A Hustler's Daughter (BOOK 2)

Chapter Twenty-One -- Revealed Feelings & Many Questions

Chapter Twenty-One -- Revealed Feelings & Many Questions

Going up to Ethic's bedroom door had my nerves on a cliff -- one push and they're shot. My hands was shaking and my heart is pumping wildly in my chest. I'm nervous as shit.

I took a quick deep breath and knocked lightly on the wood door.

"Come in," his voiced yelled huskily.

I took another breath before twisting the round, gold knod.

Ethic was lying propped up against the headboard with his hands behind his head. His eyes were half way shut so I knew he was half asleep.

"Hey," I spoke softly with my back against the door.

Ethic's room was clean unlike most teenage boys and he didn't have posters of half naked women and rapppers all over the walls. It looked pretty plain.

"Hey," he spoke back.

My hand lifted to nervously play with my ponytail. "I just came to say goodnight," I said, "and thank you."

"I told you, you don't have to thank me for anything," he said in between a yawn.

I nodded my head and began to twist the door knob behind me, figuring our little convo was over.

"Kaila, wait," he called out softly, finally sitting up. My hand stopped and I looked into his eyes. "Come here."

I took the spot next to him on his soft-as-cotton bed.

Ethic starred me into my face while we sat in silence. I wish I had the power to read minds because his handsome features held no sign of what he was thinking. I felt the urge to make him smile, I miss seeing his sexy-ass dimples.

Minutes later I decided to break our starring match and look down at my feet until he was ready to talk.

"Kaila," he said.

I'm tired of hurting him. It seems like ever since I been here, that's all I've done. I just want him to be happy. He deserves to be happy. Suddenly, he pulled me into a hug and buried his face in the crook of my neck.

"I could've lost you today. You know that?" he asked me, his voice kinda muffled.

I swallowed my emotions. "I'm sorry," I told him honestly. No, I was more than sorry for putting him through that.

He exhaled and said, "I love you so much, it scares me sometimes."

He sat up and looked at me, saddness caught up in his brown eyes.

I hugged him, "I've loved you too, since day one."

********

Waking up in Ethic's arms feels amazing. We talked the night away last night, and that was better than anything to me. Being here with him now feels like it's where I truly belong -- something I haven't felt in a long time.

"You up?" he asked me in his sexy, deep, sleepy voice.

"Yeah," I told him with a smile.

My back was against his chest while one of his arms was in front of me. Even though I didn't want to leave this position with him, I knew I had to. I had to see was Ron still in the living room.

I gently moved Ethic's arm from around me to leave.

"Babe, where you going now?" he questioned in a whinny voice.

I smiled and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I'm just going to the living room so you can get some more sleep."

He sighed. "Alright, but don't leave this house without me, aight?"

"I won't," I promised.

Before I could shut the door behind me I heard him lightly snoring again.

I began walking to the living room expecting to see Ron sleeping sitting up straight on the couch, but instead I was greeted with my dad and Ethic's mom, Ms. Mary, talking.

They was sitting across from each other with coffee mugs in front of them. He didn't have a scratch on him, and he looked better than last night.

He was dressed in jeans, dress shoes, and a casual shirt. A diamond watch draped his wrist with a ring filled with black diamonds rested on his marriage finger.

"Baby girl," he said while standing up and stretching his arms wide, for a hug.

I walked slowly to his opened arms with tears forming in my eyes. I still can't believe he's here.

I've missed him so much.

"Daddy," I said into his chest.

"Shhh, it's okay, Kaila. I'm here now and I'm not going any where."

I let out my emotions in his arms. The arms that I wished for every night for ten years to be around me again.

"What took you so long?" I asked while pulling away from him.

Ms. Mary stood up and said, "I'll leave you to alone now. Kaila, if you need anything just ask, okay?"

I nodded my head. "Okay, thanks Ms. Mary."

I took a seat next to my father, waiting on him to answer my question.

"I had to take care of a lot of things, Kaila," he said while sitting down.

"A lot of things like what?"

"I was in a coma for half a year and therapy for four years," he explained.

"Okay, and what about the other five years?"

"The other five years I looked for you. And when I found you that's when I started to plan."

I looked away from him, thinking about what the fuck did he have to plan for? I dropped it, and asked the most important one though. The important one that I was afraid of the anwer to.

"Where's Mommy?"