breaker’s son, who is five, was conceived by a clubwhore who was trying to trap Breaker, wanting his cut. Noah cannot stand any woman being near his dad. Breaker wants an old lady and a wife, but every time Breaker meets a woman, Noah has done something so far to stop them from getting together.

Fuck, he's even nearly stabbed a woman's eye out with a knife in the diner, when she got in his personal space, hoping to impress Breaker.

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