I slam open my dad’s office door, and it bounces off the interior wall. He’s standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on where they’re setting up for the ball tonight. He doesn’t flinch or move to face me when I storm in. Instead, he just stands looking outside with his hands crossed behind his back.
His muscles are pulled tight, and his curls are a mess. He’s wearing black slacks and a button-up shirt that’s untucked with the sleeves rolled up. Knowing him, he slipped his mask into place the second the door flew open, but I can see the stress in his body language and the way he's dressed.
I hate to see him like this, especially when I don’t know how to help him. He won’t answer my questions so I can make everything right again. Fists tightening at my sides, the urge to wrap my arms around him and hug him is overwhelming. Paper starts to crinkle in my fist, and when I look down, I remember why I came in here in the first place.
“Daddy,” I say, walking forward. Anger bubbles under my skin at the fact that he hasn’t turned around to even acknowledge me. “What the fuck is this?”
He sighs and turns, his eyes immediately falling to what’s in my hand instead of me. No greeting, no hug, nothing. His eyebrows furrow when recognition hits, and his eyes snap up to me.
I gasp. He looks like shit, and something inside me breaks. “Daddy…” I whisper, my hand reaching out to touch the side of his face. He leans into my touch slightly before reaching out and grabbing the picture that’s still in my other hand.
“Where did you get this?” He steps away from me and walks over to his desk while looking over the picture, dropping heavily into his chair.
“Who were Liam’s parents to you?”
His sad eyes look up to me, and he swallows before dropping his gaze back down. “I…baby girl…”
I shake my head. “No!” I shout. “I’m sick of this bullshit, Daddy. They were obviously important; I’ve never seen you look like that with a business partner. I was there—they were important enough to know who I am, that Iexist. I knew Liam as a child!”
“They weren’t family.” His brows pinch, and he tosses the picture onto his desk. “Not by blood, anyway.”
I snort. “Well, that’s good. Seeing as Ifuckedhim.”
“Malia,” he growls, standing to his full height and leaning toward me, flattening his palms on his desk. “I need you to trust me, and trust that I’m withholding information from you for a reason.”
I raise my chin, glaring at him through my lashes. “You’ve shattered the trust I had in you, Daddy.”
He straightens again, rounding his desk to stand toe-to-toe with me. “I don’t trust that you won’t make a mess and get yourself—along with others—killed. You’re out of control, Malia!”
My head snaps back like he just slapped me across the face. I simply stand, blinking at him and absorbing what he just said to me like poison.
“Fuck, baby girl.” He rubs a hand down his face, his eyes softening when realization hits.
I turn on my heel and stomp out of the room. Letting my feet guide me wherever they want, I come to a stop at mine and Lion’s spot in the garden. It’s the place we would hide when we were exhausted from training and just wanted to get away. I sit on the frozen bench, the bitter winter air biting my skin and making me shiver.
I didn’t grab a coat, but I feel like I’m suffocating and need fresh air. I stare at the ground. There’s a dusting of snow that must have fallen before we arrived in D.C., which adds to the chill I’m feeling. I wrap my arms around my chest and pull my feet up. Settling my head back on the bench, I watch through my lashes as people scramble in the distance while they finish up their final preparations for the ball tonight.
The clock is ticking, and this day has already been a shitshow. I have no doubt it’s only foreshadowing tonight’s events. As much as I don’t want to show up and play a role, cowering is not who I am. I’ll face the disastrous night head-on if only so my mother doesn’t win.
I have a statement to make, after all.
Eleven
Nathaniel
IWATCHMALIAWALKout of my office, my heart-shattering in my chest. I fucked up by saying that to her, but I need her to drop it. I have spent her whole life making sure she does not feel like she is worthless in my eyes, and ruined that in a heated moment.
I know my baby girl, and she will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves if she thinks they are in danger. Malia fell in love with Liam during that mission. If she knew what truly happened to his parents—and the possibility that he could be a target as well—she will ultimately throw herself in the line of danger.
She may not trust me now, and she may hate me at this moment, but I would take her wrath over the possibility of her recklessness ultimately getting her killed.
I look down at my watch and realize that the ball is fast approaching. Blowing out my cheeks, I walk out of my office to go check that everything is in order before I get ready myself. Despite Malia being pissed at me, I trust that she will do what needs to be done to ensure that we appear as a united front.
With Tawny’s betrayal, and finding out that she has been in contact with the man who brutally murdered people that were close to me, we need the show to go on now more than ever. I agreed to this ball in the beginning as a means to an end, a way to shut my wife up and let her play dangerous games with Malia. When everything was revealed, it became imperative that it happens.
Tawny is alive and will be attending to show that we are ignorant to what is happening, because I have no doubt that with Martinez’s steady presence, he will have eyes here tonight. Eyes on Tawny, and eyes on Malia.
All the more reason to keep her safe.