His skin was pale and he looked older than his usual self. The last time I saw him so vulnerable was after my mother died. After that, he’d turned into a powerhouse who had to control everything around him.
“I’m so sorry, Hadley.” He broke down in sobs. “I never wanted to hurt you. All I wanted was to keep my baby girl safe.”
“And look where that got us,” I countered.
He nodded. “I know. I put everyone’s lives in danger, mostly yours. The one person I wanted to protect ended up being the one I almost destroyed.”
“If it wasn’t for Blake, I’d be dead. He’s the one who found me.”
His gaze landed on Blake. “How did you find her?”
Blake’s jaw tensed. “I have my ways, Mr. Rivers. I wasn’t going to rest until I found out what happened to her.”
My father held out his hand. “I owe you an apology, young man. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you after what you did.”
Blake stared at his hand, then shook it. “I accept your apology, but I don’t accept the fact you tried to take Hadley away from everyone, from me. It was selfish.”
“Blake,” I hissed.
Holding his hands up, he backed away. “I’m done. That’s all I wanted to say.”
“No, he’s right,” my father agreed. “I know you won’t forgive me now, but I hope in time you’ll understand my reasoning. You’re all I have left in this world. When Tristan told me he was responsible for all the threats, I felt like a fool. I played right into his hands.”
I gasped. “What all did he tell you?”
He reached for my hand and I let him take it. “Everything. He said he was going to have me killed as soon as you left for Ireland. When I arrived at the house, I could feel that something wasn’t right, especially when they wouldn’t let me see you. I tried to find you and that’s when everything went blurry.”
“They drugged you just like they drugged me. Connor was the one who told me everything,” I revealed.
“Where is he?” he asked.
I glanced back at Blake and he nodded. “Connor’s dead, Dad. Just like everyone else who was involved.”
“He never hurt you did he?”
“No,” I gasped. “Connor was actually one of the good guys. He might have been on the bad side, but he protected me.”
“So what happens now?” he murmured, squeezing my hand. “Do you think you can forgive me?”
Tears fell down my cheeks. I was still angry at him for what he did, but he was my father. I loved him more than anything. “On one condition.” He lifted his brows in response. “I want you to let me live my life. No more finding me bodyguards, or trying to make decisions for me. All of that is done. If someone calls threatening my life, you tell them to eat a dick.” Blake snorted and my father chuckled. “What I’m saying is, I’m going to live my life the way I want to live it. No more interference. Can you do that?”
Closing his eyes, he nodded. “I promise.”
“There’s one other thing,” Blake interrupted. My father and I both focused our attention on him. “Our stories need to be straight. If word gets out about your involvement with the mafia, you could face jail time. For the sake of Hadley, and your reputation, you need to say you had no part in it.”
My father blew out a nervous breath. “I can do that. Do you think I can get away with it?”
Blake’s gaze narrowed. “Maybe, as long as you keep your word to Hadley. Pull any of this shit again and I’ll make sure it comes back to bite you on the ass.”
“Is he always this brash?” my father asked me.
Giggling, I looked up at Blake and smiled. “Always, but that’s one of the reasons I love him.”
Hadley