Lethal Temptations (Tempted #5)(94)

“Boots? That’s the president of the Corrupt Bastards,” my father said, a vein bulging from the side of his neck. “He was at the hospital visiting the little cocksucker who tried to rape Lacey?”

“No, he was threatening the father,” Riggs clarified. “Apparently, they had some deal going on and the father was angry because the deal didn’t include his son winding up in a coma.”

“What deal? Riggs! Get to the point!”

“I don’t know all the details but after the father went on a rant about his son dying because of some debt he owed the Bastards’—Boots told him, his son was never supposed to rape Blackie’s girl and whatever deal they had with him was now off the table,” Riggs words trailed off.

“Blackie’s girl,” my dad drawled as if he was testing the two words out to see how they sounded coming from his mouth.

I swallowed hard, watching as he swiped a hand across the counter and sent everything crashing onto the floor

“Jack,” Riggs tried.

“Blackie’s girl,” he repeated.

“Jack!”

“You telling me my daughter nearly got raped last night because of some shit with a rival club or are you telling me she was attacked because Blackie’s got a claim on my daughter?”

“I think it’s both,” Riggs admitted.

It was hard for me to wrap my head around Riggs’ words. Brandon was just some frat guy who thought his dick was holier than thou. But he wasn’t. His father had connections to another motorcycle club, and he was using me as a pawn to stir up trouble only Brandon couldn’t follow the f*cking plan.

If I wasn’t sure I was mentally ill before I’d start to wonder.

As for my father? I hope he took his meds today.

Add the truth of me and Blackie being dumped on my dad and I’d say he was ten seconds away from blowing his top.

“I’ve seen them together,” Riggs blurted.

Goddamn Riggs.

Riggs held up his hands in protest as my father’s head snapped and his eyes narrowed at him.

“Before you kill me, hear me out,” he protested, and I watched as my dad remained perfectly still.

Man if looks could kill, poor Riggs would be six feet under.

“He loves her,” Riggs continued.

I didn’t care about my father’s reaction, too wrapped up in the three words Riggs blurted.

Blackie loves me.

It was a bittersweet moment for me, knowing that his friends saw the love he had for me, and that I wasn’t alone in witnessing it. Riggs gifted me the medicine no doctor could. He gave me peace of mind, he shut down the skepticism of my maker by affirming what I knew in my heart.

I wasn’t wrong about him, about us and last night when I looked into his eyes and saw them full of love, I hadn’t imagined it.

It was all real.

The story.

The moments.

The love.

It really happened and those three words were all I needed to hang on. I’d savor them, rely on them when the doubt surfaced and I would use them to bring me back to life.

“The poor bastard don’t even know it but that girl of his, or yours…whoever she belongs to…Lacey healed Blackie,” Riggs continued. “He’s falling apart, dropped off his program and turned his life to shit again because he doesn’t think he deserves her. He’s afraid like hell he will f*ck it up and lose her or worse, he’s terrified he will cause her harm.”

“Blackie told you this?”

“No. I’ve got eyes man, and I got a woman I pushed away because I’m feeling all those things. It’s easy for me to spot what I’m going through in someone else.”

“You don’t know what the f*ck you’re talking about. Blackie wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t get involved with my daughter. He’s my goddamn vice president, the man I chose to sit at my left, he’s my f*cking brother,” he roared.

“Heart,” Riggs said.

“Ain’t got shit to do with what you’re talking about!”

“It’s got everything to do with what I’m talking about. You told me months ago Blackie’s heart beats for a woman he lost a long time ago and he’s just waiting for the day he is reunited with her. You and I both know that man has had plenty of opportunities to end the nightmare he’s living, but he doesn’t,” he shouted, advancing toward my dad. “He keeps on pushing through because he’s got heart, something that keeps him here and not in Green-Wood cemetery. If he’s your brother, you’ll ease that man of the burden of his conscience. Now, if you’re going to kill me, do it now and make it fast and painless. Or you could let me slide because I’ve got a kid on the way and I’d like to get the chance to love my kid as much as you love yours.”

Riggs reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper before sliding it across the counter at my father. He didn’t lift his head as he placed his palm over the paper.

“The Corrupt Bastards run an online gambling site. The kid’s father owed them a hundred grand. That’s his account profile,” Riggs said before turning around.

I stepped into the kitchen, blocking him from leaving as I stared back at him.

“Thank you,” I whispered, wiping the tears that had fallen from my eyes.