Special Chapter!!

I glance at Asher in the back seat, as we make our way to the dinner. Her hair being curled, makeup on, and that dress are my worst nightmare. My baby's growing up. I watch as she sings along to the song that plays through the speakers, nodding her head on most parts while looking at the folder I had gotten for her.

Before I had went into the library, I had went to all her classes getting her makeup homework because I knew she'd be paranoid without it over the weekend.

She needs a vacation. To much stuff is going on her life right now. With training, worrying about her first street fight, now the issue of Cole, and losing her best friend. She has to be wearing down in there even though she won't let anyone see. Asher's a great actress. She won't let you know things that are going on in her mind until it's absolutely eating her inside, and even then she will most likely keep it to herself.

She'll get distant, babble, and just seem drained when she reaches the top of the scale of her endurance. She's a fighter. Both a good and a bad thing.

I look over at her mother and smile slightly down at her. Even though we're on and off, I still feel the same way about her like I did when we first meet.

I still sometimes get butterflies or will be in awe when looking at her. Like right now.

Her blonde hair is straight down her back, as she wears a crimson dress with gold jewels hanging around her neck. But like Asher, I keep these feelings bottled up inside and don't let them out until I'm by myself. I'll walk into the house that we had bought together and feel the pain of not being there for all of Asher's life or not staying by her mothers side. I know it's not fair for me to keep playing these games with her, but those moments when I act upon what I want to do is one of the best moments. I get to show her I love her still and still care for her in those hugs and kisses, that she thinks are just drunk affection but is really real with just an added act.

I personally do it just to hold her at night, to be able to have her in my arms as we go to sleep. I won't go to sleep though. I stay awake through it all. Listening to her breaths go even and slow, feeling her heart beat as it slows down over time, and smelling the scent of her as she lays beside me. Those moments are the greatest. But now my biggest question is, do they even need me to be a full time dad anymore?

Both of them have gotten used to me coming over once a day and calling a few times. They've grown used to the distance we've put between us and have already progressed to the point where they don't have the need of a real dad. It kills me.

I remember when I had traveled around the world, trying out different types of street fights and places. I had been gone for about a year and when I came back, everything had changed. My little girl was a young adult, who was a walking corpse. My woman was a successful independent woman that had got used to the idea of us not being a full time thing anymore. Things went on without me, and I wasn't there to see the changes they made. I didn't get to witness Asher winning her first spelling bee, winning the academic team championship. I got to see a picture that I carried around in my wallet of a little girl in pig tails and a Christmas onesie.

"You look beautiful. The both of you." I say out loud, not looking at one specific person but the highway in front of me.

"Thanks dad." Asher says, clearly not believing me when I say that. She never listens when people complaint her looks. She's beautiful. Beautiful isn't even a big of enough word to describe her beauty, yet she believes no one when they tell her that.

"Thank you as well."

I look between the two and go back to looking at the road." You two are very quiet today. It's creeping me out." Asher rolls her eyes, a smile trading against her intentions of wanting to keep a straight face." Don't roll your eyes at me Asher. And as a warning. They have an ice sculptor and a chocolate fountain here. Please don't point out all the flaws of it and don't make a mess of yourself. Just get the chocolate covered things that have been already made." She pouts out her bottom lip and I chuckle under my breath.

Sometimes, most of the time, that little childish girl I left is still there. Especially when it comes to candy.

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Dad opens the back door to the car we had drove here, and holds my hand as I raise up out of it. He gives me a small smile and opens his arm out for me and I slip my arm through his left one as mom puts hers to his right." I'm going to be the only man here with two dates."

"Cool dude." I say sarcastically." One of which being your daughter so I don't count."

"Don't ruin the mood I had Asher. For once, I thought I was one of those handsome Italian men you see on cliche chick flicks."

"But you're not Italian."

"Yes actually I am. We are. Your great grandfather was from Italy. I thought I told you this before...." He shrugs and walks us to the gigantic screen doors that lead to a dark lilt room, decorated in golds and reds.

My lips part in awe as we walk in, the smell of delicious foods filling the air and the scenery looking expensive and beautiful. Paintings of people in robes line to walls, the background and styles of clothing being either Ancient Greece or Rome. I close my mouth, noticing the people in expensive dresses and suits also in the lobby. Men group together, some conversation being with serious looks and firm nods while other being laughs and full smiles.

I widen my eyes as I look at all of them. Each and every man has something attractive about them, and all seeming like they just came from a photoshoot.

I look at the women to see them all watching the men inbetween conversations and not merely being as loud as the men. Some wear short and showy dresses, with others wear long and elegant ones. No doubt, all of them costing a high dollar and being made by the most skilled designers.

Dad walks us straight on to the big white doors, that nearly reach the ceiling and a lot of stairs leading up to them. I scan over them, coming to a total of twenty steps I have to take in order to get to them. In heels... I keep my head down to the stairs underneath my feet, making sure to take every step surely and evenly. Now is not the time to fall.

"You don't have to be so tense Asher. You're not going to fall." Dad takes his arm back and slides it around my back, supporting me up." I got you."

"Thanks dad." I give him a smile and hold onto his hand as we make up the all and sigh out, with relief that I don't die.

"See." He says giving me a smile." You had it." He stops I front of the body guard that sits in front of the door and nods his head." Neil."

The man nods before opening the door for us, and gesturing us in. Dad rests his hands on mine and moms back, leading us to the other side of the double doors.

I gulp at the size of the room in front of me. Ever watched Cinderella? Know the ball room? Yeah that's the size of the room I'm in. Mahogany tables covered in white thick tablecloths, fill up the room. A square being left out in the middle of the room for dancing. I watch the people inside, them drinking cocktails and chatting amongst each other while some slow dance with a partner in the space provided.

"Going to dance tonight Asher?" I shake my head and he asks," Why not?"

"Because I don't know how for starters. And how weird would it be for a me to be dancing horribly by myself?"

"I'm sure you'll get asked to dance honey." Mom says and gives me a smile." I saw a lot of boys glancing your way when we entered in."

"I noticed it too." Dad says, sounding non to happy about it." And I would like to dance with you tonight at some night as well Asher. So don't go running off forgetting about me with a little boy."

"Never. I'd pick my pops over a boy any day." He smiles in a little victory making me smile as well and we begin to walk again, dad steering us in the right direction.

"We're going to have a code of speak in here. If I say suit, I'm an business friends with David Morgans and have done work with him in the past. If I say whiskey, act normal. Answer questions truthfully unless they're too personal. Then I'll take over. Got it?" We both nod our heads yes, and dad does one fast one deciding we got it." We're table C112."

I begin looking at all the cards that are written in gold lettering and are sitting beside the vases containing all different kinds of flowers. I squint at a table three in front of us and point at it,"Is that it?" I blink some more, a nod deciding that that's it." Yeah that it."

Dad walks us to the table and looks at the card before pulling out two seats out. Mine being at the end, moms being beside of mine, and dad being beside her. Eight more chairs are left of the table and I wipe my hands. New people... Who are more than likely are linked to the street fighting business somehow. This is actually the chance I've been waiting for.