“Well, he did a deep dive on you and your dad when we first met up and found more than I’d bargained for.”
“What do you mean ‘deep dive?’ I don’t remember giving you permission to—”
“You did a background check on me,” he pointed out.
“Because my kid was going to work for you!” I squeaked. “And you’re part of a notorious motorcycle gang, so I had to make sure—”
“Club,” he ground out. “Not gang.”
“Stop interrupting me!” He stood again, crossing his arms as he put distance between us. “What world have I stepped into, Hyde? Honestly, this is ridiculous. I work for a nonprofit. I have a dad who’s my world. A simple salesman who took over the job of both mom and dad, and did it beautifully. I don’t have a dad who’s in the CIA. He never went anywhere. He was always home. Don’t agents travel all the time? You know, to torture the enemy or whatever? Are you going to try and tell me my best friend is a secret assassin as well?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“You didn’t do a deep dive, invasion of her privacy?” I spat out. “Just mine?”
“Our club always does a background check on anyone coming into the fold,” he said. “The deep dive only happened because your dad was a ghost.”
“What do you mean, he was a ghost?”
“I think you need to ask your dad about the rest,” he said, suddenly defeated. “I don’t want to be the messenger that you kill.”
“The messenger part isn’t why I want to kill you, Hyde.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I need you to go.”
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Indigo.”
“Well, then go wait on the balcony or porch for a little while,” I snapped. “Somewhere I can ignore you.”
He scowled, storming through my front door.
I grabbed my phone and called my dad. Lucky for him, he picked up right away.
“Is it true?” I demanded.
“Aye, love, it’s true.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Oh my god, why would you lie to me all this time?”
“I wanted to protect you. Your mother’s family is more danger—”
“Wait,” I burst out. “What does any of this have to do with Mama?”
“Shit,” he hissed.
“Daddy, you need to start talking right now.”
“Well, first, I need you not to blame that man of yours. He’s doing me a favor.”
“I don’t actually give a shit, Dad, so you need to start disclosing.”
“How about I come by tomorrow—”
“How about you stop stalling, old man, and tell me everything.”
He let out a deep, loud sigh. “Right, love. IamCIA. Retired. I was recruited out of college—”
“Jekyll already told me all this, Dad. What’s this about Mom?”
“Your mother’s father is Yakuza.”
