Page 16 of Saved By the Marines (Soldiers Of Misfortune)

“Check the perimeter,” Wolfe told the other two as he walked into one of the side rooms made for entertaining. “Senator Michaels, come with me.”

He set me down gently on the little sofa and searched every nook and cranny of the room before coming back to stand before us. “We’re going to stay here until the others get back.”

“Do you think that shooting was meant for us?” I asked, worry turning my blood cold. I felt terrible that we may have put everyone else at the fundraiser in jeopardy. Not that it’d been my choice to go. I’d suggested to Dad that we shouldn’t attend since he’d been getting threatening messages. He’d told me that was impossible and that he had people he needed to speak to.

“Probably not,” Wolfe soothed.

“They have shootings here all the time. It was nothing,” Dad said, his tone abrupt as he looked over at me. He stood up and went over to the cabinet against the wall and poured himself a drink.

Wolfe followed him over and I sighed as I sank back into the couch, trying to relax. I’d been playing a role all night—sophisticated starlet—shining to make my father look good, but these events always wore me down. I jumped when Wolfe knelt next to me again. He pushed a crystal glass into my hands. It had about two fingers of golden liquid inside.

“Drink it,” he said, reading the expression on my face. “It’ll calm your nerves.”

I thought I’d done a damn good job of not showing how much the shooting had shaken me up. Looking down into the glass, I saw the alcohol sloshing against the sides in time with my trembling.

He watched me like a hawk, so I tipped the glass back and let the alcohol burn a path down to my stomach. I coughed into my hand and caught his lips quirking.

He took the glass from me and put it on a table in front of us before standing next to me. Peering at him from the corner of my eye, I could see that he was still tense. He was waiting for some threat to come bursting into the room.

The fact that these men took danger head on like they did was impressive to me. I wasn’t strong, or brave. I just tried to do the smart thing and stay out of the way. I did everything I could to stay out of dangerous situations. My father’s lifestyle had a way of dragging me into them.

This had only happened a few times over my childhood, but it was enough to make me extra cautious. I was overall pretty risk aversive. I didn’t jump out of planes, or bungee jump. No rock climbing or ocean swimming. Nothing out of character for me. I was pretty boring, but that suited me just fine. All I needed to do was get through this summer and I’d be fine.

Tonight had solidified the decision I’d already made about getting away from a life of politics.I’m cutting ties with Dad if that’s what it takes to be out of this life entirely.

It didn’t matter that he and his parents were the only family I had. Dad’s parents always treated me even worse than Dad did. After my mother had died he’d refused to let me see her parents. Maybe that’s what I’d do. I’d track them down and see if they were interested in a relationship with their only grandchild. For too long I’d let Dad control what I did.

It was the whiskey talking. I knew I’d likely end up doing everything he asked of me this summer and then continue coming back. Sadly, it wasn’t his money that kept me coming back. I hated the people-pleasing part of me that made it difficult to stand up for myself. I could handle the yelling and insults when he got mad, it was when he told me he was disappointed, or worse, that my mother would have been disappointed in me. I knew it was a manipulation. Still, only once I hit my boiling point did I ever try to fight back.

“What’s wrong?”

I glanced over and gave Wolfe a puzzled look.

“You were sighing.”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” The inner voice that had been previously hyping me up deflated and shook her head at my answer. Whenever I got back into this environment I felt weak and unappreciated.

Years of childhood training can’t be undone in such a short time.I remembered my vow that I’d begin to stand up for myself and take what I wanted instead of going along with what others insisted I do.

The door swung open and I tensed, waiting to see who was coming through. Kip was frowning when he stepped into the room. I’d seen him without the smile over the last week, but never with a frown. It made my belly churn. It amazed me how easily I could read their moods now.

“Wolfe. Need you for a minute,” he called out. His eyes found mine and though I could see worry in his gaze, he gave me a wink. I relaxed a little.

They walked out, speaking quietly together, leaving me and my father alone.

“The way you’re behaving with those men is inappropriate.”

I turned and gave my father a wide-eyed stare. “Excuse me?” Of all things to talk about right now, this?

His glare darkened. A glance down showed that his hand was gripping his glass so tightly his knuckles were white. “You know what I’m talking about Bailey Marie.”

I hated it when he did that. Pulled out the father tone and used both names. As if he gave some kind of shit about me. I stood up, smoothing down my dress and meeting his narrowed eyes.

“I haven’t done one damn thing that’s inappropriate, Dad. But if that’s what you believe then I may as well do the things you’re worried about. Why not have some fun if I’m going to suffer through the consequences anyway?”

His mouth tightened into a thin line before he spoke. “Don’t even think about it.” He downed the rest of his drink.

“Oh. I’m thinking about it,” I assured him. “In fact, maybe I’ll live out every one of my fantasies…with all three of them.” I didn’t stick around to listen to the horrified lecture that would result from my words. I strode out of the drawing room and stumbled up the stairs to my room. My hands were back to shaking, but at least I’d held true to my word. I’d stood up for myself. Hopefully it would eventually become second nature. I was tired of being his doormat.

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