Page 77 of Daddy's Bodyguard

“When I took this last case, Tiberon wanted me to bribe the cops to make the evidence go away. But I couldn’t. Tiberon’s case wasn’t like the others. Those were regular possession and dealing charges. Never murder. Tiberon’s a killer. He organized a drive-by on his enemies, and a few kids got harmed in the mix. I took his case, thinking I would do everything in my power to get him off, but my conscience wouldn’t allow me to follow through. I had to let justice prevail.” He gestures around the room. “But instead of firing me, Tiberon tried to force my hand.”

To say I’m shocked would be an understatement, not at hearing Dad’s dirty deeds from his lips but learning of his change of heart. Is it permanent? Is my father turning over a new leaf?

The clicking of heels precedes my stepmother’s appearance and interrupts the moment. She enters from the kitchen, her hands bearing a tray with drinks. She gives me a smile, and I return a stiff one. We’ve come a long way from when I found out she was Daddy’s mistress, but our relationship is still a work in progress.

She places the tray on the center table and sits beside my father, placing his hand on her lap. Her thick caramel hair falls over her shoulders. Even in a safehouse, she looks like she’s ready for a movie set. She’s wearing a one-sleeved cocktail dress and full makeup. Very trophy wife.

Scarlett’s only six years older than me, which makes it hard to grasp their relationship. But if my dad can change his evil ways, the least I can do is meet him halfway.

I avert my gaze as she kisses his temple. “You have enough stress on your shoulders, honey, don’t add to it.”

He takes a drink of water and sighs. “I’m not, baby. I need to tell Sofia the entire truth.”

“And no talk about giving up to Tiberon. It won’t change a thing. He’ll just kill us all, anyway.” She leans her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you, Ernesto.”

I shift impatiently on the couch. “What truth do you need to tell me, Dad? What did Tiberon do?”

Dad eases Scarlett off him with a weary sigh. “He has some information on me, on places I’ve been, things that … out of context, would be very bad for my career and very embarrassing for Scarlett, you and the family. I pretended to back down, but I didn’t. I purposely lost the case.”

“A gangster tried to blackmail you? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Talk about being blackmailed? By Tiberon? No. I know you, Sofia. You would have gotten way over your head trying to get involved.” He shakes his head. “I love you, but you don’t really think things through when you’re heated.”

“Dad.”

“It’s true, and you know it. You’re passionate, but when your emotions get involved, you don’t have a sense for the long game.” He pats my knee. “But there’s something I need to confess. Tiberon’s not just after me because I didn’t get him off. It’s much more than that.”

The seriousness on his face triggers a sudden drop in my stomach. “What do you mean?”

“We’re going to get this straight. I’m ready to tell you everything right now.”

Chapter 24

Jasper

My palm slams against the steering wheel, and I drop my forehead to the center, taking a deep inhale. Seeing the tears in Sofia’s eyes, knowing I was the cause… man, it was like a dagger to my heart. All I wanted—what I still want to do is to make her smile every single day of her life. I hope to God I get a chance someday.

I didn’twantto leave her. I wanted to stay, even on perimeter duty. But I don’t call the shots. I’m still desperate enough to text Cash, making sure he doesn’t want a man watching the boundary with three people – including a flight risk – and potential bogies on their way.

He insists that I take at least a twelve-hour break. That I’m on call and nothing else. I drive by the house, checking the road out front until Cash sends me another text to go home and get rest. Reluctantly, I continue on.

I don’t want to leave Sofia there. I especially don’t want to leave her based on that last conversation or the fight we had. I’m not ready to be done with her. I want everything I told her I wanted before.

I remember us curled up in bed, her lying in my lap as I played with her hair. She rubbed my damaged leg and then turned to look at me. “You really think you’ll be happy with a white picket fence? After all the excitement in your life?”

I brushed her hair away from her face and bent down to kiss her forehead. Her eyes never left me, and I give her a nod when I straighten again. “Excitement like I’ve seen is nothing to enjoy. I want a schedule I can rely on, one that gets me home for dinner. I want a woman like you yelling at me about not moving the laundry from the washer or forgetting to take out the garbage. I want to wake up next to you each morning, and I want your face to be the last thing I see before I sleep at night.”

“That’s your dream?”

“Why wouldn’t I want to marry a successful woman and spend my free time making both of us happy?” I pulled her up, so she was seated on my lap, and I cupped her face in my hand. “Do you think you could manage life in congress with a devoted man, eager to take care of the house, who can take being yelled at and laugh it off … or make you laugh?”

She swallowed hard and brushed her hand over my chest. She kissed me then and distracted me by kissing down my body before giving me the best blow job I’ve ever gotten.

But I’d meant what I implied. Which was stupid. I see that now.

And since I don’t have a home to go to, no hotel room comfortable enough to allow me to lick my wounds, I drive the forty-five minutes to Daisy’s. I knock on the door and hear her talking to someone before Ellie opens the door, squealing when she sees me.

My constant best friend. She looks at me, her smile disappearing, then she reaches out for me. I pick her up in a hug, and she squeezes my neck. “What’s wrong, Uncle Jaz?”

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