Page 51 of Rafe: Sins of the Father

When I slip inside the door, it’s quiet, but the door to the shop is ajar. I move closer and peer through the crack.

Charlie is showing Mr. Sawyer the broken piece of equipment. I think about telling Sawyer that Charlie did it, but I hang back and watch.

I can hear them arguing, but the words aren’t clear.

The door behind me opens, and I spin to find Tori standing there.

“Oh, hey,” she takes a step back when she sees me. “I was looking for my father. Is he here?”

I gesture with a thumb as I head toward the door she came through. “In there.”

I brush past her, and she gasps. “You don’t have to be so rude.”

I whirl on her. “That’s rich. Speaking of rich, how was your date last night?” I pause in the open doorway long enough to throw that at her, but her words stop me.

“It was fantastic. Why are you being so hateful?”

I storm out without giving her a reply and head to the forklift to help Bubba load the next tractor trailer that just arrived.

Not two minutes later, I hear a sharp whistle and turn to see Sawyer and his daughter standing outside the door. He motions me over.

Hopping off the forklift, I wonder what fresh hell this is. Did she tell her father I was rude to her? Am I about to get my ass reamed out for it? Maybe I’m about to be blamed for the damaged equipment.

I stalk toward them, anger flaring as I prepare for all of the above.

“Rafe, Tori’s car has a flat tire. Can you change it?”

My eyes shift between them, and I slow. “Sure.”

“Daddy, I’m going to be late. I don’t have time to wait for that.”

Sawyer turns to me and tosses me a set of keys. “Take my car and drop her off, then bring it back to me. I have a meeting at the bank in an hour.”

Tori and I are both wide eyed at his suggestion. She recovers before I can think up an excuse why Bubba should do it.

“What? Daddy, can’t you do it?”

“I’ve got to fix this damn equipment.”

“Can’t I take your car, then?”

“I have to get to that meeting. Tori, just go with Rafe.” With that, he disappears into the office.

We stare helplessly at each other, and then my gaze shifts to the silver Mercedes.

“Let’s go, princess.” I stalk toward it, moving to the passenger side to open the door for her.

“I’m not a princess,” she snaps, sliding into the seat.

“You say so,” I mutter, slamming her door and going around to slide behind the wheel. Any other time, I’d be grinning at the chance to drive such an expensive car. Right now, I’m pissed, so it’s hard to appreciate the fine leather and German engineering. I back the car up and hit the button to open the sunroof.

Tori immediately hits the button again to close it. “My hair will be a mess.”

I roll my eyes.

“Don’t you roll your eyes at me!”

“Then quit being a bitch.”

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