The sound of my own blood thumping and rushing through my ears was deafening. As I shifted against the sheets my eyes shot open and I immediately sat up. As my eyes darted in every corner of my room but my heart didn't calm down. My room was empty except that now a row of elaborate gifts bags sat lined up against the wide wall underneath the mounted television. Swiftly I crawled out of bed. On my knees I pushed my hands underneath the heavy mattress and retrieved the two black steel hand knives gifted to me from Ryu. A hand gun or rifle would be too loud and my neighbors would immediately freak out and call the police. I knew better than anyone that I wasn't in the right head space to deal with the police or any kind of authority right now.
Getting rid of a body would be so much easier.
With a blade in each hand I silently headed to my bedroom door that sat open, only a crack and I listened. For something.. movement or talking. As I stood there waiting for something that probably wasn't even there.. I began to question my sanity.
I couldn't have imagined it
Could I?
" Just make it happen" a deep voice demanded and my hands tightened as I recognized it. I could never forget this voice but it couldn't be real. Pulling open the door I was careful not to make a sound as I made my way down the hallway. The faint smell of delicious homemade food lingered in the air and was surely cold by now. There appeared to be no one else here besides the man and as I followed the sounds of the voice it led me directly to the kitchen. Two plates of food sat on the island across from the other, untouched and the man stood at the patio door gazing outside as he held a phone to his ear. I couldn't help but stare, even his back was familiar. It was as if time froze and the man in front of me had never left. He was dressed in a pressed camel colored suit jacket, casual jeans and suede loafers on his feet. His dark hair was still curly, cut short. From the angle I stood I could see the face of the jaguar tattooed on the back of his hand.
" Yeah? And what did you find out?" The man spoke into the phone and I swiftly stepped forward pressing each blade against his back. One at his spine and the other exactly where his liver was.
" Who are you?" I asked as the man stiffened.
" Let me call you back"
Without a worry in the world the man hung up the phone and glanced over his shoulder.
" Good to see you up lil light, you must be feeling better"
" Do not call me that, you have no right.. no right to come into my home.. pretending to be my father in some kind of sick ploy to get me to show mercy"
" I'm not pretending and it's not a ploy or a trick"
My hands tightened on the handles as I pressed harder into his back.
" You are not Tobias Langley"-
" I am"
" You are not my father! My father is dead" my eyes began to fill with tears.
" I mourned him"
" Mia"-
" Do not say my name" I threatened as I pitifully steeled my nerves. " You do not know me "
"I know everything about you my lil light" the man chuckled in amusement. " Your first steps, your first word which was hungy not dada.. From the first time you scraped your knee, then the day you won the little miss Summer time pageant and the Autumn pageant right after. They dressed you up like a little queen and you led the holiday desserts in the Thanksgiving day parade. The last thing I was here to witness was when you started dating Nicholas Lombardi.. I still wish that you hadn't. Most of everything else that has happened in your life I had to watch from afar. Except for the coma I came to see you but I wasn't able to stay for long"
" And Josiah's funeral?"
" I was there before the ceremony had begun, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't say goodbye to my boy. My son" the man's voice cracked and his head fell shamelessly.
I couldn't explain the energy radiating from the man but my anger was quickly fading.
"If you really are my father, turn around. Let me see your eyes"
Pulling the blades away I stepped back as the man slowly turned around. Only seconds had a chance to tick by but that was all that was needed. Orbs of bronze green flecked with gold matched mine while his skin was the color of toasted pecans. His nose was slightly crooked from being broken and a long scar laid precisely down the left side of his face. As he smiled I was blinded by the whites of his teeth as two dimples on each of his mouth deepened.
It really was him.
My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes before rolling down my face. His eyes glittered as he gently cupped my face.
" My beautiful little Mia, I'm glad to see that you don't hesitate to protect yourself. You're turning into me but I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing"
Pulling out of his hold my face slammed against his chest as my arms wrapped around his waist. His arms wrapped around my shoulders squeezing me tightly, engulfing me in the exotic cologne. With the heat radiating from his body and strong thump of his heart was a consistent remainder that I hadn't completely lost my mind. But he was really here, he was alive.
"Daddy" I croaked gripping the fabric of his jacket. " Where have you been!? Why did you let us think you were dead!" as the anger bubbled inside of me I wrenched myself out of his hold.
" We needed you! We still do, Marco's running around with Nick and Milo.. Milo's with grandpa and I -"
Shushing me dad grabbed ahold of my hands and pulled me into another hug and squeezed
.
" Calm down sweetheart. I know what's going on and I'll explain everything in due time-
" But"-
With a stern look my mouth clamped shut and dad chuckled at my frown.
"I know life hasn't been kind to you. You've had to endure things I never wished for but I promise I'm going to fix everything"
" How?" I pulled away to look up at his face only for him to gently push my head back down to his chest.
" Don't you worry your pretty head about a thing I'm here now and I have everything under control but first I need to talk with Tony again and then with Raul."
" Again?"
" How do you think I've been keeping up with everything that has been happening to you kids?"
" Tony knew?"
Dad frowned as he tried to think of the words. " Not at first but we've been friends for a long time, he caught on and has been keeping my secret for me. But now I do believe I've been sitting on the sidelines long enough, your grandpa is in for a rude awakening"
" I thought grandpa was in protective custody with the feds"
Dad raised an eyebrow peering down at me curiously.
" Who told you that?"
" Leon, when we were at Vito's why?"
Chuckling to himself dad gently pulled out of our hug and took ahold of my hands.
" You already know what I'm-" he sighed disappointingly. " What we're in. Plus your a grown woman now, so I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Your grandpa" dad paused for a second with a deep frown. " Raul back stabbed a lot of dangerous people and the feds may act like they don't know but they know. They hate and fear people of the underground, do you really think they would sacrifice their loyal officers to protect him?"
My eyebrows knitted together as I tried to grasp what my dad was saying. " I thought grandpa was giving them information"
" Oh sweetheart, Raul can't give info that the feds already know about. No one trusts Raul not even his best friend Levi, Raul is under protection but it's not the feds"
" Where is grandpa?"
Dad grimaced.
" Are you okay?"
" Yes, I just hate- hearing you call him that"
" But he is my grandpa, isn't he?"
I watched as dad's jaw rocked as he nodded then released my hands before turning back towards the glass patio door.
" He's your mom's father so yes but that old mother fucker is the most evil son of a bitch on the planet. He really had the audacity to try to same shit with my baby girl now he's got my boy under his fuckin spell. That shit is not going to fly, I'll tell you that. I'm putting an end"- dad's attention snapped back towards me and the darkness that filled his eyes shook me to my core so violently I had to restrain the urge to coware from it.
" To all of it "
A sudden ringing of our doorbell snatched both of our attention and we simultaneously looked back towards each other. Dad's expression was a odd mixture of curiosity and lingering anger. While I tried to wear an expression of indifference with my heart racing like mad in my chest. I couldn't help but hope that it was Kaleb, my bed sheets smelled like him. I craved his calm aura that flared at the drop of a dime when it came to me. To crave him wasn't enough to truly express how I felt, I needed to hear his voice, feel his touch or even have his incredible blue eyes stare back into mine.
The way he makes me feel.. I needed it.
" Expecting company?" Dad's rose eyebrow as I hesitated then shook my head. The door bell rang several more times and before I could say a word Dad turned on his heel striding to the door. I hurried behind and as he opened the door my eyes widened as I stared back at Corey. Deep, dark bags sat under his green eyes and even his skin seemed faded. He was exhausted and still wore the same clothes from last night but now his foot was in a cast and he balanced himself with a crunch underneath his left arm. Looking past him Daniel winked at me with a nonchalant wave, just as if it was any other day.
" Who are you?" Dad barked, the menacing tone in his voice started a nervous thump in my chest. I didn't say a word as Corey stared back at my dad then slowly glanced over at me.
" Can I have my keys back?"
Swiftly dad blocked Corey's view as he held his gaze.
" I'm sorry, you must have lost some of your hearing from the accident" he gestured towards Corey's crunch. " But I asked you a question and I suggest you answer before you make me really upset"
Corey's face twisted into a ugly scowl as he sized my dad up, they stood at the same height but still my dad looked bigger somehow. Shaking my head slightly I half hoped Corey would catch it.
" I'm Corey"
No gasp escaped my lips as Dad's hand was practically a blur as it collided with Corey's jaw with an upper cut. The sound it self was loud, painful and left Corey in a gaze and his crunch clattered as it fell to the ground. With no hesitation Dad grabbed Corey by the front of his shirt yanking him forward and slammed Corey against the door then swiftly pulled a choke wire from his pocket. Hooking the wire around Corey's neck he shoved his knee into Corey's back holding him against the door. The wire tightened as Dad held it with both hands.
" I already know who you are, you did something a lot like this to my daughter"
Corey fought to breath and if the wire didn't have protective plastic molded over it, it would have been cutting into his skin.
" Oh whoa, what the hell?!" Daniel yelled as he hurried across the yard. Dad loosened the wire, only enough so Corey could speak.
" Call off your dog" Dad demanded in a low tone so Daniel could not hear.
" Go, Danny I'm fine. I can handle it" Corey spat visibly fighting the urge not to glare back at my dad.
Daniel sighed. " You're joking "
"Does this look like a night at the improv? He said he's fine, Go wait in the car Justin Bieber"
Daniel hesitated and as he locked eyes with me I shook my head again, a silent warning for him not to try it. Dad was older and undoubtedly more experienced than all three of us put together. Walking backwards Daniel put his hands in his pockets in a attempt to stop his anxious fidgeting. Once at the silver sedan he stopped, he didn't get in but watched from afar.
" Now where were we?" Dad's voice stayed in the frightening menacing tone as he curled the wire around his hands, tightening it against Corey's throat. " I know about what you did, so tell me how does it feel to be overpowered? Helpless?"
A deep red hue began to form underneath Corey's caramel complexion as his eyes began to water. But he didn't make a single effort to speak instead he tried to maneuver himself from Dad's hold. Only causing the wire to tighten even more. Dad chuckled, and I suddenly remembered where my dark sense of humor came from.
" Oh I get it, you're a tough guy huh? Did it make you feel like a big man to put your hands on my baby girl? "
" Dad" I stepped forward
" I'm not going hurt him Mia, just making a point. Now go get his keys sweetie" dad nodded to me nonchalantly
I hesitated just as I began to protest but swiftly decided against it and ran upstairs to my room. Dad had more self control than most people gave him credit for but when he was beyond pissed. There was no stopping him, I completely forgotten how scared dad used to make my brothers and I. He never lifted a hand to us, he never had to. It was the tone in his voice and the look in his eyes that was so bone chillingly frightening that it made Marco pee his pants when he was twelve. I used to hide in my closet and Milo, he was the good one between the three of us, he never got in trouble. Grabbing my purse I dumped all of the contents out and quickly shifted through the loose change and lip glosses. Spotting the faded, rubber ufc symbol I grabbed it and climbed out of bed when something glittering caught my eye. Before I could touch it I knew what it was and a tight clenching in my chest caused me to pause but only for a moment.
Kaleb.. he put the ring back in my purse while I was sleeping, before I even woke up.
He already made up his mind...
Pushing the thought away I gripped the keys in my hand and hurried back downstairs. Dad was leaning in close to Corey saying something to low for me to hear but I knew my dad well enough that it was a threat and as I grew close he released the wire, it snapped before retracting back into the little black puck shaped disc and Dad simply put it back into his pocket then pushed off of Corey. Gasping and coughing loudly Corey stayed leaning against the door as Dad walked over to me. He held out his hand and I placed the keys inside. Arrogantly he tossed the keys towards Corey and they jingled as they hit the concrete and tumbled down the steps.
" Another bit of advice, get a hair cut you look like a girl" nudging Corey off of our door, Dad slammed it shut then locked it.
An awkward silence filled the entire house as we gazed at each other. Dad sighed contently like what he did really wasn't a big deal.
" What were you thinking dating a boy like that?" He jutted his thumb in the direction of the front door like Corey was still there.
Innocently I shrugged. " He didn't use to be like that"
" You mean you didn't notice, I taught you better than that Mia"
My eyes rolled as I smiled. " If I'm being honest.. he's also really cute"
Dad shook his head with a chuckle. " Mia-"
" What? You dated mama because she was cute, don't judge me" I scolded playfully as he let out a little laugh.
" Fine" he lifted his hands in surrender. " Truce now go take a shower and get dressed"
" Why? Are we going somewhere?"
" Well I doubt you want to eat food that's been sitting out for hours, so we can go get something to eat and then we'll go see Tony. He doesn't know I'm officially back yet and I think a real reunion is overdue"
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Big daddy Tobias