The Alpha Bodyguards Books #1-3

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I followed her into the house, wondering if I’d lost my goddamn mind.

I’d spent ten days looking for her because despite all the technology in the world and the shit you saw on TV, people weren’t easy to find. She hadn’t touched any of her bank accounts, not the ones we knew about, and we’d never even gotten a lead on what car she was in.

I made it two steps into the front hall and her father came out of the kitchen.

He glanced at me then his gaze trailed after his daughter as she took the steps two at a time. “Where you going, girl? Food’s on the table.”

Ignoring him, Audrina disappeared into her room.

“We’re not staying.” I crossed my arms on purpose.

His gaze cut to my biceps, then my eyes. “She ain’t yours. You don’t speak for her.”

Anger surged, and I glared at him. I’d misread the old fuck as mostly harmless earlier. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again. “You think you speak for her?”

He puffed his chest. “She’s my daughter.”

“Yeah?” Fucking asshole. “Was she your daughter ten days ago? A month ago? Was there any time in the past decade that you gave a shit about her?” My temper flared and my voice dropped low in warning. “Was she your daughter when your wife signed away custodial rights to a casting agent?” The greedy fuck. The house was old, but the barn and the equipment in it were new.

“That ain’t none of your business. ”

The fuck it wasn’t. “I’m making it my business, because you haven’t said one decent word to her since I’ve been here.”

“You come sniffing around my daughter, you don’t know the first thing about being decent.”

The son pushed his chair back from the table and came to stand beside his father. “You need to leave.”

What a fucking joke. I could take both of them without breaking a sweat. “I’m gonna.” I glared at her brother. “As soon as your sister comes back downstairs with her stuff.”

“She ain’t leaving,” the father postured.

She sure as hell wasn’t staying here anymore. “You know what you seem to forget, old man?” I heard her footsteps coming back downstairs.

“I don’t forget nothing,” he barked.

Addressing her father, I took Audrina’s backpack. “Yes you do. You forgot one crucial fact.”

Audrina looked between us. “What’s going on?”

Her father ignored her. Her brother ignored her, and her mother sat at the kitchen table with an expression of disgust.

I put my arm around her shoulders and looked her old man in the eye. “You forgot she’s a fucking person.” I hustled her out the front door.

“You stop right there, girl,” her father bellowed.

“Ignore him,” I muttered, ushering her to the passenger side of the SUV and opening the door before I threw her backpack in.

“That’s it,” her father warned. “You leave now, you don’t ever come back. Not even with your tail between your legs.”

Her ass in the seat, one foot on the running board, Audrina froze.

“Do not engage,” I warned low so only she could hear me. “It’s not worth it.”

Holding on to the door, glaring at her father, she pulled herself up and out of the seat. “Is that what you think?” she asked, incredulous. “That I came back here with my tail between my legs ?”

“You sure as hell ain’t here with no dignity,” he spat. “You ain’t known dignity since you was thirteen. ”

“I paid your precious farm off,” Audrina seethed. “I bought you all new equipment. And you’re calling me undignified?”

Taking a step toward us, her old man pointed his finger at her. “Don’t you dare mouth off to me, girl.”

I didn’t want to have to hit the old man, but I fucking would if he took one more step. “Back off,” I warned.

“Or what?” The old man challenged me. “You gonna throw some of that useless muscle around you got in one of them fancy gyms? You ain’t worked an honest day in your life.”

The son stepped beside the old man. “Let her go, Pop. She ain’t worth it. She’s trash. She always was.”

Rage surged. Barely holding it back, I took her arm. “Get in the car, Audrina.” Asshole or not, the piece of shit was still her brother. I told myself I wouldn’t fucking hit him.

But then she opened her mouth and let the cat out of the bag. “Is that how you justify yourself, James?” She laughed bitterly. “That I’m trash? That I always was? That you tried to climb into bed every night with a piece of trash ten years ago?”

I spun and my fist flew.

The first blow hit him in the ribs, and when he doubled over, I aimed a perfect uppercut. He dropped to his knees like the piece of shit he was, and I kicked him.

“Falcon!” Audrina yelled before I could kick her asshole brother again.

Adrenaline and rage pumping, itching to fucking end him, I glared at her old man then rounded the front of the SUV as Audrina got back in the passenger seat.

Five seconds later, I was gunning the heavy engine down the dirt road, pissed off I didn’t commit murder.