Page 28 of Ruthless Redemption

Plus I needed another breath to steady myself.

“Get ready. He’s headed this way.”

My stomach threatened to revolt.

Sweat broke out across my skin.

I had to—

“Houston, is that you?”

A new voice from a man I didn’t recognize made my insides freeze as Houston shifted us to the side without turning me to face the door.

“Hawkins?”

A rugged, good-looking man dressed in black he obviously recognized strode closer and Houston released me to greet him.

“Holy shit. It is you. I thought I was seeing things. How long has it been?”

“A while.” Houston responded, a tight smile creasing the corners of his mouth.

The other man laughed out loud. “Yeah, you could definitely say that. What the hell brings you to this desert? You on leave or something?”

I felt Houston stiffen against my side. This man, whoever he was, had managed to hit my man’s sore spot in under a minute. This did not bode well for the timing of my father’s appearance. Speaking of…

Without thinking, I turned and came almost face to face with the man who I’d once believed loved me unconditionally. Our gazes locked and in that moment everything around us fell away. He stared at me and I stared at him and I felt every ounce of his animosity spear into me despite the fake smile widening across his face.

That was not ahappy to see you, Daughterexpression. Fuck no. That was anI’ve got you trapped now and there’s nothing you can do about itlook if I’d ever seen one. Fear and revulsion shuddered through me. My skin crawled with it as I tried to pull my gaze away and failed.

This man was my father. What could I have possibly done to him to deserve such vile hatred from him?

“And who is this beautiful creature you have with you?”

The question, along with Houston’s too tight squeeze of my fingers, ripped my attention away from Frank and back to the man in front of us.

“This is my wife. Isabella.”

I nearly gaped in surprise when he dropped that nugget, almost forgetting that we had a role to play this evening. I’d not considered either of us would actually run into someone we knew and this facade would have to extend into our personal lives.

“Wife. Wow? Things have definitely changed. The lone wolf is no longer alone and he’s captured quite the beauty. Interesting.”

Houston laughed, although to my ears it didn’t quite sound natural. It was hard to believe, but he sounded as tense as I felt.

“Izzy,” he released my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist. “This is Levi Hawkins. He and I served together in the Marine Corps for several years.”

“You can say that again. Your husband is truly gifted. One of the best of the best. Can’t believe the Corps let him get away.”

“It’s very nice to meet you,” I said, pasting on as genuine a smile as I could manage with my snake of a father standing mere feet behind me. “And I couldn’t agree more. He is the best.” I shook his hand before continuing. “I don’t know much about the military, but I guess I’m lucky they did let him go or I might have never met him.”

Levi’s right eyebrow lifted and I tried to think of what I’d said that caught that kind of attention. I didn’t have to wait long.

“So the two of you haven’t known each other very long?”

Houston laughed. “Nope. We met right after I got back home to Seattle. But I knew a good thing when I saw it. Didn’t take long to know I wasn’t about to let her go either. Just a few days actually.”

The conviction in Houston’s words stunned me silent.

Levi laughed. “I bet there’s an interesting story there too. We’ll have to get together sometime and talk more. Are you here on vacation then? Have you settled back in Washington?”

---