Page 127 of Morally Gray Daddies

Dirty Little Secrets

By Rayanna Jamison

Prologue

Damon

The sound of the prison doors closing behind me took my breath away as much today as it had the first time, six years ago. The difference was today I was on the right side.

Last time when I’d inhaled, I’d sucked in air that reeked of desperation, fear, dashed dreams and urine. Today, I gulped in the deep, clean, mountainous, salty air of my hometown. Today, I sucked in freedom.

I walked through the dusty gravel to the front gate and nodded at the guard there.

“Stay out of trouble,” the man said as he opened the chain link gate that was the last obstacle between me and the rest of my life.

He smirked when he said it, like he was sure I wouldn’t, and he’d be seeing me again soon.

He was right. On one account anyway. I wouldn’t be staying out of trouble. The difference was, this time, I didn’t intend to get caught.

Chapter One

Damon

Two greasy cheeseburgers, a bottle of whiskey, three hot showers, and fifteen hours of uninterrupted sleep later, I was ready.

Throwing on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie I’d picked up at the local goodwill, I threw the rest of my scant belongings into a worn, nearly paper-thin duffel I’d also gotten there, left the keycard for my dingy hotel room on the dresser, and locked the door behind me. I didn’t plan to come back.

I’d waited until nightfall, but I still pulled the hood of my hoodie up to block my face as I walked along the side of the highway. Three Rivers was still a small town, and I didn’t want anyone to recognize me. I didn’t need word getting out that I was back. I could just imagine how that would go over.

Mothers, hide your daughters. The town bad boy is back to terrorize the streets of Three Rivers once more.

That’s what they’d say. That’s what they’d always said.

I’d never been that bad, though. Not actually. And there was only one girl I cared about, and she didn’t have a mother.

My chest went tight as I crossed the main highway intersection and turned onto First Street, finally able to breathe. I could take backroads the rest of the way to her house.

Her.

Sabrina Jane Crosby.

If I was the town bad boy, she was the angel to my devil. The girl everyone wanted. Head cheerleader. Straight-A student. Choir lead with the voice of an angel. Star in every school production from 4th grade on. She’d had everything, except of course for loving parents. A father that didn’t get drunk and knock her around, all while treating her like his own personal meal ticket.

As far as I’d been concerned, though, she hadn’t needed loving parents. She’d had me. She didn’t need a father. I’d been her Daddy. I would have done anything for her.

Correction: I had done anything for her.

And I’d gone to jail for it. I’d known that was the risk. But I’d been young and stupid enough to think she’d be writing me letters, coming to visit, and waiting for me when I got out. Forever and always no matter what, we’d vowed.

And I’d believed it. Part of it had been my inner hopeless romantic, but the other part was her swearing she would always be mine.

Ha. She lied. She hadn’t even shown up at the courthouse for sentencing. I hadn’t seen her in over six years.

But I would tonight. Tonight, Sabrina would pay for what she’d done. She’d answer for how she abandoned me, kicking me when I was down.

Tonight, Daddy was coming home.

Sabrina

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