Page 114 of Riordan's Revenge

I hid the same feeling.

I had no desire to face the man or relive the scorn and disgust he’d set loose once he realised he didn’t need to play pretend with me anymore. All I wanted was to keep Gen safe.

But the room was empty.

We searched the two bedrooms and bathroom. No sign of the man.

Back in the living room, the crew members backed off to outside, and Gen wilted against a wall.

“It’s a relief not to find him… You know. He’s probably slunk off with a woman. It might even be my doing.”

“Why? Let me guess, he hit you up for money?”

She deflated further. “Got it in one. Not a small sum either. He asked me to tap Arran for a loan, but the reason kept changing. A holiday, a car, though God knows he’s never sober enough to get behind a wheel. I told him I wasn’t going to do that. He hung up on me.”

“Sorry. You deserve better.”

She hugged my arm in the way she used to hang off me as a kid. “We both did. I’m good, though. I have you still. And Arran now. Plus Everly and Cassie. I’ve actually never felt happier. If you and Cassie…”

“No fishing.” I lightly shoved her.

She elbowed me harder in the ribs. “Fine. By the way, you know Arran proposed to me, right?”

I choked on a laugh. “Married to the mob boss. Congratulations.”

“Dick. He’ll be your brother-in-law, so you’re as in it as much as I am.” She grinned, too.

What a change for two kids who’d hated the gangs with a passion. I guessed we both still did, just not the skeleton crew. Somehow, that had become our life.

I pulled her in for a hug and ruffled her hair because it always annoyed her. “I noticed the ring, but it’s nice to be kept in the loop.”

Gen squeezed me then pushed away, smoothing the yellow strands back into place. “I know you weren’t watching the last game so I wanted you to hear it from me. And Dad, for that matter.”

Her father would mainly see it as an opportunity for his own gain, but I kept that to myself.

“Do you want him to give you away?”

Gen shuddered. “Hell no. I am not down for that archaic bullshit.”

“Wise choice. Plus less chance of him making a fool of himself on your big day.”

“If we ever find him. He was seeing a dancer who left the warehouse and joined the Four Milers. Arran said he’ll keep an eye out when they next encounter Red’s people.”

“Is that likely to be soon?”

She slid me a glance. “Secretly, yes. He has big plans when it comes to them. I’m sure he’ll fill you in now you’re a member of his crew. Which I love, by the way. I had this fear of you disappearing.”

“Why would I do that?”

She snorted and crossed the room to peer from the window. “You don’t share the things you’re upset about and have a history of sloping off to lick your wounds alone. I know why you didn’t tell me about Mum, but that’s an extreme example. I figured with losing your job and the fallout with Dad, I wouldn’t see you for months. You’d take off, find work in another city, and rarely reply to my messages.”

She had a point, and that had been my intention, though I didn’t want to ghost her. I just didn’t enjoy passing on stress, but a realisation hit me that I’d done exactly that with Cassie. I’d told her about my hurt over my father. I’d shared more than I ever had with anyone else.

My sister turned. “I have a question. Did you ever suspect that about Dad, before Mum told you?”

She meant the fact he wasn’t related to me.

I shoved my hands into my pockets. “No. I only knew he hated me.”

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