Page 58 of The Protection Agreement

“What has that got to do with how you know her mom?” I volley.

“Everything, so answer the question; do you love her?” he repeats.

I sigh and sit back. I haven’t thought about it that way. I just know I feel strongly for her and I’m ready to fight Jonah for her.

“I don’t know, it’s complicated, dad,” I snap. Can we fucking move on from this question?

“Why? What makes it complicated?” I sigh; he’s annoyingly yanking my chain. I’m not ready to discuss this, especially when someone is trying to kill her. Presently, I don’t want to figure out how she never returns to Jonah. We remain in a palpable silence. I know he’s not going to move on from this fucked-up question.

“She’s Jonah Lloyd’s girl. He asked me to protect her. I wasn’t going to tell you,” I grumble.

“Protect her? What’s going on?” He forcefully asks and looks upset, like he’s ready to attack anyone that wants to harm her.

“Dad, Jonah brought her over to me and begged me to protect her. Someone is trying to kill her, and he doesn’t know who. He figured, since there’s no love between us, my place is the last place anyone would look for her. Once he finds out who’s after her and eliminates the person, she goes back to him.” I shrug. I don’t know how I’m going to handle her going back to being his girl. “Guess I’ll cross that bridge when that time comes.”

Dad smiles, which upsets me, but I say nothing. He then leans back in his chair with a sly grin on his face.

“You must protect her,” he commands.

“Yes, I will. I promised her. Plus, the thought of her dying will destroy me.”

“So, you do love her,” he confirms, with a wide grin.

“Like I said, it’s complicated,” I snap. Can we move on from this poking question?

“No, it isn’t.” He chuckles.

Fuck, Dad’s teeth are sinking deep into this one, I see.

“What part of she’s Jonah’s girl are you not getting, Dad?” I exhale my frustration. Fuck. How many times do I have to repeat this? Damn it. I don’t want to think about my dilemma right now.

“Because, if you love her and she loves you, which I’m guessing she does, then the universe has a sick sense of humor.” He chuckles.

“Old man, can you just tell me directly and not in riddles what I’m missing?” Damn it, Dad!

“Her real name is Alexis Jolaade Lloyd. She’s the next A.J Lloyd, and she is Jonah’s younger sister.”

“What?!” I exclaim. Did he just say Jola is Jonah’s sister? It’s almost as if I heard him wrong.

“She’s a Lloyd, and I’m positive using her mother’s maiden name was Eni’s idea.”

“Are you sure, Dad?” The incredulity of it all has my mind blown.

“I’m positive, and there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Please, don’t tell me she’s my sister.” I splutter.

He smiles and shakes his head.

“That’s not possible, but I will tell you, if you do love her, I’ll advise that you marry her as soon as you have the opportunity.”

“Why?” Not sure I want to jump to that.

“Knowing what I know about A.J Lloyd, he loved his daughter very much and he won’t leave her vulnerable for any guy to come in without vetting him or making him jump through hoops.”

“I’ll think about it,” I say, relieved to find out that she’s not Jonah’s girl and I need not plot how to steal her from him. But there’s also the fact she’s his younger sister, which might make things a bit more complicated. Fuck. Why can’t being with her be easy?

“Are you going to tell me how you know her mother and her father, especially when I now know who her father is, and in case you forgot, he was your enemy?”