Protecting You ("The Shadows" Series: Book I)

XVI.

Lily's POV

Dad was home. He was discharged a week ago since he was recovering fast. I was taking care of his diet and medicines. Rafael and I were in charge of all the work that was going on in our gang. I told him that I was capable to handle it on my own but he was adamant, so I let him handle the men that were appointed for our business of chains of hotels, job that we did to show the world that we weren't into something illegal.

Partial truth.

I haven't yet had a proper conversation with Ryan since that day when he took me in the alleyway. I didn't even see his face. Evan came to know what happened between the two of us and he was angry on Ryan, saying that it was his fault for what he did. He told that he might be fuming that time on himself, not me.

Anyways...I made breakfast and took it to dad's room.

"How are you feeling now?" I asked as I placed his plate on the side table.

"Better I guess. How's work? Are you handling it well?" I rolled my eyes. He started eating while I sat on the chair next to his bed.

"You got shot and escaped death by mere inches, I handled everything while you were in that OT and you still don't believe me??!!" I said, my hands flailing around me. He shook his head and chuckled lightly.

"I don't care how much you grow..2..10..20..60..100...You'll always be my little girl." He said as he patted his bed and gestured me to sit there. I obliged.

"You're not talking to Ryan." It was a statement and I cursed whoever told them about my little situation.

"Who told-"

"A little birdie. Now answer me why?" He cut me off as he continued nibbling his food. I was about to open my mouth to change the topic but his stern look let me sigh in defeat.

"He got mad at me and then he behaved like some goldfish that doesn't remember what happened five seconds ago and things got a little out of our hands and the next moment he and I had a heated argument...more like I was yelling at him for what he did that time and since then we are not in talking terms." I excluded our make out session and what conversation we had. I don't want him to get all overprotective father and give me the lecture of my life on how the generation these days have sex without protections.

We hadn't had sex...but that was a different story...

"You know you should give him a chance. He must have been mad at something and-"

"I didn't tell him who I was." I whispered but I knew he heard me clear when his hands stopped in front of his mouth as he looked at me in shock.

"Why?" He asked.

"I wanted to protect him from all the threats I was getting dad. I know you don't think I know. I'm not a fool dad. You can't hide these things from me." I said as I felt tired. His face turned red in shame and then rage.

"Did someone tried to communicate with you just so they could threaten you?" I nodded.

"I'm so going to kill this bastard..." He muttered with a few curse words. I sighed.

"You don't have to worry-"

"What the hell are you talking about? I don't have to worry? Are you kidding me? He is threatening my daughter and-"

"And you will not cut me off again." I said sternly. He scowled at me but I ignored him. He kept silent as I found it as my cue to speak.

"You worrying about me is not necessary as long as I take care of myself. I understand it, you're my father and it's natural for you to worry. But please let me handle this on my own. Let me prove this to you." I said desperately but with firmness too. He looked in internal battle but soon uttered

"No."

"What in the-"

"End of discussion." He said as he tried to stand up on his feet but wobbled. He was still recovering. I held his shoulder and pushed him back on the bed to sit. I made my way towards the door and just when he was about to protest, Alex entered the room looking like he ran a marathon. He tried to calm himself as dad and I looked at him weirdly. After a few moments of inhaling and exhaling session of his, he glanced in my direction.

"Ryan and Evan are here with some of their men." He said and I grimaced.

"Also, Jake found information on Adam's next....case?" He said awkwardly. Jake was the guy who was given in charge of the people. We came to know that he was good with finding info on anyone we wanted to know and I trusted him. I nodded when suddenly dad made attempts to follow us out. I nodded at Alex and he left. I turned around and called one of my guards.

"You will take care of him. He will not step out of this room until I plan to. If he gets out of this room...you will go out of this gang. And you know the consequences when you are thrown out of this gang...Did you get it?" I threatened in low voice.

"You can't say that to him. And why would he follow your orders when I'm the boss?" Dad continued as I glared at the guard.

I was told by many people that everyone feared my eyes when I focused them on someone. Dad told me that nobody had eyes like me in any of our generations, not mom, nor dad. I loved to use this quality of mine in my favor. The guard shuddered while acting like he didn't fear me but his eyes told a complete different story. He nodded firmly at me and I smirked at dad. He knew that he needed rest so he huffed dismissively. I left my dad in the room and appointed more guards outside the door just for precautions.

Thank God his mind got distracted from the 'Ryan' topic.

I went downstairs to see Ryan and Evan along with Liam and Zach sitting on the sofa in the living room while sipping their wines slowly. Ryan wasn't drinking since one glass was untouched on the table and his hands were free. Jim was sitting in front of them as silence blanketed them. Alex came out of the meeting room with his gun in his hand held tightly while he kept throwing colorful words in the air. Every head turned in his direction. That's when he realized where he was and cleared his throat to lessen the embarrassment. Everyone stood up when they saw me. I glanced at Alex.

"Do you want to take them with us?" He asked tilting his head towards the Martinez men as they glowered at him. I knew that they were here to help us. They always helped us. I so eagerly wanted to end this Adam Gonzalez gang. He had crossed the lines when he attacked my father and I wasn't the one to sit back like a helpless child crying for his small knee scratch. I nodded as all the men in the room looked surprised by my decision. They looked at each other when I walked into the meeting room. They all followed me and sat on the chairs. I looked at the file that was kept on the table. I opened it and started scanning. My brows furrowed and then I felt my blood boil as I reached the end of the last page. After reading the whole file thoroughly, I closed it and kept it far away from me. I tried to calm myself when Jim interrupted

"What is it?" He asked as he stretched and took the file. Evan and Ryan looked at the file with him while Alex began to tell what Jake had found. I zoned out. I had enough shit going on in my life. This was too much.

"What the fuck? Is he really asking to meet you? That he is a fucking family and he can prove the fuck to you? How can he think that motherfucking-" Ryan rambled profanities after profanities as everyone glanced back and forth between him and me. He was raging while I was calm. That's what they thought as they looked at me. I knew I should say something but the words were stuck in my throat. I wasn't able to think. What did he mean by that? He just wanted to meet me for the sole purpose of having a chit chat? That was way too ridiculous then it sounded. Why was he trying to kill me in the first place then?

"Continue the search. Ask Jake to meet me when he gets free time. For now, let's stay quiet. He want to meet me and that's not going to happen unless we meet for his murder." My palms were placed on the table as I was hunched on them. My back leaned on the surface a little for support. Everyone looked at me and sighed in relief. The relief was for sometime but at least it was there for the time being. Suddenly my eyes locked with Ryan as he looked at me intently.

His eyes looked darker and he had bags under them. His hair was disheveled in a good way and he still looked handsome as ever. His eyes bored into mine and I caught a hint of longing in them...or was I delusional? We heard a throat clearing and that brought us back to earth. All the eyes in the room were trained on both of us and they looked suspicious of what was going on, except Evan, who was smirking at us. I narrowed my eyes at him and stormed out of the room while Alex trailed behind.