“No. I’ve never had a problem with your age.” Tucking her hair behind her ear, she stared past his shoulder. “I told you I was going. I never led you to believe I was staying. Tate is pregnant. She’s going to be a mother herself. You’ve got the club. I need to find something for me.”
She stopped talking as his fingers caressed over her knee. Up he went to her thigh caressing and stroking her.
“You’ve got me.”
She expelled her breath and stared into his eyes. “It’s not enough.”
“Goddamn it, Eva. What do I need to do?” he asked.
“Nothing.” The door was banged invading their time together. “That’s my dad.”
Tiny didn’t move away from the stairs stopping her from answering the door. “I thought he was supposed to meet us at the compound.”
“He rented a car. He’s taking me to the airport straight from the club. Tate organized the baby shower so I was around to see all three of them.” His fingers were still caressing her thigh.
Another bang on the door made her jump. Ned wouldn’t wait for long before he made his impatience known.
“She’s going to need your help. I can pay you double to stay.”
“No.” She pushed his hand away. “I’m going, Tiny.”
He moved out of the way, not that she gave him a choice. Going to the door, she opened it without looking. Ned, her father, stood with his arms folded. He was as large as Tiny. He was older than Tiny, but he kept himself in good shape.
“Daddy,” she said, going into his arms.
“Baby girl, I was beginning to worry I’d forgotten our arrangements.” He embraced her, squeezing her close.
“I was getting the last of my bags. Sorry it took me so long to open the door.” She pulled away, smiling at him.
Even as she smiled, happy to see her father, a part of her was hurting at leaving Tiny behind.
“Let’s get these bags in the car, and then I really need a drink.”
“Did you come alone?” she asked, needing him to talk to avoid the obvious question.
“Yeah, Gavin is training my fighters. He’s looking forward to seeing you again.”
She tensed at the other man’s name. “Dad, I’m not going back to him. Any matchmaking you’ve got planned can stop today.”
“I’m not going to do anything, honey. Gavin’s a real asset to me.” Ned took the cases from her. Together they walked to the car. Tiny had disappeared into his office. She hoped he hadn’t seen her reaction to Gavin’s name.
At the car, she handed over her cases.
“What’s gone on between you and Tiny?” Ned asked.
“Nothing.” She wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“You’ve f**ked him, haven’t you?”
She must look like a strawberry. Her cheeks had to be on fire. Ned always got to the point with everything. She’d grown up around a lot of gruff language.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She made to walk away. He caught her wrist stopping her from escaping.
“If you want to stay I’ll be happy to spend a few hours with you and leave you here.”
She looked up at him seeing the sincerity in his eyes.
“I’m leaving. I’ve got to leave. Tiny hasn’t done anything wrong. This is entirely my decision. Please don’t start thinking he’s done something wrong. He hasn’t.”
“Who are you trying to convince?” Ned asked, folding his arms. She stared at the tattoos across his knuckles. The words “FUCK OFF” stared at her. He’d gotten them in prison many years ago.
“No one. I’m just convincing you so you won’t kick his ass.” She smiled at him, hoping he wouldn’t see past the lie.
“Honey, I’ll be kicking his ass for letting you go.”
Shaking her head, she watched him place each case in the trunk of the car. “You won’t.”
Ned slammed the trunk down. His gaze went to the house. Looking behind her, she wondered what he was looking at. The doorway was bare.
“Your man is looking at you through the window. He’s not going to beg you, Eva. If this is what you want, then you’re going to be disappointed.”
Letting out a sigh, she turned away from the house.
“I’m not, Dad. Leave it alone.” She tucked some hair behind her ear and started walking toward the house.
“Eva.” Ned called her name. Turning back to look at him, she waited for him to respond. “What are you running from?”
Staring at her father, the man who’d been the saint in her story but the devil in so many others, she wondered how he could be two different people. She’d never once asked about her mother or why he did what he did.
Eva knew why she was leaving, but she knew her father would make her face what she was running from. She was running from pain. Tiny was her one weakness, and she’d been brought up to never have a weakness and to face the person causing her pain.
“Your feelings for him are not going to change, not even if you put another state between you,” Ned said.
“Is that how you felt with my mother?” she asked. She saw him tense, but she didn’t care. Tiny was her weakness as he was the only man, besides her father, who could cause her pain.
Spinning on her heel she walked back into the house. Tiny was stood in the doorway of his office. “You’re really going?”
“Yes.”
He stared into her eyes. She saw the lust, the fire, and the burning passion smoldering within his depths.
What was she waiting for? Eva knew he wouldn’t beg her to stay with him.
“Sorry,” he said. Tiny hadn’t broken eye contact with her.
“What? Why?”
“I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.” He stood hard, unyielding against the door. “The women were a distraction. I never meant to hurt you. It has been too long since I cared about anyone. Tate is my daughter and I loved her, but being with other women would never hurt her.”
“Where is all of this coming from?” she asked.
Tiny stepped forward, cupping her cheek. She felt the calluses on his palm as he caressed her flesh. “You’re leaving, and I need you to know.”
She pressed her hand on top of his. “The leader of The Skulls is apologizing to me?”
“You deserve it. All the shit I put you through, it’s the least I can do.”
Eva frowned at him. “You’ve been talking to Tate.”