Serpent King's Bride: A Dark Mafia Romance Trilogy

“Sure, sprout. How about dinner? Same place as always?” His attempt at normalcy grated against me.

“No, Dad. Somewhere private,” I insisted. I didn’t know what I was going to say to him yet, but it had to be something. I needed to say something.

“Alright, Abby. Just give me a little bit to wrap things up here, and I’ll send you a pin. Not that you need one, but…”

“Thanks, Dad. I’ll see you soon.” I ended the call, the finality of the disconnect echoing ominously. What would I say?

I grabbed my keys and headed out–toward the car he’d bought me. As I stepped into the garage, it felt perfectly domestic…normal, even…but I knew this was going to change everything.

Because I was going to tell my dad who Nathan was.

My phone buzzed with an incoming message, and I checked it to find a pin dropped at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. It was a place etched in my memories, where Dad always stayed when he visited me, and I smiled when I saw that’s where he had chosen to stay. The familiarity was comforting; even if it wasn’t my dad’s couch, this at least was a place I associated with safety.

As the sleek skyscraper loomed overhead, I parked in the shadow of its grandeur. My heart thumped erratically as I sat for a moment, gathering remnants of courage that threatened to scatter in the wind.

I forced myself out of the car, my feet moving on autopilot towards the lobby that had once been a place of reunion and joy. But today, it was the backdrop for a revelation that would change everything. Owen Harper, who had taught me every survival trick I knew, was about to learn just how far his daughter had fallen into the world he’d fought against all his life.

“Sprout, you okay?” Dad’s voice cut through the whirlwind of my thoughts.

He was standing at the edge of the parking lot like he’d known exactly where I’d park, wearing a white button-up and black slacks, looking like a cop cosplaying a businessman. My dad was a chameleon like that, though–never uncomfortable, like he was perfectly at ease in the world.

“Hey, Dad,” I started, my voice betraying the storm inside. “Let’s go up to your room. We need privacy.”

“Sure thing, kiddo.” He glanced at me, a knowing look in his eyes. He could read me like an open book, but this chapter, I feared, would be too much for even him to bear.

He looked behind me, at the Mercedes Nathan had bought me.

His brows furrowed in confusion, that detective’s mind never resting.

“Whose wheels are these?” Dad asked, nodding towards the car with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

“Mine. Long story,” I sighed.

He eyed me suspiciously, but with a nod, he left it at that, knowing when to push and when to give me space. That was Dad—always a step ahead, yet willing to walk beside me through whatever hell I dragged him into.

As I approached, his arms opened wide, an unspoken sanctuary amidst the chaos. I fell into him, his familiar scent and the solid feel of his embrace enveloping me. It had been too long. The dam inside me cracked, emotions threatening to overflow. For the first time since this whole mess began, I felt the magnitude of how much I’d missed him. The man who’d taught me to stand strong was also the only one who could see me at my weakest.

Fat, warm tears slid down my cheeks as I buried my face into his shoulder before he leaned his face close to my ear.

“Missed you, sprout,” he murmured, his voice a soothing balm to my frayed nerves.

“Missed you more, Dad,” I managed to say, clinging to him like he was the lifeline pulling me back from the edge. In his hug, I found a momentary peace, a brief respite before the storm I was about to unleash.

“Hey, Sprout,” Dad’s voice broke through the silence, his use of the childhood nickname tugging a reluctant smile onto my face. “Save the waterworks for inside the hotel room, huh? I’ve got a box of tissues with your name on it. Plus, I ordered some food; you must be starving.”

“Starving and exhausted,” I admitted, pulling back to meet his gaze.

He wiped the tears off my face, his smile never wavering. “A nice hot meal will fix you right up,” he said.

We made our way into the lobby, its grandeur lost on me as my mind buzzed with what lay ahead. The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and we stepped inside the mirrored chamber. As it began its ascent, Dad leaned against the railing, his casual demeanor barely betraying the sharpness in his eyes.

“Been keeping yourself busy?” I asked, needing to fill the void with something other than the heart-pounding dread that I felt now that I was away from Nathan.

“Mostly playing tourist,” he replied with a shrug. “Took a stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge, checked out Alcatraz. You know, all the usual spots.” His lips quirked up in a smirk. “Though I’ve had a bit of side work with the SFPD—nothing too exciting, just some consultant stuff. They seem to think an old Boston cop can teach them a trick or two.”

“Always the humble one, aren’t you?” I teased, but my laughter didn’t quite reach my eyes.

“Yeah, it’s genetic,” he retorted with a wink.