Page 6 of Arran's Obsession

Moniqua pursed her lips. “He’s busy out in the city tonight, you know, boys doing business. If I call him, he’ll answer, but ask your little question of me first so I can see if it’s worth his time.”

Fucking hell. I forced calm, ignoring the implied message that Riordan was out doing gang work, because that was a lie. “Okay. It’s actually our dad I need to find. He hasn’t been home in a week.”

“So? Why does that matter? He does this all the time.”

I waited her out. She had a point—Dad was about as reliable as the weather for the majority of the year—but this time felt different. He usually announced his departures, and I’d get the occasional badly typed reply to my messages.

Moniqua hissed then slapped out at the woman doing her hair. “You burned my fucking ear. Be careful.” Her gaze came back to me. “I saw your dad a few days ago. He’s with Sydney.”

“Who’s that?” I’d never heard the name before.

“A stripper.” She smiled, clearly loving this.

I gritted my teeth more. “Do you have a number for Sydney?”

“What am I, dial-a-stripper?”

“Any idea where she works?”

Moniqua rolled her eyes. “There’s only one strip club in Deadwater, and she’s probably there tonight, but good luck getting in looking like that. What did you do to your leg anyway?”

She pressed a finger to the white bandage, and I cringed at the pain, backing away.

“Thanks for the help,” I grouched then let myself out.

Down the corridor, I escaped, my mind sprinting over what my father was up to. Since Mum died, and he’d been forced to take me and Rio in, he’d had a series of girlfriends, none lasting long, so this new woman wasn’t much of a surprise. But?—

A hand grabbed mine from behind.

A body slammed mine into the wall.

My breath left me in a rush, and I stared up at the empty voids of Don’s eyes. He was high on something. The smell of it tickled my nose. But dread beat back every other thought.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?” He lowered to run the tip of his nose up my jaw.

“Let me go,” I begged.

“Nah, don’t think I will. Sounds to me that you’re not safe at home with your dad gone.”

I trembled, my mouth drying.

“Are you scared? I’ll take care of you. No one will touch you if you’re my girl.” His hot breath crawled over my throat, his body pressing mine into the concrete brick wall. Then he grippedmy breast through the leather jacket. Hard. “If you were mine, I could find anyone you like.”

Struggling, I couldn’t move him an inch. I had no power over the creep. No way to get him off me.

“I’ll be in trouble with work if I don’t get back,” I managed.

A moment passed. Another.

Don reared back. “You’d take that shitty little job over me? What-the-fuck-ever, bitch.”

He pushed off me then spat at my feet and returned to the flat. Alone in the darkness, I sagged, my fear bright and real. But screw standing around waiting for him to change his mind. The city at night had any number of dangers, but I’d learned fast to navigate them. This was just another of those crappy realities, and at least I had a lead on finding my dad.

Lucky for me, outside, my scooter was where I left it, though my app listing my next job flashed red with a late penalty.

It was another hour before I could cruise down the river to the huge red-brick warehouse that held the epicentre of the city’s clubs.

Thudding bass rocked the industrial street made of old dockyard buildings. Throngs of people ambled along a wide, harbourside boulevard.

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