“You got all my favorites,” Molly says, sitting down in a brown leather two-seater.
I sit next to her, my leg brushes against hers, and she glares at me. I don’t care. Like I said, she’s out of her mind if she thinks I’m going to be in the same room as her and not touch her.
I take note of what’s on the coffee table, what her favorite foods are. But then I find myself asking why I fucking care. This isn’t me. I’m not ameet the parentstype of guy. And yet, here I fucking am. Meeting the father of a girl I’ve only known for a couple of days because I saw her upset and didn’t want to leave her.
Chapter Seventeen
My dad looks between me and Alfie with suspicion. “When did you meet Molly?” he finally asks.
“A few days ago,” Alfie answers.
“You two met a few days ago and you flew her here on a private jet?”
“Your daughter makes quite the first impression, sir.” Alfie smiles at me as he says this.
“She does,” Dad agrees.
“He was already coming this way. It’s not a big deal,” I lie. “What have the doctors been saying?” I quickly change the subject to the reason I’m here.
At that moment, Alfie pulls his phone out. “Sorry, I need to take this.” He waves the device in the air, but when I look at the screen, it’s not lit up.
“It’s okay,” I say as he stands and exits the room.
He left so I can speak to my dad about Mom without the presence of a stranger. He might claim to be a heartless monster, but the more time I spend with him, the more of a heart I see. And I hate that I like it so damn much.
Liking him won’t stop me, though. I’m still coming for his throne. I will get those buildings on the Las Vegas Strip, no matter what it takes.
“They say she has two months, at best,” Dad tells me.
“Daddy, I’m sorry.” My heart is breaking for him. “I can’t fix it.”
“Baby girl, it’s not your job to fix anything. You have done so much for your mother and me already. And we’ve had time with her that we probably wouldn’t have had if it weren’t for you.”
“What can I do? How can I help you?” I ask, because I don’t know what else to do.
“You being here helps,” he says.
“I can’t stay, Daddy. I’m in the middle of a huge acquisition in Las Vegas.”
“That’s why you’re there? For business?”
“Yes. Why else would I be there?”
“I thought you and that young man might have been more than business associates. Well, I was hoping you weren’t alone anymore and had someone who could take care of you for a change,” Dad tells me.
“I don’t need anyone to take care of me, Daddy. I’m more than capable of doing that myself,” I scoff, offended he’d even think I’d need a man.
“I know that, but it’s nice to be able to lean on someone else too, Mol. To have a partner in life,” he says. “To know love. It’s something everyone should experience.”
Except loving someone leads to hurt, pain, and anguish. I’ve seen the nights my father hasn’t slept. I’ve watched him break down in tears at the thought of losing my mother.
“Craig?” My mother’s voice comes over a monitor next to my dad.
“She’s awake.” Dad smiles at me and stands.
I inhale and follow him, straightening my shoulders and putting my poker face on so I can confront a mother who doesn’t know who I am and pretend it doesn’t hurt. Pretend that it doesn’t rip open the grief of losing her all over again.
Alfie is waiting in the hall when I walk out. “I’ll catch up with you, Daddy,” I say as my father heads up the stairs.
