“What? No.” Dad cleared his throat. “I thought I had you to thank for my new lawyer, but clearly that was a mistake.”
“Lawyer? I couldn’t even afford my cell phone bill; I’m not bankrolling a lawyer.”
“Huh. I really thought it was you—using a connection you’d made at school or something because this guy is amazing. He’s got ins or some shit with the DA, so it looks like I’ll be out in less than a year with good behavior. My sentencing is in a few weeks, and I was hoping you would come so I can see you.”
I stared sightlessly in front of me. What was going on? What was he talking about? How did he get this amazing unicorn of an attorney?
And then what Maddie said last night came back to me.
Dylan.
It was the only answer that made sense.
“This call is from an inmate at Sacramento County Main Jail and is being recorded.” I jumped at the loud, automated voice. “Three minutes remaining.”
“I…don’t know, Dad. I just… This is a lot to digest. I’ve been waiting on pins and needles for you to call for weeks now, and you just don’t seem to give a shit about me. I got evicted. I almost had to sleep on the streets. If it wasn’t for Dylan Burns, I would’ve been—”
“Dylan—mother fucking—Burns?”
“It turns out your villain is a wonderful man who took me in, gave me a home and a job, and didn’t ask for anything in return.” I blinked back tears as my heart thundered in my chest.
“I don’t know who the fuck you are because you’re no daughter of mine. My kin wouldn’t even look at that asshole unless it was to spit in his fucking face.”
The sound I made was half laugh, half sob. “Well, joke’s on you because I’m pretty sure that asshole is responsible for your unicorn lawyer. I’ll be sure to pass on the sentiment.”
I punched the end call button with a flourish then tossed my phone onto my desk and bent over and just wept.
I didn’t know who that man was. The father I knew was sweet and kind. Sure he’d had some rough edges, but he cared about me. Wanted to hear all about my hopes and dreams. Convinced me to move to California since we only just found each other.
But apparently I’d been fooling myself. Because slowly, day by day, he’d showed me his true self.
I just refused to see it.
The sly slut shaming comments about guys at college.
The backhanded compliments about my cooking.
The snarky comments about all the cleaningIhad let slide.
The times he’d disappeared for days or weeks at a time without any explanation. I’d gone out of my mind with worry, and now I was pretty sure he’d been on drug runs for the MC.
More fool me.
“Indy? Who was that on the phone just now?” James’ voice came from behind me.
I burrowed my face into my hands as I cringed. How much of that had they heard? Thank god it hadn’t been on speaker phone. I swiped at my eyes and refused to look at the producer since he never traveled alone. Pretty sure a camera was pointing at me. “My dad.”
“Dylan paid for a lawyer for your dad? Why? What’s going on? Why does your dad need a lawyer?”
Oh god.
I felt the walls coming in on me.
I never thought this through.
I didn’t want him looking into my past. Into who my dad was or why he was in jail.
Could that get Dylan in trouble?
