Page 612 of The Tempted

I watched her hurry up the stairs and waited until she was out of sight to turn to Connie and Rob.

“You really think going out is a good idea?” Connie questioned as she crossed her arms against her chest.

“I think she’s been cooped up dealing with this on her own for a long time and having one night to be carefree is good for her,” I argued.

“He’s got a point,” Rob chimed in.

“Fine,” Connie said reluctantly. “So you’ll call the doctor in the morning?”

“Yes, get her an appointment as soon as possible,” I affirmed.

“There’s one more thing,” she started, glancing at the stairs again before lowering her voice and continuing. “Blackie.”

“What about him?” I asked as I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering where she was going with this.

“You should call him and tell him what’s going on with Lacey. She cares a lot about him, Jack and whether it’s a crush or not I don’t know but I do know she can’t afford to be confused by her feelings for him.”

“A crush or not? Of course it’s a crush, you going to tell me otherwise?”

“I’m telling you to talk to Blackie and let him know what’s going on. Until we have this under control it’s in her best interest if he stays away from her. She can’t handle having her heart broken when she’s trying to mend her head.”

I remained silent for a moment, processing that my daughter might have genuine feelings for Blackie and wondering what his part in all this was.

“I’ll talk to him,” I ground out before turning toward the door. “Call me if she needs anything,” I added before I walked out the door.

As I started for my bike I grabbed my phone about to dial Blackie when my maker decided to menace me.

I told you but you didn’t want to listen.

You stupid prick, you’re too blind to see what’s been in front of you.

He looks at her differently.

He notices things about her you don’t.

He’s protects her better than you ever have.

He becomes alive when she walks into a room.

How’s it feel motherfucker?

To know I’m right and you’re wrong.

“Everything okay, Prez?” Mack asked, pulling me away from the war inside my head and back to the present.

“Where’s Blackie?” I questioned, the voice of doubt fresh in my mind.

“Not sure. Want me to call him?”

“Can’t order me to protect her one minute and not the next, can’t give me her life, tell me it’s precious then expect me not to put her high on my list of priorities. I’m not made that way and you of all people should know that, understand it, because it’s the sole reason you asked me to look out for her all those years ago…you knew I wouldn’t be able to turn that shit on and off so, don’t ask me to now.”

What the fuck did I do?

I lifted my eyes to Mack’s.

“Nah, I’ve got this,” I hissed.

There’s only one way to shut the motherfucking voice down and that’s hearing the truth. I needed Blackie to tell me my maker was fucking with me. I needed him to confirm he was nothing more to Lacey than Blackie, her protector.

Nothing more.

Because heaven help everyone if my maker was right.

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