There was weight under his words, though, a knowing look on his face.
If he’d gone looking for Gracie and found her asleep on me in the bed, there was no way he thought it was just in gratitude for trying to rescue her.
“Duke…” I said, shaking my head.
“Look,” he said, moving to the edge of the bed, hands grabbing the plastic footboard, “the club, the rules, that’s between you and Fallon. I don’t give a shit about the rules. I care about my daughter and who is, and isn’t, good for her.”
“I know—” I started.
“And I’ve watched her date a few no-good fucking losers who didn’t know how lucky they were to have her in their lives.”
“Didn’t know what they had,” I said, shaking my head. I couldn’t imagine having her and letting her slip through your fingers.
“And the thing is, I think you do.”
“I don’t deserve her.”
“Something about the way she screamed to be let go so she could run to you says maybe that’s not true.
“Look,” he said, exhaling hard, “it’s not my place to police who my daughter dates. She’s grown. She makes her own decisions. But it is my place to remind you that if that girl comes to me crying about you someday, I take making you pay for that very fucking seriously.”
“I wouldn’t even fight you.”
To that, he nodded.
“You good?”
“I’ll recover.”
“You took three bullets trying to save my kid. I don’t take that lightly.”
“Dad?” Gracie asked, tone worried.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said, turning to the side to look at her.
His face tightened as he took her in. It was probably the first chance he got to see her once the bruises really settled in.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“My head hurts.”
“You were supposed to have medicine by now,” he said, tone partially chastening.
“Don’t be mad at Mom,” she demanded. So that was how she got out. “Or Rune.”
Rune.
That made a certain kind of sense.
Him with those knowing looks.
“I’m not mad at anyone today,” Duke said. “My girl is safe. That’s all that matters. But I am gonna go make your mother get some sleep. She’s been up all night in the waiting room.”
“I love you,” she said when he pressed a hand to her cheek.
“I love you too. Perish, get well soon.”
With that, he was gone.
