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“My plan is to do whatever it takes to keep innocent animals from being slaughtered for human pleasure,” I said quietly.
He nodded and sauntered over to a group of couples. The way he inserted himself was as if they’d been waiting for him to arrive. He smiled and laughed and charmed—no, there wasn’t a charming bone in his body.
I couldn’t stop watching as he worked his way from group to group. Every time he moved away from one, they seemed to want him to stay while the next eagerly awaited their time with him.
I didn’t understand it.
I’d be happy to never see his face again, let alone hear his voice. Maybe these people clamored for his attention because he was hot right now. Power was important in this circle. He’d won enough important cases to make him desirable. My family’s status could certainly elevate him even higher. Was that why he was here? To use Alma’s connections?
“Having fun, Earth Warrior?” Daddy slung an arm around my shoulders. A faint hint of whiskey and cigars hit my nose.
I dropped my head to his shoulder, though my gaze stayed riveted to Kane.
“I’m glad to be home. I’ve missed you,” I admitted. The sequoias were my most recent cause. I’d spent the seven months prior working to provide housing and employment to the homeless in Los Angeles. Before that, I’d been in Africa distributing food and medication to malnourished children for three months. I’d even helped launch a school for girls there. And then there’d been the mink protests in Denmark.
“Not as much as I miss you.” He squeezed me. “You’re doing important things, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want you to come back. You have a place at the company if you ever want it.”
“I know, Daddy.” Part of me longed to take him up on the offer. I didn’t want to work for the company, but I needed this right here. To feel valued.
This trip would have to recharge me until the next time I saw my family.
“I remember the day you were born.” His words were a little slurred and he swayed.
“Daddy.”
“Let an old man reminisce.”
My cheeks heated. “You’re not old.”
He kissed the side of my head. “There was the most incredible lightning storm I’d ever seen. You came out screaming and it stopped. I knew you would be a special person.”
He’d told me that a hundred times, especially after he’d had too much to drink.
“I love you, Daddy.”
He kissed my head again. “Love you too. I’m so proud of you.”
For the first time since I’d been back, I relaxed. What Mother thought—or anyone else for that matter—was irrelevant. If no one but my father supported me, that was enough.
He was proud of me.
He loved me.
And I could keep pushing for my causes because he believed in me.
She was lying.
Mother would say anything to get me to change. Daddy would never lie to me. He wanted me to be happy.
My gaze drifted to Kane, who circulated to Alma. He slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her indecently.
I flushed as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her fingers in his hair.
They didn’t care who saw. Passion oozed off them.
I’ll never have that.
It was the second time I’d thought that today, and this time the pang in my chest was more prominent.
