AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I think so, too, but he looked such a wreck I didn’t have the heart to warn him away. Given the circumstances with his father, he’s laying low at the moment and heading to Europe. So, you might not have to worry about seeing him for a while.”
That’s some relief, but I still have to prepare myself for whenever it happens.
“Are you going to work with him? I don’t think you should. The connotations with his name alone could ruin your business.”
“I know, but… he’s innocent, Aurora. I can’t shoot a man down when he’s innocent. Losing everything has given him a rude awakening. As I’ve known him all his life, it’s natural for him to turn to me. I’m probably the only person in the industry who can help him. That said, I’ve told him I’ll think about it. He’s not my worry right now. You are.”
Those words soften the angst in my heart, as does the tremble in his hands.
He looks away from me and stares out the window at the rose garden Mom created. His eyes become glassy, and he looks weak.
“Dad, don’t worry about me. I will be okay.”
He looks back at me and smiles without humor. “I’m happy to see you. I wasn’t sure how we’d be after everything that’s happened.”
I shake my head, realizing he thought I’d be angry at him again. I was, but the moment he told me why we were in this mess, I couldn’t be. I would have done the same thing he did to save Mom. He knows, even though she’s not with us anymore, that he tried everything.
“I love you.” I sound like a child again saying those words for the first time.
Dad rubs a hand over his face, and that aged look he’s been sporting for the last few years intensifies. “I love you too, but Ihavefailed you.”
“Dad—”
“No.” He holds up a hand to stop me from continuing, then folds it into a fist and places it at his heart with a thump. “Don’t try to make this into something it’s not. Everything that has happened is my fault. I would try to save your mother again in a heartbeat, so I won’t apologize for that, but I failed you the moment I made the marriage arrangements with Conrad and Nathan.”
“I understand why you did it. Arranged marriages are common in our circles.”
“Maybe so, but I wanted you to have the real thing. With the amount of debt I was in, my back was against the wall, and I stopped thinking. After losing your mother, I didn’t want us to lose everything else. I told myself you’d be okay because we knew Nathan. I also hoped his fondness for you would turn to love. None of that mattered, though, because everything went to hell when Knight came on the scene.”
“Yeah, they did.” There’s no way I can refute that.
“I assume he did something to upset you.”
I nod slowly and take small sips of the tea.
Knight hasn’t just done onesomethingto send me here. It’s everything.
“What did he do, sweet girl? He hasn’t hurt you, has he?” Dad straightens, fire flashing in his eyes, as if suddenly realizing that could be a possibility.
“He hasn’t hurt me. Not like that. But I just found out he’s going to be renovating Sunset Cove without me, so I have to forget Mom’s plans.”
Dad’s expression dissolves, melting from his face like ice in the heat. “What?” He sounds as empty as I feel. “I didn’t know that was going to happen.”
“Well… that answers my main question.”
“Sweetheart, I would have told you if I’d known. Especially knowing your plans to fulfill your mother’s wishes.”
“Is there really nothing we can do? How can he overrule me and start these renovations if we aren’t even married yet?”
Dad’s shoulder’s drop. “The terms and conditions of the contract allow him to do so. He holds the ruling shares, so it’s like he already has ownership, but after six months of marriage, he’ll get the official document listing him on the title deeds. It’s not a common practice, but people like him can find a way. They find loopholes, no matter how small, they can slither into.”
Jesus.This just shows me how dangerous Knight Grayson is.
“There’s nothing either of us can do.”
My heart hurts even more to hear that. I set the cup back down on the tray and hang my head. Dad moves closer and slips and arm around me.
“Aurora. I know what Sunset Cove means to you. You wanted to keep the place alive because of your mother. I think it’s admirable you wanted to fulfill her wishes, but don’t be like me. This isn’t a fight I want you to get sucked into because it’s not your path.”
