Page 99 of Beautiful Defiance

“Tell Mom this.”

“I’d have to tell her the rest. How I set up the assault. Me rescuing her. Me seducing her. Destruction and manipulation are all I’ve known growing up under the heavy hand of my dad, your grandfather Sean McCabe. Your grandmother gave me her name. I pass on the Shanahan name to you, but we will always be a McCabe, my father’s name. The name and power you used to destroy Maddox Stassi’s collection of exotic cars.”

I hear every part of his speech but focus on the one thing that’ll lighten the mood.

“Fuck sakes, Dad, I don’t need to hear how you got in Mom’s pants. Confess. Let her decide the next steps.”

“How’d you get so wise?” He ruffles my hair. I smack his hand away, the heaviness in my chest lifting. My parents have another chance to get back what they lost. I’m crossing my fingers my mom believes my dad is worth a second chance.

“I’m far from wise, Dad. I hurt a girl I like. Am misleading a girl for the sake of making the other girl hate me more.”

“How about we both take your advice, then regroup here tonight unless I get lucky and your mom invites me to stay over.”

I stick my finger in my mouth and make a gagging noise. Dad laughs. Smiling, I stick out my fist for a fist bump. “Deal. Good luck, Dad.”

“You too, Son. If everything goes well, invite her over. I’d like to meet the girl who got my son’s panties in a bunch enough to destroy another man’s expensive toys.”

“Ha-ha, old man. Will do.”

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