He went to the wall and grabbed his Sig Sauer P229 and loaded it with ease. He took a few steps to the lane where he pressed a button, and the posts all became moving targets.
Bot! Bot! Bot! Bot! Bot!
Tiara watched her dad shoot and not only hit all of the targets, but she noticed that every bullet hole found a home in the heads of the posts. Blake reloaded and aimed again. She knew why he’d made her put on the earplugs. Between the gun going off and the bullets hitting their mark, it was very loud. She observed that he did not have anything on his ears, however.
After all of these years he’s gotta be used to this noise, she thought.
When he finally drew back, he was breathing hard. Not from being exhausted, but because he too needed to let off some steam. He placed his gun down and took the one from Tiara’s hand.
“I think it’s safe to say your first lesson was a success. Now, come sit down and talk to your old man.”
Taking her out from the gun range and to the bar, he pulled out a stool for her to sit down on. He went behind the bar and pulled out a glass and a bottle of scotch. Pouring himself a shot, he swiveled it around in the cup trying to think of the right words to say.
“I haven’t been the best father to you, Tiara, but I can honestly say I have always wanted the best for you. And because of that, I am who I am in Dallas. Because of that, the people in Houston stand up straight when I pass them. And because of that, it has caused me to be home less than I should. But let me tell you something, little girl. You are my daughter, and that may not mean much to you, but to the outside looking in, it means everything. You have eyes on you that you may not even know exist. I can’t have you out here looking like you are not the child of a king.”
“So it’s all about your image?”
“No. There’s a lot more to it than just image.” Blake took a deep breath and released it slowly, “It’s about looking and being strong. The way you’re carrying yourself out there right now, Tiara, the way you’re dressing and sneaking around, you look weak, Tiara. I always thought that shielding you from the life that I live would do you some good, but instead, it has made you green. No, not green. Dumb and naive.”
“Daddy, all I did was put on a little lipstick and unbutton my shirt a little.”
“It’s not that simple, Tiara!” Her father’s thundering voice made her jump and take a step back from him, “I keep a pack of wolves around me at all times! Tiara, every man knows the way to a man’s heart is through his wife or children. And the same wolves that I have running for me are the same ones that go for the women and children of my enemies! Those enemies have wolves of their own, and with you walking around acting and dressing the way that you are, they’re gonna smell you from a mile away.”
His voice was crisp, and Tiara made a mental note of not saying anything else that would upset him.
“Do you think I have an artillery room in my home for just show? Do you think I have hired hands with you at all times just because? No! I do that because of the blood that is on my hands due to providing you the life that people dream of! And because of that, I need to keep those around me protected.”
“I didn’t ask for this.”
“Because you didn’t have to!” Blake barked. “Because of all that I have done, you, you and your children . . . and your children’s children will be set for eternity. Everything that I have done? I would do it all over again. Hell’s fury does not scare me if I have paved the way to heaven for all of you. Now, don’t you ever, ever come into my home, a home that I built from the ground up, the way you did today. And let this be the last time that I have to talk to you about fighting some floozy little bitch in school that ain’t worth your time. You are the daughter of a king, and you will conduct yourself as such. Do you understand me?”
Tiara felt the tears streaming down her face, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She nodded her head, unable to speak. Blake downed the last of the scotch that was in his cup and placed the glass on the bar. He came back from around it and sat in the stool beside his daughter. Running his fingers through her hair, he placed a kiss on her forehead.
“The last thing I want to do is hurt you, Tiara. When I am gone, rightfully, you will have the choice to take my place, given that you perfect your aim. Or you can choose to follow your own path. You said you did things because other girls are doing them, but I need you to understand that you were born better than them. Because you have my blood in your veins, you have already been set apart from everyone. You are cut from a different cloth, and you don’t need to wear lipstick or show off your body to keep up with the hussies out there. As long as you wake up every morning, you already won the race.”
He opened his arms, and within seconds, Tiara leaned into his broad chest. He hugged her tightly to him, and in
