I passed Eldieon the way out, but she wouldn’t talk to me, and by the time I made it outside,Daisy was gone.
Daisy
ITOOK AN Uber to the club, way too pissedoff to go home, and rushed inside to find my dad in his office. “Hey, babygirl, you okay?”
“No!” I seethed.
He frowned.“What’s goin’ on?”
Before I couldfill him in, Hatch walked in. “Book, I need—oh, hey, Ducky.” He pulled me infor a hug. “Where’s your man?”
“Hopefullypicking his jaw up off the ground.”
Dad and Hatchglanced at each other, then Hatch closed the door.
“What the fuck’sgoin’ on, Ducky?” Dad demanded.
“Other than Clutchand Huck having a dick measuring contest? Nothing much,” I snapped, flopping inone of the chairs next to Dad’s desk. “Why does everything have to come down toviolence with men?”
“What happened?”Hatch asked, his tone quiet, and I missed the lethalness in it.
I filled themboth in on everything Gina and I had overheard, and then Hatch walked calmlyout of Dad’s office without a backward glance, and I looked at my father.“Where’s he going?”
Dad chuckled. “Ihave a feeling Clutch is about to get beat down from either Minus or Hatch… orboth. Huck won’t be the only one pickin’ his jaw up off the ground.”
“Why are youlaughing?”
He shrugged.“Because anytime Clutch gets a beat down, it makes me exceedingly happy.”
I rolled myeyes. “There’s something seriously wrong with you, you know that right?”
“Your mom tellsme that every single day.”
“It’s a wonderyou’ve stayed together so long,” I teased.
“I’m a charmin’fella, what can I say?”
I dropped myforehead to his desk and groaned. “He’s gonna leave, Daddy.”
“What do youmean leave?”
I sat back andlooked at him again. “Leave the club, leave the state, leave me. I think Clutchhas sufficiently scared him away from club life and now he’ll probably decidehe doesn’t want to prospect. I mean, he has to have a full knee replacementanyway, which is going to mean months of rehab, so…” I burst into tears, theheaviness of it hitting me. “He’s going to think it’s all way too much troubleand just walk away.”
“Jesus, Ducky,he’s not gonna leave you.”
A knock at thedoor interrupted any further meltdown and Huck pushed his way in. He frowned atmy father, before sitting in the chair beside me.
“Baby, why areyou crying?” Then to my father, he demanded, “Why is she crying?”
“How about westart with why the hell my daughter had to take a fuckin’ Uber herealone,”Dad growled.
“He didn’t knowI left,” I snapped. “So, don’t you dare start in with that business, old man.It wasn’t his fault.”
“He’s rightthough, Daisy. I should have made sure we were together.” He focused on my dadagain. “Do you mind if Daisy and I talk privately for a few?”
“Sure,” Dadsaid. “I’ll give you the room.”
Dad kissed thetop of my head, then walked out, closing the door behind him.
