Thirty

About half an hour later I parked in front of a place that read ‘Uncle Tony’s Barber Shop & Tattoo Art’. Even with a closed sign on the door, I saw dad inside. We left our helmets by the bike and when the door jingled, Vlad tensed as we got in. Some energy hit him, and I squeezed his hand lightly, pulling him closer.
“Hey, dad! We’re here!” I shouted, happy to see him, but my mouth hung open and I couldn’t believe my eyes when dad came from the back door, and seeing Vlad, he greeted him in a warrior way. Their eyes sparkling, mixed with surprise and cheerful faces. They were like best friends who had gone to separate camps for summer, and now they met again.
“Sire!”
“Anton!”
“Where have you been, Vlad?” Both fell in a hearty laughter. It reminded me of playful boys. Vlad didn’t look like the troubled man from this afternoon. Far from it, and Tony was like Tony! The dad I’ve known since forever. He took me in when I needed most, and he had a nice and easy-going personality, aside from his tyrant ways.
The moment we met, I felt safe, as protected as I’ve never been. Now looking at him, talking and laughing with Grizzly, he didn’t change that much all these years, unless, for his beard, he let it grow a bit longer, and very few gray hairs showed between the reddish brown ones.
“Dad? Care to explain?” I asked, confusion taking place in my head, as now I had both focusing on me, and all the carefree atmosphere filled with tension out of the blue, raising the hairs on my neck.
“No, Alex, you’re the one with a lot of explaining to do. As I remember, you’d go for the weekend, but you disappeared for almost an entire week!” He crossed his arms above his chest, glaring at me, his nostrils flaring.
I could feel the concern emanating from him. I’ve never given him reasons to get so angry at me. He looked like the big bad wolf from the story. Vlad had a grimace on his face, and I winced when his jaw clenched and his teeth snapped, looking at Tony. Even though I was a grown woman, I felt like a kid caught red-handed.
“Dad, someone set me up, it was a trap…”
“Liz, you don’t have to explain yourself to him!” Vlad cut me off in a low, commanding tone, still glaring at his long-lost friend. Dad had that cool, laid-back semblance, but it didn’t fool me. He could get nasty. I witnessed several times how he dealt with thugs and punks in our neighborhood, and he scared the crap out of me.
“I’m sorry, Vlad. She is my daughter and under my care. I have all the rights to question her on whatever subject I choose!” he spat at him, using the same intonation he’s used with criminals. “If you hadn’t vanished the last time you’ve lost her, and crawled yourself into God knows where to lick your wounds, you would have been here sooner to deal with the situation!” He accused him, his eyes sparkling a dark silvery red. That was news to me! Vlad’s forest greens turned to that beautiful golden in a matter of seconds, his demon flashing in his eyes. As crazy as it could be, I found myself between two cavemen, facing each other, getting ready for a dispute, and I was their prize.
“Wait, a second! Anton? Anton, as in the guard, who planned that shit with you?” I yelled at them. “No wonder you were so familiar to me, and I felt so safe with you. Was it all a lie? You were just keeping me guarded for him, as an obligation? You knew it all along!” My voice sounded tearful as my vision blurred. I didn’t want to believe what was unfolding in front of me. “So, all this time, that you cared for me, you were his second in command? You took me in because of Vlad, as if you were his guard dog?” I didn’t hide my pain, he betrayed me! “I trusted you.” He had been the only one to show me what it meant to have a family.
“No pumpkin, it was never an obligation, far from it.” He gave a daring look at Vlad, coming to me and hugging me close to his heart. “I loved you like a daughter the moment you barged through that door. Please, never think otherwise.” He kissed my forehead, resting his chin on the top of my head.
“Then why? Why did you leave me in the dark all these years, dad?” Things got tense inside the shop, and I couldn’t hold a sob. When my arms circled his waist, my heart stuttered, seeing the dirty scowl dad sent in Vlad’s direction as a warning for him not to move. It chilled my soul, and I prayed he could hold his demon at bay for a while longer.
“I wanted to tell you, but you were so fragile, dealing with so many problems, then you showed up here with that punk, Shane, and joined the Agency against my wishes. And to tell you the truth...” he narrowed on Vlad, who until now held himself together by a thread. “I had lost all hope that one day this asshole would come for you.” He gritted out in a menace.
“Anton! We’re friends, but don’t you dare challenge me in this matter.” A growl boomed, shaking the windows, and I glared at him. Tony was taller and bulkier than him, but Vlad oozed power. It came out of him in bloody waves.
“Grizzly, get your shit together!” I hissed at him, and his face just got worse. “If you lay a finger on him, I will finish you myself.”
“Alex, I didn’t want to burden you with all this nightmare. I wasn’t sure if he’d show up. You’ve already had enough of them, and you deserve to be happy.”
“But I am here! You can release her into my care from now on, Anton!” The threat was palpable, and he stared at us with a murderous gaze. When did a joyful reunion turn so sour? They were at the point of tearing each other apart.
“Vlad! I’m not under your orders anymore, and I warn you, in this life, she’s like a daughter to me, she has my name in her birth certificate, and I totally wear the jealous father role. So, mess with her this time, and I’ll kick your ass for good!” The threat in his voice was so deadly, it gave me chills, but it proved to me I wasn’t his obligation. And just like that, Vlad’s semblance lightened up a little. And that was my cue.
“Look, pal!” I said, shooting daggers at him. “I’m not property to be released to anyone’s care, I know how to take care of myself!” And I took a seat in the nearest chair, afraid my knees wouldn’t hold me for longer, since a mix of fear and anger made its way up my spine.
“You’ve turned into a disrespectful woman. Besides, that’s not what you’ve proved to me when I found you almost lifeless in that cabin, Alexandra!”
“Dead!” Now I had Tony looking pissed at me next to Vlad. “Dead? How do you explain that?” Hell was breaking loose, and I had lost control of my life. Sparks gathered around me, and the air thickened when Vlad told him what had happened to me since then. At least he had the decency to leave some parts to himself. When did they stop challenging each other and started ganging up on me? The air stilled, and both gazes fell on me. Who did they think they were to cower me this way?
“Alexandra!” both barked, and I’ve never seen dad so enraged before. I just couldn’t help but mutter ‘assholes’ under my breath and roll my eyes as I clenched my teeth.
“Enough, you two!” I stood up, yelling at them, blowing up all the lamps and lights out, as darkness came. “I’m not a child you can push around!” Sparkles floated all around me and the silence fell upon us. “This past week, it’s been like a fucking ride through a house of horrors. First, someone attempted to kill me, then Vlad, and now you, dad!”
Shaking my head non-stop, while my mind sped a hundred miles per hour, trying to analyze the situation. My body trembled from head to toe, and I had a sudden urge to puke. What I wanted at that moment was to run away, disappear, but my only option was the bathroom. I dashed to it, slamming the door behind me, throwing up the little I had for lunch.
“Alex, are you ok? Open the door, pumpkin!”
I didn’t answer, but I knew that as much as I waited inside, they would barge in there. Not even my privacy, they respected. So, I splashed water on my face and rinsed my mouth, and peeked at my cell. At least this mess helped me to find an excuse to get out of their eyes and meet Shane. I inhaled sharply and opened the door to see one at each side, like two Greek columns.