“Hello, I’m Valencia’s father, and I hear that you’ve been holding my daughter for quite some time.”
“Holding? No. Allowing her to live here, yes. Now, why in the hell are you in my garage bay?” Boss turns her neck to the side a bit, frustrated beyond belief.
“It was open, and we were trying to find someone who could get you. I think it’s high time we spoke,” Valencia’s father says to Boss, and Boss looks over at me.
“You, me, and him can talk, but we’re doing it in my office.” Boss points to me, allowing Valencia’s father to know I am ‘him’.
“I need Tarquin by my side,” Valencia’s father states, motioning to the man beside him.
“Fine, but only him. No one else steps foot inside. Mug, Omen, go to the bar and make sure no one tries to come in. If they do, blow their fuckin’ brains out.” Boss gives her order, and both Omen and Mug smile, having no problem with what she’s asked of them if they are forced to do it.
Boss and I lead Valencia’s father and Tarquin upstairs until we’re in Boss’ office. I’m the last one in, and I shut the door, offering the two seats on the other side of Boss’ desk to the two men.
“What did you say your name was again?” Boss asks the man sitting beside Valencia’s father.
“Tarquin,” he replies, putting emphasis on his name.
“That’s an unusual name,” I comment.
“Yeah, it is. Most people call me T,” Tarquin’s reply throws me off for a split second, and then I remember what that cultist said. A man named T gave Valencia to them. Could it be? It sure seems likely to me. Boss looks right at me, and our eyes stay locked for a few moments.
Valencia’s father clears his throat, and Boss turns her attention to him. “Look, I don’t want to waste your time. The fact of the matter is I’ve been searching for my daughter for a very long time, and I want her to come home with me, where she belongs. Tarquin has been a mess without her, as has her sister. You need to give me my daughter back.”
Boss’ jaw drops a tad as she listens to what Valencia’s father wants. She licks her lips and then finally speaks. “I don’t know who you think you are coming into my home and making demands from me. The only way Valencia is going to go with you is if she chooses it, and I know she’s very well aware that you’re here. The fact she isn’t in this room wanting to see either of you proves so much to me. It means she doesn’t want to go, that she doesn’t want the life she once had with you.”
“How can you be so certain she knows we’re here?” her father asks.
“She knows you’re here. She heard and then ran off. Valencia doesn’t want to be with either of you,” I grit out, looking at both of them like they’ve lost their damn minds.
“Show some fucking respect.” Tarquin pulls out a gun and points it right at me.
“Put your dog on a leash,” Boss snaps at Valencia’s father.
“She’s my girlfriend, and she needs to get down here right now. Her place is at home, not with a bunch of misfit bikers,” Tarquin hisses while glaring at me, and then he looks at Boss.
The door to Boss’ office comes flying open. “I’m sorry for prying, Boss, but I needed to hear what was going on.” Valencia comes in the office door. My main concern was making sure no one got out, not that anyone didn’t get in. “I’m not your girlfriend, Tarquin. I haven’t been for a very long time. I mean, God, did you ever love me, or was it all a way for you to get closer to my father?”
“Of course, I loved you! I adore your whole family, Valencia. There’s nothing I would do that would ever put you in harm’s way.” As soon as he says it, Boss and I share a knowing look.
“There’s something you should know, Valencia,” I speak up, and Valencia turns her attention over to me.
“There’s something you should know, too, Reno. I love you. I didn’t know what it was until I met you, and we started on this journey. You’ve shown me what I’ve always deserved.”
“I . . . I love you too, but I was going to tell you Tarquin is the one responsible for the cult almost killing you. They said a man named T gave you to them. I highly doubt Tarquin going by T is a coincidence. Don’t you think?” The next thing I know, a sudden, sharp pain is shooting through my chest. I glance down, and while I’m looking to see what’s going on, Valencia’s screams are ringing in the background.
A sharp pain rings through me, throbbing every single time my heart beats. Somehow, I’m still able to stand, and I think I’m in shock. I’ve been shot below the collarbone, but I don’t think my heart was hit. Dizziness washes over me, and I need to keep speaking. “He’s the one who’s responsible for drugging you and giving you to that group of fascist bastards.”
“I know you did this to me! You’re responsible!” Valencia screams at Tarquin, and Valencia’s father pulls his own gun on Tarquin.
Tarquin begins laughing, seeming more psychotic than I had originally thought. “It doesn’t even matter if you come home. I already have Narcisa in my bed. She’s the woman I should’ve arranged a marriage with, not you. She’s good at following orders, and she isn’t nearly as much of a pain in the ass as you are.”
Valencia’s father points the gun at Tarquin’s head, preparing to shoot. “Go ahead, kill the father of your grandchild.”
Valencia’s father’s eyes widen from the pure shock of it all. “No, it can’t be true.”
“Go ahead and call her. She’ll tell you everything you need to know.” Tarquin smiles, and it only pisses me off even more. Valencia’s right up against me, shoving some sort of rag or t-shirt she grabbed against my chest, and the more I stand up, the dizzier I get. I start to go down, and Valencia does her best to try and catch me, but she can’t. All she can do is move out of my way to let me fall, then presses the rag against my gunshot wound again.
Valencia’s father’s on the phone with her sister while Valencia is tending to me, and I’m trying to focus on my breathing while he gets confirmation that everything Tarquin has said is accurate.
