AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He takes out a brown envelope from his suit jacket. “I was informed weeks ago where you were.”
Cormac…
“I’m home now. It’s time we settle some things.” I tug James Patrick to my chest.
“My office is ready for you. Just you.”
“No.” I lock eyes with him assuredly. “My husband will join us. Papa, I am married to Darragh O’Rourke. Dr. Darragh O’Rourke.”
“Mr. Koslov.” Darragh graciously holds out his hand.
A hand Papa doesn’t shake.
“Pakhan Koslov. And a man of honor asks a father’s permission to marry his daughter.” His eyes trail to J.P. “And does not take advantage of a young, innocent girl.”
“That’s what we’re here to discuss,” I interject. “We’re going to get it all out in the open. Please, Papa. Let us inside. It doesn’t have to be like this.”
“I will not have this man with no honor in my—”
“Pakhan,” Lachlan snaps. “This man is my brother. I know there are a lot of us and it’s hard to keep track. My visits with you are a courtesy that you’ve been taking advantage of. I can stop if you’re going to insult my blood.”
“Blood,” I whisper. “Papa, this is my son. Your blood.”
His right cheek twitches like he’s conditioned to react to the idea of a solid bloodline. An heir. The heir I hold before him. An heir I can keep from him.
“My office.” Papa steps back, still holding the door. “Now. All of you. Let us get this over with.”
“I hold the door for my wife, Pakhan,” Darragh says, addressing him the way he wants.
Papa gives a slight bow and goes inside.
The long hallway with windows on both sides hasn’t changed. Nothing has.
A few turns and we reach my father’s office.
Only Darragh and Lachlan join us. Griffin returned to his Escalade.
A moment later, Sergei, Papa’s most trusted guard comes in. He offers me a faint smile, controlled because he won’t show the kind of joy I’m sure he feels about me being home in front of my father. Papa has barely lifted his lips and has only spoken to spew insults.
I take the seat in front of the desk, and Darragh stands in front of the one next to me.
Sergei takes his position behind Papa, and Lachlan, formidable at his full height, stands behind Darragh and me.
When Papa takes a seat, so does Darragh.
I speak before anyone says another word.
“Papa, first… I am sorry I left the way I did and all the worry I’ve caused. It was wrong of me. I was young. Even if that’s no excuse. I was scared and didn’t want to get to married to a man I didn’t know.”
“You are married now,” Papa drawls, his eyes sliding to Darragh. “How well do you know this man?”
“Very well. And I want to clear something up before this goes any further. Not that it is your business or anyone else’s…” I swallow. “I lied to you three years ago when you asked if I was a virgin. I was not. I’d had a few… encounters by then.”
Sergei goes rigid. That means his security team let someone touch me.
“When I was with the other guards, who I see are no longer here,” I say to clarify.
“I killed several who were on duty the day you left,” Papa says without emotion.
