AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“At four in the morning?”
“I couldn’t sleep, thought it would help me to relax.”
“Is all the noise bothering you from down the hall?”
“No, it’s not that. Just this war, you know?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“You should get some sleep too, Dad. Rest up, you’re hurt.”
There was a long delay, the tension ramping out, and it actually had me considering the possibility that he knew she wasn’t alone in here. Damn, that guy could get the paranoia going.
But then he finally said, “I’ll do that. Just make sure you get some sleep soon.”
“Will do.”
I heard his footsteps retreating then.
The door closed.
And then there was a thump and I heard him calling out, “Jonah, Caleb, lower the volume or take it the fuck outside. My baby girl needs her rest. We all do.”
Aurora blew out a breath and removed her hand from my mouth.
Shaking my head, I said, “Your dad is really something.”
“He didn’t use to be like this. I mean, he was always overprotective, but never this intense. And he wasn’t this vicious, crossing these kinds of lines. I don’t know… after what’s happened to him… it’s changed him… twisted him.”
“He’s not the man you set out to save?”
“I was too late.”
“Nah, darlin’, I don’t believe that.”
“How?”
“Because he still has a chance with having somebody like you in his life.”
She started shaking her head.
I stroked a lock of her soft hair. “It was you who had him try to extract Ash from that place. Yes?”
She nodded.
“You see the positive impact you’re already having on him now he’s in your presence again?”
“It’s still… there’s so much else, though.”
“And we’ll keep pushing, keep trying. We won’t let the darkness swallow him, there’s another way, another life.” I smiled. “You taught me that.”
“Thank you,” she said, but the smile that spread over her face was all too brief and then marred by a grimace when she took my hand and told me, “I’m so sorry he gave you such a hard time. I saw the text messages.” There was so much pain in her eyes, all over her face, really, as she choked out, “What he did to Asher too… it’s… I can’t…”
I cupped her cheek with my free hand. “It’s not your fault. You don’t need to apologize for his actions. It’s not on you.”
“It’s because of me, Killian.”
“No. It’s because he’s blind to who you really are. A grown-ass woman. Independent. Incredibly capable. And a fucking badass who can absolutely handle herself.”
