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“Bastian.” Her father nodded toward Bastian, who stood beside Garrick. Her guards.
“It’s all right. Please, let him in.” Ariella tightened the belt on her robe. She’d put on her undergarments but not her dress yet.
Slowly, they parted, giving her father an opening. He stepped through them, casting a small smile when he saw her.
“Ariella.” He breathed her name as though it were just the thing he needed.
“Dad.” She let her hands hang loose at her sides. “What are you doing here?”
He frowned when she didn’t rush to him like she used to when she was younger, more naive.
“I’ve been in town a few days.” He admitted. “I saw your show last night and the night before.”
He’d been in the audience? How had she not seen him?
“You did?”
“I did.” He nodded. “You’re…hell, Ariella, you were amazing up there.” He dragged his hand over his mouth, down his trimmed beard. Even with the shorter hair, he seemed older somehow. Had he always had so many wrinkles?
“You think so?” She asked, finally finding her breath.
He grinned again. “You were mesmerizing. It was like I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. Your voice was like…what’s the word…” he snapped his fingers while trying to think.
“A siren.” Bastian offered. “She’s like a siren, luring in the innocent with that voice of hers.”
“Yes. That’s it exactly.” Henry stepped toward her, hope filling his eyes. “I was a fool. A complete idiot to see your talent as nothing more than a hobby. You were meant for that stage.”
She didn’t need his approval, but it still felt good to have it.
“Why are you in Kassel?” Garrick asked, moving around Henry to stand beside Ariella. Always her protector.
Henry’s smile faltered. “I came to see my daughter.”
“That’s it? No business deals?” From what she’d heard, the Titon family had cut off any discussion of doing business with her father.
“No.” He shook his head. “No business. Just her.” His gaze fell on Ariella again. “I’m sorry. I let business cloud my head. You would have wilted being married to Chad or anyone else.” He glanced at Bastian and Garrick flanking her. “Anyone other than these two.” He gestured at them.
“You know? About the wedding?” She asked softly. Of course, word would have gotten back to him about it.
“I do.” He held Bastian’s gaze. “You’ve taken better care of her than I ever had. And you,” he swung to Garrick. “You are a stubborn man and a protective one. She deserves and needs both of you.”
Bastian remained stoic.
“Ariella, about what happened.” Her father’s eyes darted to her feet. “I wasn’t hesitating because of you. I was just…well…I have no idea why I acted such a coward, and you have every right to never want to speak to me again.” When he brought his eyes back to hers, she witnessed something she’d never seen with him before. Vulnerability.
“I don’t remember what happened, not really. But I remember learning about all the horrible things Aunt Ursa did, what her business did, what the Faulkins do.” She paused. “You allow it to go on under your nose. How can you be so cruel?”
His jaw tightened. “You’re right. And I’ve done what I can to block it. After seeing the evil in my sister, how she dragged you into it…it woke me up. It’s more than one man can fix, but word has gotten out that there will be no protection from the Trident family.”
“Why did you even let it happen in the first place? You had to know she was involved.”
He frowned. “I never said I was a perfect man, Ariella.”
He was flawed, like everyone else. Maybe the pedestal she’d fixed him on when she was little had been too high.
“You’ll stop it where you can?”
“I will do everything I can, yes.” He nodded.
