Page 50 of Crucified By the Dark
She really could use a drink for this one. Morry stared at her phone and cringed as her finger hovered over her father’s name.
“You can do this. It’s for Kyle.”
Steeling herself, she hit call on the one that read, The Colonel. Her hands immediately began to sweat, and her leg wouldn’t stop shaking. She hadn’t spoken to her father since she took over the Legions. He understood about the mission and was one of the few who had been read in, so he wasn’t upset about that, but she couldn’t tell him about The Righteous any more than she could tell Andrew. He hadn’t said anything when she told him that she was the head of the motorcycle club, but the look of disappointment in his eyes had been enough.
They had strategically avoided each other for every family holiday since then. Emmitt was the eldest of her brothers, and he was pissed that they still weren’t speaking. He tried to trick them into sitting down and talking more than once.
The line clicked, and her father’s deep voice came on the line. “Colonel Waters,” he said, his voice brisk and to the point, just like the man himself.
She opened her mouth and closed it again. It felt like she was paralyzed and couldn’t speak. Why did her father always make her feel so small? Like a tiny little bit of dirt. He didn’t even know it was her, and she felt like he was judging her.
“Is anyone there? I don’t have time for this. If you’re there, speak up, or I’m hanging up.”
She tried again, but still, no sound would come out.
“Fine, don’t call this number again.”
“Dad,” she managed to spit out. Her heart was hammering out of her chest. The phone was so quiet she wasn’t sure if he’d gone ahead and hung up. “Dad? I…I need your help,” she said and closed her eyes.
“Morry, what’s happened?”
“It’s Kyle. Can you come see me? I know you don’t approve of what I do, but….”
“Of course, I’ll come. When and where?”
“As soon as you can. It’s important. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t.”
The deep rumbling sigh on the other end of the line sounded tired. “Two days?”
She didn’t expect the tears, but they slowly trickled down her cheeks as she covered her mouth to keep from breaking down. Her father had always been tough, and they’d always been so close until that one conversation changed everything. She was so focused and kept busy with a million things that she hadn’t noticed how much she missed him until now.
“That works.” She swallowed back the ache and pain lodged in her throat. “Thank you, Dad.”
“Anything for my grandson.” Just like that, her heart broke all over again. “I’ll see you in two days, Pumpkin.”
The phone clicked dead, and Morry stared at it in shock. He’d called her by her childhood nickname. He hadn’t done that since before she married Andrew. That was the first thing she’d done against his wishes, and their relationship only became more unstable until it completely disintegrated around her.
A knock at the door made her look up and wipe away the remaining tears. Morry didn’t know why she was crying so much lately, but she really wished it would stop.
“Come in.”
Judd stuck his head in the door. “I’m off to the meeting,” he said and stepped into the room.
“How many men are you taking?”
“Twelve and three of our cutest sweetbutts.” Morry raised an eyebrow at him. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not going to turn into an orgy fest or anything. Well, it may, but only if we have a deal to celebrate.”
“Uh-huh, well, whatever gets the deal signed. Try not to kill anyone or stick your dick where it doesn’t belong.”
“Why? You miss it? Want me to stop by later? I’m sure I could get it up again.”
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“Like fuck you will,” came Jeremy’s angry growl as he stepped into her line of sight.
Oh great. Jeremy had either the best or worst timing. She hadn’t figured out which.
Before anything could get going, she interrupted the cock strutting and let out one of her loud whistles. It echoed, and Judd cringed. “Enough. Judd, get going and get the deal done. We need them as an ally. Jeremy, I need to speak to you, and both of you knock it off, for fuck’s sake.”
