Page 44 of Tempest

The room held its breath. You could hear a pin drop.

Tempest’s fingers twitched at his side. I knew he was fighting the urge to reach for me, to shield me from whatever storm was brewing. Except my dad would never hurt me. Yell? You bet. But he’d never so much as spanked me or my sisters. Although, he’d probably been tempted a few times to throttle us in our younger years.

Dad’s gaze swept over us both. His face was an unreadable mask, but I caught a flicker of… something. Pain? Disappointment? Whatever it was, it vanished in an instant, replaced by the stern countenance I knew all too well. “You two,” he said, his voice little more than a growl, “have some explaining to do.” His gaze locked onto Tempest, a storm of emotions swirling within them. “Where the hell have you been? Any why the fuck did you think it was okay to take my daughter with you and not say a Goddamn word to me?” he demanded.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I wanted to speak, to explain, but the words caught in my throat. Not to mention, it was clear he didn’t want the explanation from me. No, he wanted to hear from the man who’d stolen his little girl and run off for almost a week.

Tempest stepped forward, his shoulders squared. He met my father’s gaze with unwavering resolve. “We needed space to figure things out.” The tension in the room was suffocating.

“Figurewhatout?” Dad pressed, his voice dangerously low.

Tempest’s jaw tightened. I could see the struggle within him, the battle between respect for my father and his own fierce emotions. “My feelings for Kasen,” Tempest finally said, his voice steady despite the intensity burning in his eyes. Except, I knew he was covering for me. He’d clearly already known how he felt. I was the one who couldn’t make a decision. “They run deep, Tank. Deeper than I ever thought possible.”

A collective intake of breath swept through the room. I felt dizzy, caught between pride in Tempest’s boldness and terror at my father’s reaction.

Dad’s eyes narrowed, flicking between Tempest and me. “And you couldn’t have talked to me first? You didn’t think I should know you planned to make a move on my daughter?”

“Would you have listened?” I found myself asking, surprising even myself with my sudden courage. “Because anytime I’ve tried to talk to you about dating anyone, you shut me down. You always said you wanted us to be happy, but then your actions don’t always match your words. I know you worry about us, Dad, but we’re all grown up now. Besides, you didn’t seem to have an issue with other guys I dated. I knew there was one difference… they were safe. Boring.”

The following silence was deafening. I held my breath, waiting for the explosion. But instead, I saw something unexpected flicker across my father’s face. Was it… understanding?

It vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Dad’s face contorted with rage. Before I could react, he lunged forward, his fist connecting with Tempest’s jaw in a sickeningthud. I gasped, my heart leaping into my throat. But Tempest didn’t move. He absorbed the blow, his feet planted firmly on the ground. His eyes never left my father’s face, his stance unyielding.

Blood trickled from the corner of Tempest’s mouth, but he made no move to wipe it away. The room fell deadly silent.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. My legs propelled me forward before my brain could catch up. I planted myself between them, my back to Tempest, facing my father’s thunderous expression. “Dad, stop!” I pleaded, my voice steadier than I felt. “I love him.”

Dad’s eyes widened, shock momentarily replacing his anger. I pressed on, my words tumbling out in a rush. “I’ve loved Tempest for years. This isn’t some fleeting crush or rebellion. He’s everything to me. I just… never felt like I was the right woman to stand beside him. Until he made me see I was stronger than I thought.” Although, my dad would likely disagree once he heard I’d been kidnapped and nearly taken to Cuba.

I felt Tempest’s hand on my shoulder, a gentle squeeze of support. I reached up, intertwining my fingers with his.

“Please,” I whispered, my eyes locked on my father’s. “Try to understand. I didn’t say anything before because I was worried how you’d react, and… I thought I might disappoint you. But I can’t live at home forever. Neither can Westlyn or Harlow. We’re all grown up now, Dad. It’s time to let us be adults and stop trying to shelter us like we’re still little girls.”

Dad’s face was a battlefield of emotions as he processed my words. His eyes darted between Tempest and me.

I felt Tempest shift behind me, his hand leaving my shoulder. He stepped forward, not quite beside me, but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off his body.

“Sir,” Tempest’s voice was low, controlled. The tension in the room ratcheted up another notch. “I know this isn’t how you wanted things to go down. I’m sure you wanted someone far better than me to be with her, but my feelings for Kasen are real. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. Hell, I’d die for her if it came down to it.”

Dad’s gaze narrowed. I held my breath, ready to jump between them again if necessary. He wasn’t going to swing again, right? He’d just healed from his accident. If he strained or broke something, my mother would be furious, and he’d likely feel like less of a man, especially if it happened in front of everyone.

Tempest continued, his tone unwavering. “I understand the challenges we face. The age difference, my position in the club, your concerns as her father. But I swear to you, on my patch and my life, that I’m committed to Kasen. She’ll never want for anything. You know I’d never cheat on her, never cause her pain. Not knowingly.”

My heart swelled at his words. I wanted to turn and look at him, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off my father.

“I’ll spend every day proving myself worthy of her,” Tempest said, his voice taking on an edge of intensity. “If that means facing your disapproval, so be it. But I’m not walking away from her. In fact, I’m not asking the club to vote. I’m just laying it out there -- Kasen is mine. I’ve claimed her.”

The silence stretched on, unbearable. I could almost see the gears turning in my father’s head, his expression an unreadable mask.

I watched as the veins in Dad’s forearms pulsed. His eyes darted around the room, taking in the faces of his brothers. Torch nodded almost imperceptibly. Venom’s lips tightened into a thin line. Wire’s gaze never wavered from Dad’s face.

My breath caught in my throat. The club’s silent support was palpable, a living thing in the room.

Dad’s eyes snapped back to us, boring into Tempest. I tensed, ready for another explosion.

Instead, Dad’s shoulders sagged. He exhaled heavily, the fight draining from his massive frame.

“Goddamnit,” he growled, running a hand over his face. “You’re really gonna do this, aren’t you?”

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