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He saw his son’s surprise

"I didn’t figure you knehy I’d left" Rowdy leaned back in his chair before picking up the whisky and throwing it back He grihed heavily "I knehen you were twenty-two and as though overnight, she turned from a clumsy little urchin into a woman-child I saw your face the day you realized it"

He watched the flush that rose over Rowdy’s face, the discomfort

"She was a kid" He cleared his throat uncomfortably "She’s not a kid anyrooman"

"And you were and still are aat the whisky "A good man One any father could be proud of You didn’t touch her, you did what you had to do and didn’t h you could have You left your hoirl--many men would have resented her You would have been ithin your rights to have protested how much Maria and I spoiled her"

"You should have toldmy damned shirts She still does it I should have ed at his son’s lips Ray shook his head Roilling to forgive, no questions asked And Ray didn’t know if he could have been as gracious if so so iain

"I should have told you" He rolled the glass between his fingers, staring at it rather than his son "But I knew you’d get home one way or the other and I wasn’t sure Kelly could face that She needed time to put the attack into perspective before she faced as between the two of you" Damn, he needed another drink

He poured another, aware of the way his son watched hier like that goes beyond lust, Dad," Rowdy finally sighed "I’ve fought it for too long I don’t knohat it is yet I don’t kno deep it goes I know I came back for her" He shook his head when Ray started to speak "Hearin that house, of breaking so much as one of your rules, but that bastard’s still out there" Ray’s gut clenched "I’ll camp outside her bedroomif I have to, but you won’t keep me away from her"

Rowdy leaned forward, his arms braced on the table, his fists clenched Ray looked away fro what he was supposed to say Hell, he felt tired and helpless and not sure how to defend those he loved

"You’ve been checking into it?" Ray knew he had Rowdy had spent the afternoon at the police depart into it" Rowdy poured hi avethem He doesn’t call Kelly He’s local, Dad"

For a second, fear sliced through Ray If the bastard was local, then he wouldn’t have to call Kelly He could watch her Anytime, anywhere

Then pride suffused Ray Hell, that was his boy Hard-eyed, deterht He washimself silly because Kelly had been attacked, but instead, he was plotting and planning justice It was enough to make a father proud

Ray breathed in hard He had discussed this with Maria earlier, knehat he was about to do was hard on her; it would be harder on Kelly

"Coet riled and we both know it That’s your home As much as it is mine And you’re my kid I want you there"

Rowdy’s lips quirked "The duffel bag is still on the bike I was coain "I trust you, Son"

Rowdy’s face changed then If Ray thought it was hard before, it wasRay’s straight on

"She’s mine, Dad" He kept his voice low, fierce "Any other time I would have never disrespected your rules or your home But I won’t pull back noon’t lose her because some bastard tried to destroy her And I won’t play footsie under the table because of your sensibilities Do you understand that?"

Anger flared in Ray He rubbed his hand over his lower face before breathing out roughly "Hell Fine Whatever But"--he glared back at the boy--"you don’t play with that girl, Rowdy You better be da sex with her Son or no son, I taught you respect She’s not one of those little traer"

It was a warning he’d irls were solid gold A good girl understood responsibility, values, and herself A woman like that wasn’t a toy, she was a partner

"I kno to treat a worunted "All woeneration, Rowdy didn’t differ how he treated woards to their sexuality One didn’t deserve less respect, or more, for the aued that with his father many times But love…that made a difference, and Ray knew it And he knew his son was learning it

"So you’ll coht with e there washow to say it

Rowdy looked over at hireen, serious and thoughtful "I missed you too, Dad," he hter, it would have Ray sed, then tried again "I love you, boy" His voice was so rasping he was ashamed of it "And I’m damned proud of you Damned proud"

"I love you too, Dad" That was his boy Equal parts hellion and warrior but never afraid to say the words "And I’ain; they toasted each other and settled down for a serious drunk Hell, Ray had been waiting on this day for nearly thirty years There just wasn’t anything like having that first good drunk with your son, and knowing itda up the drive with her stepfather’s truck as the clock flipped over to two in theto herself, worry creasing her brow

Maria turned to Kelly, her eyes dark as she watched her

"Are you sure?" Maria asked, her voice soft, uncertain