Page 21 of The Secrets Behind Us

"Dexter, what about your ribs?"

"I'm not going to fight anyone. I just need to talk with him," I say in frustration as I leave my apartment and head toward the warehouse.

I pull up ten minutes later and thankfully see my dad's car. There's another one that I don't recognize but I don’t think much of it, because I need answers. Now.

I hop out of my truck, slamming the door shut behind me. I stomp into the warehouse yelling, “Dad.”

He doesn’t answer. Looking around the main fight room I don’t find anyone, so I march straight for his office. I fling open the door, and it hits the wall. “Did you do it?”

My dad turns to look at me with a furious look on his face. “Dexter,” he growls.

I ignore his warning and push forward. “Are you the one who has been sending Hazel threatening texts?”

As I ask, his eyes dart toward the other two people in the room. I look at who is sitting in the chairs across from his desk. I find a woman with long brunette hair and next to her is a man with dark blonde hair. They are both staring at me, taking everything in. “Dexter, this is Zeev and Blanche. They are the leaders of The Wolves.”

He emphasizes the last part, most likely trying to get me to back down, but I don’t care. I look back at him, my fists clenched at my sides. “I don’t give a shit who is here. I need to know if you are the one who sent Hazel threatening texts?”

My dad stands up from his chair and I take him in, really take him in. Life has not been kind to him and it shows. When he was younger, he was a good-looking man. He's tall but where I've built my body into a weapon, he has let himself go over the years. His belly spills out over his pants, the skin on his face looks like it could be leather and it looks as if his hair has fallen out in some places.

“It doesn’t matter if I sent her threatening text or not. She is a fucking distraction. I’ve told you since you became friends with her that she’s not worth your time.” His outburst would shock others, but I'm used to it.

“Let me show you a fucking distraction.” I launch toward him, grabbing the back of his head and then smacking it against the desk.

“Aah…motherfucker." He straightens and his hand goes to his nose with blood running down his face.

“Now, tell me father, did you send messages to Hazel?” I say the words in a low grit against his ear.

Gripping his nose, he tries to staunch the bleeding. “Yes, I did.”

I release him, pushing him back. “We are done. Don't ever contact me again.”

“What about the fights?” He has the audacity to ask me.

“There are no fights. Did you not understand me? I said I’m done,” I demand in a dangerous tone. I don't care what he says, I'll never do anything again for this man. I should've cut ties a long time ago.

I turn to walk out of his office. “You can’t leave. You owe The Wolves.” His words catch me at the threshold of the door.

That’s when I see movement from the corner of my eye and I look over. The couple who my dad introduced me to are standing and both of them have an unreadable look.

“You were fighting for The Wolves?” The man who I think is named Zeev speaks first.

“Yes. My dad here said I had to fight for them to help pay his debts. If I didn’t, you would kill our whole family.”

Zeev looks over at my dad with a raised eyebrow. “You told him I would kill your whole family? And don't lie to me."

My dad's face pales and he drop his eyes to the ground. “Yes.”

Zeev steps forward and my father steps back, and in a dangerously low voice, he asks, “Why?”

My dad's voice trembles when he answers. “I needed to get Dexter to fight for us. He’s a great fighter. He makes The Wolves a ton of money.”

“Well, Juan, now all you’ve done is piss me off. I don’t force people who don’t owe me. Your family doesn’t owe me. You are the one who owes me." To punctuate his point, he stabs his finger in my dad's chest. "You are the one who works for The Wolves. Not him. As he said, he is done.”

“B…But sir.”

“No.” He cuts my dad off.

Zeev’s wife stands up, getting all of our attention. “Juan, I’m disappointed in you. Don’t disappoint me again,” she says in an icy tone.

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