Page 103 of Bear
Drinks were flowing, conversation and laughter climbed high through the air, and everyone was playing their part expertly. There was no way in hell Dad knew his life was ticking closer to an end. I watched him. He was so happy to be out and amongst people he thought obeyed and adored him. His arrogance was going to be the key component in bringing him to his fucking knees.
Shit, after the type of father he’d been my entire life, he deserved to be brought to his fucking knees. If I had no other reason for killing my father it was to avenge Hawk for the way he was killed in cold blood by the man who helped bring him into the world. I’d never do that to my kid when I had one. I’d give them all the love I was humanly capable of giving no matter how small and hard my heart was.
I walked back into the house with Cecily on my arm and the noise of the party roared in my ears. I looked down at her, studying her cognac pools and saw apprehension in them. The fact that my father scared her just by being around pissed me off. I reached in my pocket and checked my phone to see if I had a message from Tito. I didn’t.
I caught a glimpse of Kareema moving through the hall and grabbed her elbow before she disappeared. “He’s in the front yard with a bunch of guys right now telling jail stories.” She rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “He’s already mentioned that when he comes back in here he wants to see Cecily. I told him she was busy with Titan but he ignored the fuck out of me. Rude.”
“What’s up, Bear? Where are we on Tito’s location?” Ace asked. He walked over to Kareema, Cecily and I waiting for an answer that I didn’t have. That’s honestly why I pulled Kareema over.
When I looked at her she rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. “You can lose the attitude,” I told her, putting my hands in my pockets. Her expression straightened immediately.
“He’s on his way. He said he’s twenty minutes out.” She put her the phone away and looked up at me. A lot of shit could happen in twenty minutes and if I had to push Cecily off with one more motherfucker, it was going to drive me nuts.
“Thank you, Kareema.” I nodded my head then walked toward the kitchen where
Lane was. Her eyes were tired but she still had a lot of fight in her. I knew she could tough it out until the end of the party. It took a lot of energy to see the man you used to love in addition to trying to keep everything on an even keel so he wouldn’t pick up on his true fate. I understood her fatigue. I didn’t share it though. I was wired on adrenaline. I wanted to see the look in Dad’s eyes when he realized I was the one who set him up. By the time he caught on, it would be far too late.
“What’s up Lane?” I asked, sliding my fingers between Cecily’s. She was like my anchor. She kept me grounded to the real world when I was content to float away in a black sea. She gave my hand a squeeze and just like that I was back on earth.
“Griff really wants to see Cecily. He’s been turning down other girls left and right and between us, I think he’s saving that first release because he wants…”
“Me. How fucking wonderful. Sorry, Lane.” Cecily apologized for cursing then pulled in a deep breath. I watched the way she steadied her nerves and pushed through them even though fear pumped through her at a steady pace. I admired her ability to function in the midst of fear.
“What’s going on up in here? We having a little meeting?” Dad’s voice annoyed the fuck out of me. I took my eyes off him for one goddamn minute and he still managed to find me. The muscles in my neck tensed as I forced a phony smile on my face.
“I see you found the elusive Cecily.” He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. I had to fight my own instincts because every one of them wanted to choke my father until the light left his eyes.
Luanne walked into the kitchen with an empty tray and looked at Cecily. “You okay?” She asked. Worry knotted her features. The sight made Dad chuckle.
“Why? You think I’m going to sink my teeth into her?” He was clearly drunk and high already. That was a good and bad thing. It was good because it meant he wasn’t as mentally sharp. It was bad because it meant he was unpredictable.
“I just wanted to make sure she was doing alright. I know she doesn’t like crowds.” Luanne lied. Cecily had no problem with crowds but shedidhave a problem with my dad and I didn’t fucking blame her.
“Oh? You don’t like crowds? I didn’t know that. Let me take you away from all these loud motherfuckers.” His arm locked around her slender waist, plucking her warm body from my side.
I was livid.
It materialized on my face as lips pressed into a line alongside a ticking jaw. I knew he could see it and I didn’t give a fuck. Cecily brushed off her unease with a light and airy laugh.
“I’m okay right now,” she told him.
“I was getting ready to talk to Cecily anyway.” I stepped forward but Dad angled his body so he was wedged between us. My chest exploded with black rage.
“I’m going to talk to her first. I’ve been turning down pussy left and right tonight so I could get one minute alone with this beautiful little baby doll.”
“Wow, you’re just going to let the disrespect fly huh, Dad? Right in front of Luanne and Lane?” I lowered my brows and shoved my hands in my pockets to stop my vicious emotions from getting the best of me.
“Shit, Lu knows what kind of sexy daughter she birthed.” He stared at Cecily like she was a piece of candy then looked at Lane quickly. I saw a faint glimmer of emotion jump to life when he eyed her.
Lane cleared her throat and turned her back, clearly fighting the words she wanted to hurl. “You good, Bear?” Ace asked after he took one look at my face. It might have been placid on the outside but I was a raging storm on the inside.
“Yeah, I’m good Ace. Thank you.”
“He’s good Mr. Right Hand Man. My son knows better than to catch feelings over a bitch. Right?” He leveled me with a stare or at least he tried to. He had no idea the willpower it took to keep my cool until Tito got there.
“You need to stop, Griff.” Lane’s voice sliced through the thick air in the kitchen. Luanne’s mouth opened and I was interested in seeing what she was going to say to Dad. I was itching to watch her curse him the fuck out. She’d more than earned the right.
Dad locked onto Lane with fire in his eyes. “Oh, do I?” He asked, amused.
