Page 170 of Embracing the Change

Dru needed to see to her dad.

And I needed to let her see to her dad.

Last, Jamie wanted more time with his sister, and what I had to say could wait so he could have what he wanted.

Therefore, I was walking arm and arm with Judge when we entered the hotel, Rix on my other side, when Rix muttered, “Well, fuck and shit.”

I looked to him to see his gaze aimed across the lobby and his expression was stricken.

But before I could turn that way, Judge said urgently, “Dad.”

My attention shot to where Judge was looking, and my stomach dropped to my feet.

Because…

Damn.

Reid was not wrong.

Jamie looked very like the tall, straight, broad-shouldered, handsome man who had just a hint of silver threading his dark hair, even if I knew he was in his 70s.

Jamie stopped dead, and Judge, Rix and I all hurried to his side.

There, we all stared at Morgan Rawlins.

But Morgan Rawlins only stared at Jamie.

A jolt scorched through my body when I heard, “See I don’t have to make the introductions. Thought this would be fun. And hot damn, I was right.”

We were so focused on Rawlins, we didn’t see AJ hovering behind him until he stepped out of the taller man’s shadow.

Judge moved, so Rix moved, and he did this to prevent Judge from doing what Judge was intent on doing.

Laying hands on his not-grandfather.

“Judge, please don’t,” Dru begged, hanging tight to her father.

“I got some kick left in me, boy, so let him loose,” AJ said to Rix.

Truly?

God, this pathetic, little man was also delusional.

“Not worth it, Judge,” Jamie said by way of a command.

Judge stopped pushing against Rix’s hold but fixated on his not-grandfather.

I got close to Jamie’s other side just as AJ turned his attention to him.

“Told you, boy, all your life.” AJ’s gaze shifted to me, he sneered, and then he concluded, “Women are nothin’ but whores.”

I heard Rix and Judge scuffling again, but I had to pay attention to catching hold of Jamie’s forearm in both of my hands so he wouldn’t act on that slur against his mother, which AJ had also used to slur me.

But Jamie didn’t move, nor did he speak.

He just regarded his not-father.

“Got nuthin’ to say about that saint you thought was your mama steppin’ out on her man?” AJ jeered.

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