Complicated Desire

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"I should go out there," Bianca said for the third time.

It was difficult not knowing who to be more concerned about. Her father had a lot of pent up emotion about this relationship. Things had been stewing in his mind for half a year, and eventually, every feeling he had about all this would undoubtedly rush out of him like a tidal wave. Bianca didn't want Kade to fall victim to that storm.

But Kade had his own storm brewing in his eyes during the trip. Though his words were all gentle and well-meaning, she could see the clouds passing through. He'd watched her cry so many times over her and her father's broken relationship, and in his eyes, her pain had a culprit, and he needed some sort of vengeance. Only he never spoke of it.

"You're going to keep your ass in this kitchen, kiddo," her mom warned her as she made mashed potatoes. "No one's screaming, and I haven't heard anything break. You can't ask for much more than that. Those two men in there need to deal with thing once and for all. If they come out bloody, so long as no weapons were used, so be it."

Bianca knew that if her dad took a shot at Kade, it would be the only one he'd get in. The man may have been older than her father, but he was in damn good shape. Even by the standards of a man fifteen years younger, he was in good shape.

"Let's change the subject," Kara suggested while she sat on the kitchen counter. "Saw the new tattoos my dad got the other day. There was a certain Spanish nickname he has for you going halfway up the inside of his arm."

"Kade has tattoos?" Her mom asked. "How in the hell have I never noticed those? I used to look at that man up, down and sideways before he ended up on my shit list."

Bianca was slightly mortified when he'd come home to show her, but now considered it a badge of honor. "He got those last week. Most of his tattoos are on his back, the ones he got for me are on his wrists, and he's got Kara's birthday on his chest. I'm guessing you were a little preoccupied with him standing shirtless in my bedroom to notice that one.  And I thought he was off your shit list."

"He's lost his spot on the top of my shit list," her mom explained. "He's worked his way down the list, but he'll always be there, even if he's just at the bottom. I've been good at dealing with this whole thing, so just let me have that, Bianca."

"If it helps," Kara began, "if anyone ever questioned my dad's love for her before, there's no denying it now. His ink is reserved for what he loves. Me, Brandon, my grandparents, medicine, The Sun of May to represent Argentina, and now Bianca. Twice, it would seem."

Bianca had asked about every one of those tattoos, but there was one that got a vague answer of, 'it's what allowed me to have you.' "What about that two of the wrists breaking the chain? What the hell is that one about?"

"That one is for my mom... sort of. It's how I know he was never in love with her, or if he was, he didn't trust it enough. He got that tattoo on the day they officially became divorced. Only things he loves and trusts in completely end up on his body."

When she heard a door close, Bianca turned to stare at the entryway, and within a few moments, Kade walked in, his glorious tattoos for her on full display. While the rest of them were on his chest or back, with the divorce tattoo on his shoulder, the ones for her were easily visible. She supposed placement didn't matter as much since he retired.

Kade didn't say hello or glance in anyone's direction before his mouth landed on her own. Where the last kiss he'd given her when they arrived was tender and innocent, this one didn't hold back.

She moaned from the impact, wrapped her arms around him to pull her closer, and feeling his tongue slip between her lips to devour her own. She could feel his erection press against her stomach, and Bianca had to stop herself from letting out another groan, or pulling him into her former bedroom for round two.