India
“It looks like Cas and your dad have brought Leo home,” Alannah murmurs, from the window.
“My dad?”
The last time they were in the same room, punches were thrown and people I love got hurt.
“Oh my god,” she shrieks and rushes for the door.
“What? Alannah!”
I can’t move as fast as her, and by the time I pull myself off the couch and walk into the hall, Cas and my dad are helping Leo through the door. For the first time since I returned home and blew up my dad’s world, he looks guilty when he looks at me, not angry.
“Is someone going to tell me what the fuck is going on?” Alannah yells, moving out of the way so they can take him upstairs.
Leo shakes his head and murmurs for the couch.
“Are you okay?” I ask stupidly, as he passes.
“I’ll be fine, it looks worse than it is.”
Somehow, I think he’s lying for my benefit.
“Seriously, is someone going to explain why my son looks like he’s dying.”
“Don’t be so dramatic, babe,” Cas grunts.
“Shit has been settled, Leo took a couple of hits from each brother for showing Slade disrespect. It’s over.”
Frowning, I don’t think my eyebrows could get any closer. Fresh tears threaten to escape.
“This is because of you?” I ask my dad.
He looks away and I don’t recognise him anymore.
“I hated myself for disappointing you, but not anymore.”
“Babe, it’s done now,” Leo grunts, and fresh blood trickles from his lip.
“Yeah, we are done.”
It breaks my heart, he’s my dad and I love him all the world, but he can’t go around beating people I love.
“No, I done it for you. This is all for you.”
What?
I didn’t ask for blood and bruises.
“Talk to your dad, please. We’re…family.”
He went through this for me, the least I can do is talk to my dad, even if I do hate him right now. Besides, I’d like to hear him explain himself.
“Come on, India. I’m not having your boyfriend make up for us,” he snaps, and walks out heading for the back of the cabin.
I forget he knows this cabin a hundred times better than I do. Leo tugs on my hand and I look down at him, beaten and bloody, and all he can worry about is me. My heart is crying for him, it bleeds as does his face.
“If you don’t resolve this, I’ll do this as many times as I have to, for you.”
Alannah snorts and Cas growls like a caged animal.
“We’ll resolve it today, just stay here and away from fists and god knows what else.”
I’d lean down and kiss him, but I’m afraid of inflicting anymore pain on him. I see he’s thinking the same, he can live without my touch as part punishment for doing something so stupid.
My dad is sitting on an old, rackety chair, he looks up at me and he quickly pulls over a chair for me. Sitting down, close to his side, I do my best to ignore the cuts on his knuckles.
“I’m hurting, Indie. I knew boys would sniff around you and I’m not naïve to think brothers at the club wouldn’t think twice. I did hope I had enough respect that you would be off limits.”
Off limits, like I’m forbidden?
“I wasn’t planning on Leo, we just happened, and I love him, dad. I know what you think about him, and I must sound like some stupid teenager, but he is different with me. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I expect him to laugh at me, but with a side glance at me, I see he is taking me at my word.
“I’ve known who you were my whole life, but you’re not like the rest of them. You’re nicer and more respectful. What you did to Leo today, I think I’ve had you wrong all these years.”
“No, princess. You mistook me as a friend when I’ve always been your father first. You’re having a girl, Leo will find that out in the years to come. He will survive what he endured today, my respect for him will last a lot damn longer than the bruises. You need to remember this life can spin our lives upside down in the change of the wind, and trouble is coming, it was my job as your dad to make sure Leo is strong enough to keep you and my granddaughter safe if I’m not around, or your brother.”
Granddaughter.
A glimmer of hope surfaces, it’s the first time he’s spoke about the baby to me.
“He is, you’ll see,” I sigh, “And Zach hates me now, I don’t know what his problem is with Leo, but he could barely look at me this morning.”
“Don’t you worry yourself about him, he’ll come around soon and make it right with you.”
“When is he going to make it right with you?”
“It’s not about that today. Come on, you should get back inside, it’s getting cold out here.”
And there he is, my caring and kind, thoughtful and nurturing dad.
“I love you, dad,” I blurt out, throwing my arms around him.
He holds me back and kisses the top of my head.
“I love you too, princess.”
“Please, don’t hurt him again.”
“I won’t…unless he hurts you.”
I can’t ask for more.