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I was shocked to see my father in the Blanchis’ living room. “Papa?” I blinked several times as I tried to wake myself up from what had to be some sort of dream.
But my father did not go away. In fact, he stood up, opening his arms toward me. “Mi hija.” My father was dressed more causally than I was used to in jeans and a polo. He looked normal in a way that I wasn’t used to.
When I didn’t rush into his arms, the wide smile on his face faltered slightly. “Aren’t you going to come and say hello?”
For years, my father had been the parent I was closest to. He was the one I hated to disappoint, because I thought that he saw me in a way that my mother didn’t. But after everything that happened, that belief had been dashed.
Sending me to New York, and not listening to me, made it clear he did not value me as much as I’d once thought.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, crossing my arms in an effort to comfort myself. This family drama playing out in front of the Blanchis made me feel vulnerable and exposed.
I could hear Ivy shifting behind me. “Would anyone like some tea or coffee?” she asked, clearly trying to break the tension that fell over the room. “Maybe some lunch? Did you all eat?”
I appreciated Ivy. She was the kindest person I’d ever met, but the frustration that I felt towards my father was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.
“We have not seen one another for months. Let’s have some coffee and enjoy each other’s company.”
The scream that I felt in my chest nearly bubbled up. “Or”—I took a calming breath—“you could tell me why you are here. You never do anything without a reason, and as much as I’d like to think you’d just drop by, you wouldn’t.”
That part stung, but I ignored the sharp feeling in my chest. It helped that the scent of Eli’s cologne was surrounding me. Knowing that he was behind me calmed me.
“I’ll grab some coffee,” Ivy said, her voice cheerful. “Eli, why don’t you help me.”
I couldn’t see Eli, but I felt him against my back, and I knew he didn’t move.
My father’s eyes went to him, and I saw a flicker of understanding in them. “Come in and have a seat.” His countenance changed, and I felt my shoulders sag in relief. He wasn’t going to press the issue.
For now, at least.
I walked further into the living room, taking a seat next to Marco Blanchi and far from my father. I hadn’t spent a lot of time looking at him through this exchange, but now, as I looked at him, I realized he was staring at me with the same sort of look in his eyes.
Eli sat in a chair close to me, and though a part of me wished he would have sat further away, I was also appreciative to have him close. It wasn’t fair, but Eli had become my rock.
“Why are you here?” I asked once more.
I felt an eagerness to know what brought my father to New York, and I didn’t believe that it was because he wanted to see me. He had not called me once since I came to the city, and even before that, a gulf formed between the two of us.
Ivy, ever the peacemaker, looked like she wanted to be anywhere but in the tense living room. “Are you all certain that no one wants something to drink or eat?” Her husband rested a hand on her leg, and I watched as the action immediately calmed her.
“That’s very kind of you.” My father gave Ivy a charming smile. “Marco always told me how lovely you are. I do not think that his description did you justice.”
My eyes nearly rolled to the back of my head as I watched my father schmooze. It was why he was so dangerous. Unlike Marco Blanchi, who was a large man that had a sort of edge about him, my father was incredibly charming and nonthreatening.
From looks alone, you couldn’t tell he was one of the largest arms dealers in the world.
Ivy blushed. Marco scowled. And Eli looked like he was bored.
The Blanchi clan couldn’t be any different.
And while I’d normally enjoy watching the way they interacted, I was not in the mood. Today felt different, like I was on the precipice of something big, and I didn’t have time to sit around and play these games that my father loved.
“I can feel you getting antsy, mi hija.” He turned to look at me and gave me a small smile. It was one of our secret smiles that we always shared. Normally, it would have comforted me knowing that he was on my side, but it just irritated me.
He sighed. “I’m here to bring you home.”
Eli stiffened, and suddenly Ivy’s words made sense. “What?”
“Why?” This was the first time Eli spoke, and I wish that he hadn’t. We’d kept our relationship secret, but from the way my father and his looked, I knew they both suspected that something was going on.
