Then he melts like a beautiful fucking candle.
38
Nathaniel
Thedoortomyoffice opens and my head snaps up. My heart nearly stops as Malia looks back at me.
My Malia.
My baby girl.
“Malia,” I breathe, taking in the heaviness of her mind, clear on her face.
Shame flashes across Malia’s beautiful features as her gaze drops to the floor. She blows out a long breath to calm herself. These are moments that come so rarely. I know Elio created demons to leave inside my daughter that were not there before, but if Malia has been anything in her life it is a fighter and she is, by far, the strongest person I know.
“They won, Daddy,” she croaks, swallowing down the thickness in her throat, not willing to meet my eyes as she bares her soul to me. “They succeeded in breaking me.”
I shake my head, jumping from my chair and rushing to her. I grab her hand and pull her toward the couch, kicking the door shut. Malia leans her head on my shoulder, letting me comfort her in a way I have not done since she was a small girl. My hand slides up her cheek, holding her against me and I place a soft kiss against her forehead. She slumps slightly against me, allowing herself to fully relax in my presence for the first time since she has been home.
“No, baby girl,” I sigh, turning to her so she can see the truth in my eyes as I speak the words I know she desperately needs to hear. “They took away who you are because they were frightened of the woman they held prisoner. That is not the type of woman who breaks under someone else’s control. You, Malia, are a force to be reckoned with. A hurricane they needed to barricade themselves against to weather the storm so they would survive. They only succeed in winning if you let them, baby girl. I’ve seen you go toe-to-toe with the most dangerous motherfuckers, don’t let yourself back down now. You fought like hell, and you survived.”
“I killed him,” she growls.
Him being Elio. I was reluctant to keep him alive for her after what happened with Tawny but I have a problem with taking someone else’s vengeance into my own hands. Especially someone who deserves to take it.
“You went through a lot, baby girl,” I say. “Unspeakable things that would make anyone crumble. Feelings don’t make you weak. Not when you’ve endured something so devastating.” I sigh. “You’ve spent your whole life fighting against basic human emotions, not understanding you are not a robot, devoid of feelings. Use it to your advantage like you do everything else, Malia. Harness it to fuel that fire inside you and brandish it like the warrior you are.”
We fall silent as she soaks in my words. Her sniffling stops after a while and I let her take the comfort she needs from me.
“That girl is still here,” Malia finally says, shifting the subject with a teasing tone.
She lifts her head, and she smirks at me. I narrow my gaze, only making her smile grow.
“You’ve also spent your whole life deflecting and pushing my buttons,” I grumble.
Malia giggles and shrugs away from me.
“My dad, the cradle robber,” she teases, batting her long eyelashes. “Nathaniel Olin, Daddy of allDaddy’s. Let’s hope your taste has improved since the last one.”
Fucking Tawny.
I level her with a look. “Malia, you’re my pride and joy and I love you, but please fuck right off if you’re going to start your shit the second you get your memories back,” I warn her.
She cackles and I cannot help but join her in the lightheartedness of the moment. Soaking in the presence of my daughter, who I have missed so much. Seeing her smiling and alive, despite the fight warring inside of her.
From Elio. From Tawny. From the drugs.
We fall into conversation as I catch her up on what has been going on since she was taken, especially Liam’s battles with himself and everything else as he fought to get to her, not letting the obstacles here deter him.
Yells and shouts ring out in the hallway, cutting through our conversation as gunshots follow. Malia and I jump to our feet as we pull our weapons. My preferred handgun and her dagger that I had not noticed was strapped to her thigh.
My office door bursts open as the final two Riccis barrel through it. Giovanni holds his gun steady as he keeps it trained to my face, his wife, Sofia, holds one at her side. The shakiness of it makes it clear just how practiced she is. No matter your rage, your weapon should always be held steady and true.
Amateur.
“Where he is?” Giovanni growls.
Malia snorts next to me. “Currently being mopped up off the basement floor, if you’d like to say your goodbyes,” she taunts.