Page 22 of Protector

As usual, there was nothing but anger.

These men hadn’t just stolen something from me. Their actions had left my girls scared and distrustful.

“Why don’t you both get some sleep and we’ll work on decorating the house tomorrow?” I helped Dakota back under the covers and kissed the top of her head.

“Love you, Kota-Bear. I’m glad you’re home with me.”

Her mouth stretched wide in a yawn. “Love you too, Mama.”

“I love you, Katydid.”

She yanked the blankets up over her head and rolled away. I knew I deserved every bit of her anger, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.

My father was sitting in the recliner, watching a football game when I came out of the girl’s room.

“I’m surprised you’re still here. I thought you’d be gone by now.” I bent to retrieve Dakota’s tennis shoes from under the couch and moved them over by the front door, knowing she’d be looking for them in the morning if I didn’t.

He pressed a button on the remote, and the television screen faded into blackness. “I need to talk to you.”

“Am I in trouble?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. My father had never been the disciplinarian; that had always fallen to my mother.

“Sit,” he directed, pointing to the couch. “Look, I’ll just say it. I’m not sure the girls are safe with you anymore, Celia.”

I sank down onto one of the cushions. “What do you mean? Did you not see the entire army of bikers camped outside? If they’re not safe—”

“You led those men here!” His voice rose as he jabbed a finger toward me. “I told you that they were dangerous—in fact, your mother and I even tried warning you about Jamie, but you refused to listen and look at what happened!”

There it was.

Eleven years of mistakes and blame placed solely at my feet.

My ribs protested the sudden shift from sitting to standing, and I clutched them in regret before stalking toward my father. “You think this is all my fault?”

“Sweetheart, you’re an adult. It’s time to act like one and admit that your gambling has put the girls at risk. I just worry—”

“My gambling was to keep the lights on because, as Mother so eloquently put it, I chose to live like garbage and shouldn’t come to either of you looking for a handout. What would you have had me do, Daddy? Let the girls go hungry?”

He ran a hand over his face. “I didn’t know things were that bad…”

My chest heaved up and down with each ragged breath I took. The blood drained from my face and arms, and pooled in my belly, leaving me nauseated. “They were, and I did what I had to… for them.”

“Your mother and I just think the girls would be better off living with us—”

Ignoring the stiffness in my fingers, I yanked him forward in the chair by the collar of his shirt. “You what?”

He stood up and backed away, breaking the contact between us. “Now, don’t get upset, but we could keep them safe—”

“Like you kept me safe?” I bit out. “It’s easy for you to point the finger at me and accuse me of being an unfit mother, but let’s not forget how this all started, Daddy. Had you not been in over your head with drugs, I never would’ve been taken by the club in the first place.”

The rage that had been clogging my veins spilled over into my words. “I would’ve gone my entire life blissfully ignorant of Silent Phoenix MC. I could’ve been ten times the woman I became, but you snorted away any chance at a future for me!”

I watched as his shoulders slumped forward and the anger fled his face. “Celia, I—”

“Get. Out,” I growled as I threw the front door open. Comedian jumped up from the porch swing as my father reached for me, quickly moving in between us.

The hurt he’d inflicted penetrated deep into my bones, but my body still refused to give in to the tears. “Leave,” I demanded. “And don’t you even think about taking my girls, are we clear?”

“Celia…” He took a step forward, only to be stopped by the wall that was Comedian.

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