“You’ve forgotten your place, Juliana.”
“No. Daddy, don’t ...” I feel twelve all over again. Can picture my mom watching me crying begging him to stop and flinching with each whip.
“She watched as you apologized for embarrassing us. She’ll have to watch again. She knew it was for the best.”
“She knew that you were a bastard that didn’t deserve her!” I yell. “You can’t handle that I’m an adult and I don’t need you. You can’t handle not having control over every damn thing in the world.”
He raises the whip just as the door bursts open. Max saunters in like there’s no need to rush, and arches his eyebrow at what he’s seeing. “Oh, no ... Tony. You know better than that.”
“This doesn’t concern you. Leave.” My father orders.
“Can’t do that.”
The whip shakes in my dad’s hand, but I can tell he’s still planning on using it. Whether my back is exposed or not, he’s going to follow through.
“Max, I can-”
“If you don’t drop that whip, I won’t have a choice, Tony. Get sober then deal with this.”
“I don’t need to be sober to know how to be a father.”
“Last chance,” Max warns.
My dad looks at me and brings the whip down. I cover my face, but nothing hurts. I hear a grunt and find Max on top of my father. Holding him down. My father watches the whip roll away and sobs.
“I can’t do this! I need her! I need her,” He wails.
Max sighs. “This isn’t the way to fix it.”
“I have to bring her back. Don’t you get it? If Juliana is perfect. If she ... If I ..” But he just doesn’t make any sense.
He says words, but the words don’t mean a thing. When he reaches for the whip, Max brings his fist down on my father’s face. I gasp. A part of me wants to help him, but a strong arm around my middle makes that impossible.
I find Konstantin behind me. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
“But-” I start.
I want to finish things with my father. I want to get my freedom the right way. I love that Max is this protective. I love that my men are determined to protect me no matter who is a threat, but this is wrong.
“I’m supposed to-”
“You can talk to him when he’s sober and thinking straight, doll. I’m half tempted to have him committed right now,” Max says as he sits up, still watching my father. “You need to go before he gets worked up again. I can handle this.”
I swallow. “Thank you, Max.”
He gives me a smile. “Can’t let the kids have all the fun.”
I want to kiss him. And kiss Konstantin, but I look to the entrance and don’t see Gio. “I’m missing one.”
“He’s looking for the hitman’s partner.”
“I had a partner once. She was glorious. The sun,” Dad mumbles.
“Go to sleep, Tony.” Max sighs.
“You let him go alone?!” It kicks in then.
Konstantin shrugs. “He’s a big boy.”