Page 133 of Slick Handling

Getting older didn’t help him deal with those feelings.

I’m still quiet. I still don’t want him here. I can never forgive him for what he did. It was too much. Sometimes people want forgiveness and you want to forgive them for how they hurt you. It seems easy, but it’s not. Forgiveness isn’t black and white. It’s every color of the rainbow, changing with years and growth. Changing day by day, like the weather.

I don’t hate my father as much as I did when it all first happened, but I don’t trust him anymore. Without that trust I can’t forgive him.

I can’t separate the man who taught me how to ice skate from the man who got my ex-girlfriend pregnant. All my memories with my dad are painted in a weird way now that he did that.

“You know I’m good at finding people. Someone I know locally mentioned this was going on and I reviewed the case. I’m going to bring your Omega home. Not because I’m trying to make anything up to you but because you deserve to be happy, son.” He looks confused, rubbing at his chest.

Is talking to me causing him to have a heart attack?

If he dies in this house it will just be another home he ruined for me.

I can tell he’s waiting for me to speak, but I have nothing to say to him. There is nothing to say to him. Our relationship is never going to get better. It sure as shit isn’t going to miraculously heal because he came to try and help find Clover.

He coughs to cover his inability to handle this situation.

“Pack Weaver has to have her. She was spotted at the library earlier today. The librarian also mentioned seeing a female there that matches the Beta that their pack has. There is no way they stayed close. The private plane that his family has is still at the airport, though. I’m planning on checking property records for their families and seeing what I can find.” He hesitates for a second, his face scrunching up as he finally settles a hand on my shoulder giving it a squeeze.

This is about as affectionate as my father will ever be.

Unless you’re Terry who he apparently greeted with his cock.

I’m too numb to do anything to stop him from touching me or fighting him on anything that he is saying. If he wants to help he can help. I’d be a fool to deny Clover a chance to be found..

He nods his head, like somehow this is all solved. Turning, he unlocks the door to the bathroom. Pulling it open and going to step out, he is immediately punched in the face by a red faced Griffin.

My father snarls, grabbing at his head. Blood coming between his hands as he looks at the panting person in front of him.

“Fuck you! You don’t have any right to come in here and demand to talk to Vaughn! Suddenly you want to be a dad to him? Too late asshole! Vaughn is double the Alpha you’ll ever be!” Griffin defends me as he glowers at my dad ready to go to war with a man who could break his back and toss him to the side..

Always my protector.

Always us.

My dad softens, shoulders hunching inward as he nods at my best friend.

“I know. He’s the type of Alpha few get to be.” He looks back at me as my heart lodges in my throat, “I’ll find her for you, son.”

And with that he leaves the house as I wonder what the actual fuck is happening.

CHAPTER 43

APOLLO

The stupid cat won’t stop touching us.

He hops from lap to lap. Demanding pets and nuzzling his stupidly soft head into our faces, like he is providing the affection we’re missing from our Omega. He doesn’t try to bite off our fingers or saw off our skin with his claws. He’s just kind.

It’s terrifying,

All it does is make me miss her more.

Mainly because this is all my fault.

I’m the one who couldn’t be enough for our girl and pushed her away from us. I’m the one that didn’t give her the attention and reassurance that she obviously needed. I wasn’t the Alpha that our Omega deserved and now she was in danger because of me.

Teeth bite into my chin and One looks at me. Back to his usual demonic self I see.

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