Chapter 526 Chapter 526
This wasn’t going to be like any other family reunion that Tripp had ever witnessed. He knew there would be no hugs, tears, or thankful words spoken. He stood beside her, keeping just enough space between them that if she needed him, he was close, but also giving her room to move. Twice he went to rest his hand on his sidearm and then crossed his arms over his chest so he wouldn’t look like he had plans to shoot anyone. He didn’t want to; well, he was about sixty-five percent sure he didn’t want to shoot the man that he’d plotted revenge against for these many years.
Amari stood facing the house, the toes of her boots an inch behind where the walkway to it started. She didn’t even want to step onto the property. The entire area was her father’s clan, but this, his residence, was a personal space, and Tripp respected her decision. He also hoped he could keep things as impersonal as possible. The last time he’d seen the man, he’d said some things that weren’t pleasant and were also still how he felt about him today. This time, he was focused on the man’s daughter. Sure, he’d been an asshole to Tripp, but what he’d done to his own child was lower than low.
Chantal and Ginny stood off to the side of the walkway, anxious looks on their faces. He wanted to go over and assure them that it was going to be all right, but to do that he’d have to leave Amari and that he couldn’t bring himself to do that.
The door opened and a woman came out, her mother hadn’t changed at all since he’d last seen her. She was taller than Amari, her hair a darker blonde, but her daughter’s eyes were the same as hers. She came down the steps quickly, as a mother would rush to their child, but then stopped a few feet away, assessing her banished child from head to toe.
“Mom,” Amari whispered it with a tone that sounded like disbelief, that she was actually seeing her.
“You’re beautiful.” Her mother’s tone was just as faint. She glanced at him, and the loving look faded.
“Tripp is the one that found me.” Amari’s voice was back to normal now.
He watched the woman’s eyes round as recognition filled them. “You should have said something...”
“Does it matter? Really?” That was the tone Tripp expected from Amari, hard and filled with sarcasm. “I was collared to a tree covered in gasoline when he got there...”
The Alpha’s wife gasped, then stepped forward, “you’re right, it doesn’t matter.” She reached out and touched Amari’s shoulders and smiled down at her. For a moment, Tripp thought it might just be all right, and then her expression changed again as she breathed in their scents.
Straightening her arms, she looked at Amari’s neck and then at Tripp, before giving her child a surprised look. “You’re mates.” She whispered it with awe, a smile so brief on her lips it could have been her wincing, he wasn’t sure. “Your father is....”
“Coming out the door.” Tripp watched the man he loathed come down the steps and move in their direction. He always wondered if over the years he’d remembered that expression wrong, but as he looked at him now, he knew he hadn’t. There was no relief on the man’s face, that his daughter was alive and well, in fact, there was nothing there that told Tripp he was at all pleased by that fact.
“I’m right here, Amari. There won’t be a repeat of the last time.” Her mother whispered then released her and stepped to the side, but still stayed close enough that she could have just reached out and touched the child she hadn’t seen in years.
Tripp watched the man look Amari over like she was some nuisance he didn’t have time for.
“Vesper, Amari just told me how dire her situation was when she was found,” Tripp could hear a hint of desperation in her voice, “this is the man that saved her. I asked her to bring him.”
There was no need for introductions as Alpha asshole Hughes stopped walking and looked right at him. That look, the one that told Tripp he was lower than an insect was right there on the man’s face for all to see. Yeah, he’d remembered that expression all right.
“Did you know who he was?”
Tripp caught a flash of something that could have been love or close to it as the Alpha looked at his mate, but it was so brief, he couldn’t be certain.
“Does it matter?” She responded and, at that moment, Tripp knew where Amari had gotten her bite from. Of course, the circumstances of her life had hardened her more than her mother, but it was still there. “They had our daughter collared to a tree and had poured gasoline on her,” she made a jerky motion to Tripp, “who he is bears no meaning on it at all.”
Vesper Hughes looked at his mate for a moment, a softer expression on his face, and just for a second Tripp thought maybe the man did have a heart, but when he turned back to his daughter the distant look was back. The man must be frozen inside. The compassion had only been for his mate and not his child.
“I always knew your traipsing around like that was going to yield you trouble.”
Why Tripp had thought this man was capable of compassion, he had no idea. His eldest daughter could very well be dead right now and he seemed more annoyed that she was alive than anything else. Tripp felt Amari tense and didn’t have to look at her to know she was bracing to clue him in. The air was suddenly heavier. If she had been nervous or anxious at all, that was now gone. In its place was something that went beyond anger, something colder than loathsomeness.
“Dad.” A man with the same shade of blond hair as Amari came down the walkway. His eyes matched the Alpha’s but there was no mistaking this was her brother, the next Alpha of the clan. “Amari, we’re just glad you’re all right.” He stopped to stand beside his father and smiled at her. Tripp watched his eyes flick to look at her neck, but the smile on his face didn’t falter. He decided he might have to like Asshole Hughes’ son for knowing when to keep his mouth shut.
Vesper glanced at his son and then back to Amari, a removed look on his face. “Of course.” He motioned a hand to Tripp, “this is who rescued her, Bauer. Your mother invited him onto our lands.”
Bauer looked at Tripp, and after a few breaths time recognition lit his eyes. “Thank you.” There was no forgiveness in his eyes, but he spoke the words with sincerity. “Special operations, right? I called Raymond Hardy for a full account.”
Tripp inclined his head, “that’s right.” The tense vibes were so thick right now, he had to tell his cat to stand down and let him handle this.
Bauer nodded again, then stepped past the point his Alpha sire stood and extended his hand.
Tripp definitely liked the man now, he broke clan protocol and moved ahead of father asshole to shake the hand of the one that brought his sister out of a messy situation. Tripp clasped his hand.
“Thanks.” The shake was brief but still monumental. He released his hand and stepped back. “From all accounts,” he looked down at his sister, “I’m sure they had their hands full with you.” There was something resembling pride in his eyes as he looked at her. “I check up on you from time to time.” He smirked, “and some of the things I’ve heard are,” he glanced to his mother, “are interesting.” He finished and then sobered.
“I was unaware you did this.” His father said in a low tone.
Bauer shrugged, “she’s still my sister.” His posture relaxed making him appear less like his stiff male parent, who Tripp noticed was a slightly redder shade in the face now.
“Her,” Vesper motioned to her like she was not relevant to him, “escapades do not redeem her crime.”