Page 61 of When Kings Fall

“I’ll take you at your word.”

“Yeah, Roman said you’re good at figuring people out… even over the phone like this. It’s their tone and conviction or lack of it, right?”

“And patterns in their speech and word choices.”

“Damn, that’s really something. When this shit is over and my baby girl is up for seeing me again, come along and teach me that shit, yeah?”

“It’s a deal, Mr. Walker.”

“Call me Curt. You’ve already earned it, empowering my baby girl again, doing this together to give her the peace she’s needed for way too long.”

“She empowered herself. I just reminded her of who she really was, that it wasn’t all pain to reconnect with it.”

“All pain… fuck… never should’ve gone down like that.”

“Dad,” I finally managed. “Can I let you go for now?”

I couldn’t keep the emotion from my voice for the life of me.

I could hear it in his too.

“Yeah, I get it.”

“I’ll call you again soon. Really soon, okay?”

“Means a lot. Can’t wait. Watch each other’s backs, all right?”

“Always,” Levi told him.

“We will,” I added.

I hung up then and put my phone down.

The second I did, Levi’s arms were around me, holding me to him. “It’s all right. That was a lot. You handled it really well.”

“We’d been estranged for two years.”

“I know. Now a barrier has been broken through, it’ll be different. Because you’re different. Actually, both of you by the sounds of it with him.”

A small chuckle escaped me. “Yeah, I can’t believe it.”

“I guess it just goes to show that even people who seem so cemented in their ways can find the strength and impetus to change for the better.”

“It would seem so.”

“What’s up in here?” Colt’s voice came from the bedroom door.

We eased apart just as he pounced on the bed, then settled himself on his side with his hand propping up his head. “Well? I’m sensing some big-time emotion.” He eyed Levi. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, fucker.”

Colt gave him a suspicious look. “You sure?”

“Yes. Fuck,” Levi exclaimed, offended.

I laughed at their teasing banter. “It’s all good, Colt. I spoke to my dad for the first time in ages.”

“Oh, wow. How was that?”

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