Chapter 22
Fathers And Daughters
ZARA
Two weeks later
“Hey what are you doing?”
Ares’s voice reaches me from the front of the garage, and I rise back to my feet to wave at him.
I point at my Ducati. “She’s making a weird noise, something between buzzing and clicking when I start the engine.
I just checked the battery, and it’s fine.
I’m thinking it could be the starter relay.
I don’t think it has been changed since I got it.
I was just to see if it’s that. Can you start it for me so I can do it? ”
Ares does what I ask, and I tap the relay box with a screwdriver to test it. The buzzing immediately changes.
“Thanks, you can stop now.” I exhale a relieved breath. “It’s definitely the starter relay. Thank goodness, that’s an easy fix.”
My stepbrother’s eyes bore into mine. “Princess, why are you working on your bike? You aren’t thinking about breaking the promise we made to Dad, right?”
I shake my head. “No, I swear. I don’t want to disappoint Scott, especially now that he’s ok with us being together. But since the ban was lifted, I don’t see anything wrong in going for a ride around town.”
Ares considers my words. “Hmm, do you think that’s safe?”
“Whoever wanted to hurt JJ Smith was obviously aware of the races. They would have no way of knowing that I’m taking out the bike to go to the pier or out to Shell Cove. Unless they’re watching me 24/7.”
“That’s true. But maybe I could come with you?”
He reaches out, wiping a smudge of grease from my face with the pad of his thumb.
“How did you get grease on your face?” he chuckles.
“While I was at it, I checked a few more things I wanted to make sure were in working order, and I changed the oil.”
Ares pulls me closer, sliding his hands into the back pockets of my denim shorts. “Do you have any idea how hot it is to have a girlfriend who’s as good a rider as I am and who’s mechanically savvy?”
“No. Because I’m a better rider than you.” I tease him.
He takes my bottom lip between his teeth and tugs gently. “Maybe. But to answer my original question, you’re smoking hot.”
My fingers play with the short hair at the nape of his neck. “So are you.”
“Do you want to go upstairs? I can show you just how hot I think you are.”
I can feel him harden against my stomach. “Mom and Scott are at work, and Chance and Lev are at practice. So I think you could definitely show me a few things.” I whisper, rubbing his erection through his jeans.
“Fuck yeah.” Ares lifts me with a low growl, and I wrap my thighs around his waist.
The noise of someone clearing their throat stops us a few steps before the entrance of the garage.
The door is only halfway open, so we can’t see the face of the man standing right on the threshold. But I would recognize that voice and those black riding boots anywhere.
“Dad?” I gasp, climbing out of Ares’s arms and running outside.
I run into my dad’s open arms and inhale the familiar scent of his aftershave. “What are you doing here?”
“We’ll get to that in a minute.” He smiles, pulling me back to look at me after giving me one of his famous bear hugs. “First let me look at my main girl. You look beautiful, Doctor. You look happy.”
“Doctor?”
The excitement of seeing my dad in person after over nine months from the last time had almost made me forget that Ares was with me.
“That’s his nickname for me.” I explain. “Mom called me John Junior, but Dad has always called me The Doctor, after my idol, Valentino Rossi.”
“Your idol after me.” Dad chuckles.
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Of course. No one could ever beat you in my heart, Dad.”
“Not in your heart and not even on the racetrack. Since I’ve won two more championships than he has.” He winks, as he always does, every time Valentino is mentioned.
His green eyes, so similar to mine, are lit up with amusement. This has always been our running joke.
“Dad,” I say, looking at the Ducati Multistrada parked in the driveway.
“What are you doing here? Does Mom know you’re here?
” Since their divorce, Mom has limited contact with Dad to the bare minimum.
Unless it was about co-parenting, she made it more than clear that she wanted no relationship with her ex-husband.
Dad wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him.
“She knows. But we’ll talk about it in a minute.
There’s something I wanna know first. You always said that no one could ever beat me in your heart, but it looks like there might be someone after all.
” He sets a probing gaze on Ares. “Are you going to introduce me to the young man who was sucking your face and had his hands all over you when I got here?”
Heat rises to my face at the thought that we got caught red-handed by my father. “Hmm, yeah, of course. Dad, this is my boyfriend, Ares Hunter. Ares, this is my dad, John Fields.”
“Hunter, huh?” Dad scans Ares from head to toe. “So you’re dating my daughter but you’re also her stepbrother, if I understand correctly?”
Ares nods. “Yes, sir. I want you to know that I’m crazy about your daughter.”
“So you should be.” Dad offers him his hand to shake. “I don’t mind that you’re keeping things in the family, so to speak. But Zara is a catch, and she’s the number one person in my life. Treat her right, or there’s gonna be hell to pay. Am I being clear?”
“Crystal, sir. All I want is to make Zara happy, like she makes me.”
Dad keeps his gaze on Ares for a moment, weighing his words.
“Then we’ll have no problem.” He decides.
“Just keep it PG in front of me, if you don’t mind.
In my eyes, Zara is still the little hellion in pigtails who asked for her own riding gear for Christmas rather than dolls and who would spend her weekends riding on the back of my bike whenever possible.
You’ll understand what I mean when you have your own kids, but no father wants to think of the things you were gonna do with my daughter in that garage if I hadn’t walked in on you. ”
I let out an embarrassed giggle.
My dad might not have been always present, and he might flake at the last minute sometimes when we’re supposed to hang out, but I’ve never doubted that he loves me.
“He wasn’t going to do anything to me in the garage, Dad.” I smile, letting my bratty side come out for once. “We were gonna go to my room.”
“TMI, Doctor.” He half-laughs, half-groans. “I hope you know you’re gonna have your hands full with this one. My Zara isn’t just beautiful; she’s fierce like her mother and a little wild. She takes that last trait from me.”
Ares smiles, his gray eyes meeting mine before he looks at Dad again. “I’ve seen that wild streak, sir. It’s one of the things that made me fall for her.”
Ares
Zara’s father’s smile widens. “Good. Because I can tell you that taming her might prove impossible.”
“I wouldn’t dream of that, sir. Zara is perfect the way she is. And she’ll always have me to protect her anyway, even if she’s more than capable of looking after herself.”
He nods, satisfied with my answers so far. “That’s what I wanna hear. And by the way, you can stop calling me sir. My name is John.”
“Yes, sir. I mean, John. I’m sorry if I’m babbling like an idiot, but I have to tell you.
You’re my idol. I grew up with your posters on my wall and watching all of your races.
My brother and I wanted to be just like you when we grew up.
So, meeting you in person is a huge honor. I wish Atlas were here too.”
John wraps his other arms around my shoulders. “I’m the one who’s honored to have been your idol when you have such a famous father.”
“Yeah, my dad is amazing in his own right, and my little brother Chance is following in his footsteps. But Atlas and I wanted to leave our marks in the world on two wheels. Our dream was to race for Ducati one day, and be world champions like you were.”
“If I remember correctly, you and your twin brother had signed a contract with Yamaha. You were on your way to a great racing career.”
A lump forms in my throat. “Yeah, you’re right. But after my brother’s last race, I didn’t know if I could chase that dream by myself. I was so lost for a while.”
“That’s understandable.” He says. “What happened to your brother was tragic, but I never knew the extent of it until very recently.”
I stop at the front door, turning to look at Zara’s father. “Oh. I didn’t think people outside our family still remembered what happened that day. Were you following the case?”
John nods. “Yeah, but I didn’t know that you were still dealing with it. And that’s why I’m here. But I’ll explain better if you invite me in.” He says, pointing to the fact that I’m standing in the threshold.
I move, gesturing for him to enter the house, but I can’t help but tease Zara. “Your dad is a vampire too, huh? He needs to be invited into a house just like you.”
She elbows me with a giggle, but her focus is on her father. “You just said you’re here because of what happened to Atlas? I don’t understand.”
Dad’s voice comes from behind me. “I invited your father to visit, Zara. I hope you don’t mind.”
“I’m always happy to see my dad; but I must admit, I’m a little confused. And sorry to ask you this, Scott, but does Mom know he’s here?”
“Yes, your mom knows. If you guys want to follow me to the dining room, I ordered us some lunch and the delivery driver is five minutes away. We could talk while we eat. I hope tacos are ok with everyone?”
A few minutes later, Dad explains why he invited Zara’s father to come to Star Cove.
Saying that we’re surprised is the understatement of the year.
“So you changed your mind about letting us race?” I drop my half-eaten taco on my plate, looking at my father to make sure I didn’t mishear him.
“I did.” Dad’s tone is serious. “I want to protect you guys, especially Zara. But what she said the night of the town meeting kept echoing in my head and kept me up at night.”
A lot of things were said that night, so I ask him to clarify. “Remind us, please?”
“Zara said that whoever hit Atlas wanted to hurt her. That unless she raced, they might not come back out. If they went back into hiding for years or maybe forever, we would never know who killed Atlas. And he deserves justice. But it’s more than that.
We deserve to know. Nothing will bring Atlas back, and we’ll always have to deal with the loss; but we won’t get real closure until the person responsible is brought to justice. ”
I understand where Dad is coming from, and I don’t disagree with him. At least not completely. “That’s right. But I thought we agreed that we couldn’t let Zara take such a big risk.”
“We did. But then I thought about Zara’s plan to be prepared like she tried to do during that last race on campus. She successfully outran her attacker.”
There’s excitement in Zara’s eyes. “I did. And I can do it again.”
“No.” I immediately shoot her down. “No fucking way. It’s too dangerous.”
“What if it wasn’t?”
Dad must have lost his fucking mind.
“There’s no way you can guarantee that.” I bite out, rising from my chair.
“Ares, I understand your reservations. Believe me, I have some too. But John and I have discussed things over the phone, and we came up with a plan. We would like to explain it to you before you make a decision. And I promise that if you and Zara aren’t convinced, we’ll let sleeping dogs lie.”
I’m not willing to explore any scenario where there’s the tiniest possibility that Zara might get hurt, but she covers my hand with hers.
“What’s the harm in hearing them out? Come on, babe. Your dad is right. Let’s at least hear what they have to say.”
I can’t say no to her pleading eyes, but I leave no room for misunderstanding as I sit back down. “Fine. We can hear their plan. But I doubt it’ll change anything. Maybe we should call Lev and Chance, too? I’m pretty sure they’re going to want to be in the know.”