Page 25 of Sniper

Tats and Vi started as friends, then friends with benefits, and then suddenly, he realized he loved her and didn’t want to lose her, but he was scared, so he worked on himself while ensuring he was all she saw.

I smile, watching him place his nose on her head.

Suddenly, a figure stands beside me.

“He deserves all the happiness in the world,” my dad says.

I nod and look at him, expecting his eyes to be on the happy couple, but instead, they are on me, and his blue eyes show concern.

I smile. "He does, and he’s got it in Violet. Are you alright, Dad? You look worried.”

My dad nods and replies, ignoring my question, “And what about you, son? Have you got happiness?”

I chuckle, not at all surprised. “Nothing gets past you, huh, Dad?”

He grins. “Of course not, son; I wasn’t president for no reason.” He looks toward where my momma is chatting away with my sister-in-law, Sarah, before looking back at me. “You are barely at the club; you haven’t touched a clubwhore, who all by the way, have bitched and moaned that you’re not coming around to them. You're never home, which your mother has noticed, especially when you love lighting the logs in the fireplace in the evenings when you’re quieting down. She hasn’t seen smoke from that chimney in a while….”

I grin as a picture of me sitting on my dark brown corner couch comes to mind, Autumn asleep in bed upstairs, and my girl laying against me as the fire burns in the fireplace of my log home.

“See,” my dad snaps, and we lock eyes as he points at me. “Right there. You’re smiling, no, no, you’re fucking grinning….” He leans back a little, and his eyes widen. “Holy fucking shit, my son, the son who swore he’d never settle down, never wanted a family, preferred the single life, is fucking in love….”

I wince when I hear his words, knowing that was me…before Aurora. But after meeting Aurora, becoming a father figure to Autumn, and purposely integrating myself into their lives…I haven’t even missed my old life.

I’ve cooked meals for them, watched Autumn in the evenings when Rory’s working because she refuses my help. My girl is headstrong and independent, but I’ve fallen in love with her hard, even though she’s not letting me all the way in.

She’s yet to tell me anything about her past. I bring it up, she changes the subject, and if I even ask about Autumn’s biological father, she shoots me down instantly.

Her only words are “not involved.”

She won’t explain why she’s on her own or even where her family is, only that her momma is dead, that’s it.

I have the urge to speak to Tech, knowing he could find anything within minutes, but I’ve already lied to her about who I am, and who I’m involved with; I can’t break her trust any more than I already have.

I can’t lose her or Autumn.

“Who is she?” my dad asks, bringing me out of my head, and I sigh.

“Dad…” I start, but he cuts me off.

“I get it. You don’t want anyone to know, and I’ll respect that, but the least you could do is tell me who she is.”

I smirk at him. “Even though I don’t want Momma knowing just yet?”

He freezes momentarily, his eyes going her way before returning to me. I can physically see the wheels turning, which makes me chuckle.

“Ye-yeah,” he squeaks, making me laugh before he clears his throat. “Yes, I want to know.”

“You’re brave, Dad. You know she’s close with the Untamed women and loves a good prank.”

He winces at my words. The Untamed women started doing pranks after Slicer, their treasurer’s little girl Lilah, moved to the club.

The little girl loves to prank people, and the women follow her lead, though their pranks are crazier than Lilah’s. The old ladies are vicious. Where Lilah’ll put pink hair dye in your shampoo bottle, they fucking sent dildos to all the clubs the Untamed affiliated with, as well as male strippers, with the help of our women.

It was wild.

My phone pings, and I quickly get it out and smile.

My Firecracker: She loves the daycare you found, and they are so cheap. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’re doing, but my car’s not starting again. We’re halfway home near the café where we met. Any chance you could come? Xx

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