Page 33 of Fall

“Yes,” I repeat.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” he asks me, standing with his hands on his hips and glaring down at me.

My dad is a scary person, and he is as big as Harley, with his muscular arms and serious expression. All the kids at school used to be scared of him, except for Izzy, who knew he is just a big teddy bear . . . usually. Except at times like this.

“Darling, Tilly isn’t a child anymore, and yes, she should have told us, but does it matter? We have a granddaughter,” my mum says, her tone soothing. It always seems to be able to calm my dad down.

“I know she isn’t a child,” he says with a sigh, coming over to me. My dad picks me up into a large hug and then lets go.

“Right . . . if you get pregnant again, I want to know. Now, who the hell is the giant by the door?” he asks, pointing at Harley.

Harley walks over and offers his hand to shake. “Harley King.”

“Jerald Fox,” my dad says, shaking his hand.

When Harley lets go and takes my hand in his, I’m a little surprised by his touch, but I don’t comment on it.

“You the dad?” he asks.

“Yes. I met Tilly in France when Izzy told me her friend lived near,” he says, repeating the lie we came up with to tell my family. I can’t tell them the whole truth, and this is just easier.

“You cheated on poor Daniel?” my dad asks with a disappointed look.

“That’s private, Mr. Fox,” Harley says, and my dad turns his glare on him.

“Why don’t we say hello to our grandchild? You can go and have a look around,” Mum says, breaking the tension a little, but Dad doesn’t look happy. His gaze seems to soften when he sees my mum pick up my baby girl from her pram, and he rubs his face with his hands.

“Go on, then, I have a baby to meet,” he says, and I quickly walk away with Harley.

“Okay, I’ve been in a lot of fights and met people that are huge and fucking scary, but your dad is . . .” Harley whispers, making me laugh.

“Yeah, I know, imagine getting told off by him as a kid.” I laugh, and Harley gives me a gentle smile.

“I would have preferred that over my father.”

“I guess I understand that,” I respond as we walk around the bottom half of the house, seeing no one.

The house is huge, with two lounges and a big kitchen. A much bigger house than we ever had before, and I briefly wonder where they got the money for a house like this before Harley speaks.

“My dad liked to beat the shit out of my brothers and me, training us to fight in The Cage for him. I don’t know if Izzy told you all that, but yeah, he got us into fighting to start with,” he says quietly, and I tug on his hand to stop him from walking up the stairs we find in the middle of the corridor we entered.

“I’m sorry, I never realised he trained you. I should have guessed,” I say, and he smiles at me.

“I never felt sorry for myself, but I did for my brothers. I tried to protect them, and I would have done anything to do that,” he says. “Tilly, I wish you would listen to me.”

“Listen to what?” I ask gently.

“When I say I’m no good for you, I mean it. I fucked and fought to protect my brothers, I’m not a good man. I don’t get why you keep fighting for me, for us, Tilly,” he says, moving closer to me. I take a step back, my back hitting the wall, and he moves to stand in front of me.

“What if I don’t want a good man? What if I want you?” I ask.

He lowers his face close to mine before he whispers, “That would be a bad idea, siren.”

“It wouldn’t,” I reply, leaning up and brushing my lips against his, not caring about what he says. Harley King may think he isn’t good for me, but I know he is worth fighting for. He resists me for only a second before he takes control of the kiss and is pushing his hard body into mine.

“Fuck . . . not what I expected to see this early in the morning,” my youngest brother’s voice comes from near us, and we break away from the kiss.

I turn to see Ace standing at the bottom of the stairs, his black hair is everywhere, and his blue eyes look tired. He has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, a leather jacket on, and faded blue jeans.

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