Page 112 of Down & Dirty: Reaper

Diesel stared at the platter for a few heartbeats, then snatched it out of Jewel’s hands. He turned his eyes to Reaper, then jerked his head toward the French doors. “Out-fuckin’-side.”

Reaper narrowed his eyes on Vi. Her response was a smile and a mouthed, “You’ll be fine.” To her father, she said, “I’ll take mine medium rare.”

With his nostrils flared, the big man grunted again and lumbered toward the door.

Tonight Diesel did not have a good poker face. In fact, it sucked. It made Reaper think twice before going outside.

Vi made a shooing motion at him.

Reaper shot her a look that said he’d deal with her later and rushed to open the door for her father. And since old habits died hard, when he said, “Here you go—” He almost added a sir on the end of that. Instead, he quickly corrected it with, “Brother.”

That pulled a muffled growl from the man as he stepped out onto the back deck.

Reaper turned to see Vi with one hand dramatically planted on the glass of the French door and her other slapped to her chest while pushing her bottom lip out. It was quite a performance. She acted as if she was highly emotional because she was never going to see him again.

He tucked his hand behind his back and gave her the finger.

Did she realize he could hear her hyena-like laughter through the door?

He shook his head and concentrated on the man, not lighting the grill, but instead watching him and Vi.

After Diesel dropped the plate full of steaks on a table with a clatter and continued to ignore his assigned task, Reaper braced and dug deep for his patience. This was not only Vi’s father but a fellow MC brother.

Plus, the man had managed the OG Shadows and that team was legend.

At least Reaper had worn his cut for the ride over. That had to earn him some brownie points with the biker, right?

He should try to take control of the narrative. “I hear you used to be the club’s sergeant at arms.”

“Know you’re fuckin’ new to the DAMC. Don’t agree with you not fuckin’ prospectin’. Also don’t agree with you hookin’ up with my baby girl. Gotta learn we handle shit a certain way. If not, gonna learn it the hard way.”

That sounded like a threat. “I was supposed to approach you first.”

“Don’t fuckin’ matter if you did. Woulda told you to fuck off.”

“Why’s that? Is nobody good enough for your daughters?”

“Fuck no,” he barked.

At least he was honest. “You want them to spend the rest of their lives alone?”

“Ain’t fuckin’ alone. Got plenty of goddamn people ‘round them.”

Reaper snapped his spine straight and pulled his shoulders back as the bigger man approached and went toe-to-toe with him. It made him very aware of the fact that Diesel had to be at least two inches taller. And as for their weight difference…

“The only fuckin’ reason you ain’t knocked the fuck out right now is ‘cause of those two women inside. The fuckin’ couch ain’t big enough for my ass.”

Sounded like he knew that from experience.

Should he plead his case or would he be wasting his time?

Hell, did he even want to plead his case after that cluster inside?

Was Vi even worth fighting for?

He mentally sighed. Goddamn it.

“While Vi is old enough to make her own decisions, I understand where you’re coming from as her father.”