Unexpected Fate

“Uh, yeah. Can you mention to my dad about my headache or something? It should keep his temper in check if he knows he can’t freak out. Gives me a day or so to let this sink in.”

She laughs but agrees.

When the door opens five minutes later and my mom walks in, she immediately wraps her arms around me. I can tell she’s crying, but I wasn’t expecting to see a huge smile on her face when she pulls back. She leans in and gives me a kiss on my forehead.

“I love you,” she mouths.

I look over her shoulder and see my daddy. All six feet six inches of him, his tattooed arms crossed over his chest, and every vein bulging in his neck. His face is beet red, and his breathing is erratic.

Daddy is pissed.

“I love you, Daddy.”

“And I love you, my little princess,” he says, deflating some. Then, almost as if he remembered why he was so worked up, he stands tall again and his veins pop back out. “But I’m going to kill that motherfucker who touched you.”

Mom gives me a squeeze, and I stay silent. Because really, what am I supposed to say to that?

Predictably, Daddy wouldn’t take me home. He didn’t say a word, even through all my complaining. Mom just giggled in the front seat. My head was killing me, so I wasn’t willing to put up the fight. But I wasn’t staying. My plan to call Lee the second we got over there was foiled when he answered and said that he was on a date.

My father thoroughly enjoyed watching me stew in my anger over being held hostage by him.

“Fine. I’ll call one of the girls.”

“The fuck you will, Dani! You might not remember how this night started, but I sure as hell do. Until we figure out what is going on with these flowers and now that note—you aren’t leaving my sight.”

“I’m not staying, Daddy. I’m perfectly safe at home. And if it’s a problem, then Lee can stay with me.”

“Liam doesn’t own as many guns as I do,” he snaps, crossing his arms over his chest, again, in his international Axel sign for “don’t mess with me.”

“Lee is also a black belt and could kick even your ass.”

“Liam wouldn’t be able to do shit against a knife or gun, Dani. You’re safe here. I can keep you safe.”

“I’m safe at home!” I scream.

“I know you’re not going to argue with me, your father, who happens to own a fucking company that specializes in fucking security, that you’re going to be better off without me watching over you. News flash, little princess: there isn’t a single person that I trust to keep my little girl and future grandbaby safe.”

His eyes soften slightly when he mentions the baby, and I just know that, despite his anger, which I’m sure will make another appearance, he’s going to love this baby just as much as he loves Nate and me.

“Don’t you look at me like that, Dani. I’m still going to kill that asshole who knocked up my little girl.”

I’m not sure what it was in his tone that made me look back over at him. “What? I can tell you have more to say.”

“I didn’t want to get into this while everything that happened today is still so fresh, but I have to say . . . I’m disappointed in you, Dani. I never thought that you would do something like this to Cohen. I just hope that, whoever that bastard is, he’s worth the trouble he caused. I might not have told you, but I couldn’t have picked a better man for you to end up with than Cohen, and when he finds out you’re pregnant with another man’s child, I don’t see how that can end well.”

He turns and walks out of the room. His words hit me right in the gut before they slam directly into my heart.

Another man’s child? What in the hell!

I don’t even take a second to process my anger. I grab my cell out of my purse and search for the number I need. It doesn’t take long for the call to connect.

“’Lo?”

“Chance? Can you please come get me?” I hiccup through a sob.

CHANCE DIDN’T ASK ANY QUESTIONS. He pulled into my parents’ driveway thirty minutes later and honked the horn. I didn’t even pause. I got my purse, grabbed the bag with my meds, and walked out the front door. I could hear my dad yelling when I jumped in the passenger seat and slammed the door before locking it.

Chance looks at me with questions in his eyes before he looks past me to where I’m sure my father is fuming.

“If I drive out of here right now, is it going to get me killed?” he asks.

“Possibly.”

“Right. Well, seeing as I like being alive and I plan to keep on breathing for a while longer, I’m going to step out of the truck and have a chat with your dad.”

Before I can stop him, he opens the door and steps out.

Shit!

I can hear them talking, but not what is being said because the window is up and the hum of his engine is drowning them out. Hesitantly, I reach over and press the down button until the window is cracked slightly.

“ . . . just came because she called me and sounded upset. I owe it to Cohen to make sure she’s okay, sir. No offense, but if she isn’t okay here, then I’ll step in.”

“Is it yours?” my dad barks.

“Is what mine?”

“The baby.”

Chance looks over his shoulder at me. His face is stoic, but his eyes flash in warning. Warning of what, I’m not sure.

“I was unaware that Dani was expecting, sir.”

“Cut the bullshit, Chance. Are you sleeping with my daughter? With your roommate’s girl? Do you think I don’t know about the nights she’s been sneaking over to your place?”

Holy shit. This is bad.

“Axel!”

I look between the two men standing toe-to-toe in my parents’ driveway to see my mom running down their porch steps.

“You need to step away right now. This, all of this, is none of your business, and as much as it kills you that it isn’t, it’s time to shut the hell up before you cause your daughter more pain. We will have words later about what you’re accusing her of.”

God, I love my mom.

Chance doesn’t give him a second to reply. He steps away, turns, and walks back to the driver seat.

Mom calls his name and gets his attention before he can shut the door. “She needs to be watched tonight after her fall. Wake her up every few hours. I trust you to take care of her?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He shuts the door and backs out of their driveway.

I can tell he has plenty to say, but he’s keeping quiet.