Izzy’s heart thudded irregularly. She did love Xavier and it sounded like he was in a mess. She glanced up at the stucco exterior of the mansion. Maybe she could get to the bottom of this.
“I’ve got to go,” Mama said. “Please don’t give up on my boy.”
The line went dead and Izzy stared at her phone for a few seconds then dropped it on the console and stomped into her family mansion, startling their butler, Gary, who greeted her with, “Oh, hello, Miss Knight. Your stepmother and sister are not home presently.” She never came here when her father was home.
“I know. They’re off shopping.” She turned to the right and yanked open the office door.
“Miss Knight!” Gary protested.
Her father’s head jerked up, and he smiled. “Izzy. Hello, sweetheart.” He stood and opened his arms. As if she’d walk into them for a hug. She hadn’t done that in over ten years.
She slammed the door behind her and then stomped up to his desk. “Why did you use me to keep Xavier here?”
“What are you talking about?” He finally lowered his arms, realizing no hug was coming, smart man.
“You set up the whole thing, me buying him at the auction, me being kidnapped, all so he wouldn’t leave the Titans.”
“No, love. I did it for you.”
Izzy took a step back. It was true. Everything Xavier had thrown at her was true. She recoiled quickly, planting her hands on the desk. “Don’t call me love. You don’t love anybody but money and football.”
“Oh, Izzy.” Her father dropped his head. “If only you could see how much I love you. I did all of this for you.”
“You tricked me into buying Xavier and then had me kidnapped because you love me?” She folded her arms under her chest. “You’re insane.”
His eyes met hers, begging. “Sweetheart.”
“Don’t.” She warned him, holding up a hand. She’d never been his sweetheart.
“Just please listen to me.”
Izzy waited half a beat before giving him a slight nod.
“Your mother made me promise before she passed that, when the time was right, I would help you find someone wonderful to share your life with.”
She flinched, wondering if there was any truth to what he was saying. It seemed like something her mom would do.
“When I first met Xavier, I had a really good feeling about him. I’ve watched him these past few years, and the kid has character and grit. I like him, and I thought he was perfect for you.”
Izzy agreed, and for some reason, it warmed her inside to know that her father approved of Xavier, even though she’d never given much credence to her father’s opinions.
“When he got the offer to go to Denver, I didn’t want to let him go, but I didn’t know how to keep him here. Denver is his hometown, and his mother’s there. Maybe it was right to let him go. I was praying about it one night.”
“Wait a minute.” Izzy raised a hand. “You pray?”
“Of course, I pray.” His brows lowered. “I taught you to pray.”
“Yeah, and I thought you were the biggest hypocrite on Earth.”
He nodded and then swallowed before saying, “I can understand that. I know I deserted you when your mom was sick and after she died, but please understand how hard it was for me to watch her suffer and then to lose her. I was a mess and you look so much like her, it about killed me to see you—”
Izzy did not want to get into this with her father. All of her resentment and anger bubbled below the surface. “Just tell me about Xavier.”
He studied her then said, “I’m so sorry I detached from you. I loved your mother desperately, and I fell apart. She was my entire world.”
“You cheated on her when she was sick.” Izzy exploded. “Don’t give me that crap about her being your world.”
“I … cheated?” His brow furrowed. “I never cheated on anyone.”
Liar! She wanted to scream. The proof was her sister. “Hailey” was all she said.
His mouth flapped open. He swiped a hand over his face and then shook his head. “All these years, you thought Hailey was mine?”
“Of course she’s yours.” She hated the way he was looking at her, like she was delusional or something. “I saw you hugging Dolly in the kitchen when my mom was sick and you were going in for a kiss.”
He opened his mouth but she wasn’t finished.
“After Mom died and I understood what cheating was, I started hearing it everywhere, how you and Dolly were together while my mom was still alive. It was only three years after Mom was gone that you married Dolly, and I heard the talk all the time about how you’d been with Dolly and that Hailey was your daughter. That’s why you moved them in next door when Mom got sick.”
“Oh, sweetheart. All these years, why didn’t you just ask me or Dolly? Hailey isn’t mine. Yes, she calls me daddy, but that’s because I asked her to when I adopted her. I love her like she’s my own, but she’s not mine.” He blew out a breath.
“I asked Hailey about it once and she said she was my sister and you were her daddy.”
He smiled kindly. “Of course she did, Hailey idolizes you and wanted you to be sisters in every way.”
Izzy realized that was true and Hailey had been a young teenager at the time.
“Why didn’t you ask Dolly or I?”
“You and I haven’t had much of a relationship and it was a bit of an awkward question to ask Dolly.”
He nodded his understanding. “I’m sorry again that I withdrew from you after I lost Mariana.”
There wasn’t really anything she could say to that. He’d deserted her when she needed him the most. She didn’t know that the pain would ever go away, but she appreciated him trying to apologize.
“I was faithful to your mother, Izzy.” He kind of flinched when he said it and rushed on to explain. “When Dolly moved in next door, she and her husband were having trouble, and truthfully, we were both lonely, and it was hard to keep proper boundaries, but we were just very good friends for the first six years I knew her. Three years while your mother fought the cancer and then for the three years after, while I mourned and I shut you out. Then I had no clue how to open your heart to me again and honestly seeing you ripped me apart so I did stay away from you. Dolly became my best friend before I fell in love with her. We were close enough that I can see how the rumors would start, but I promise I was faithful to your mom. I had absolutely no clue you thought I’d cheated.”
She couldn’t comprehend all of this, so she just stared. She’d been too young to understand any of this when her mom first got sick, maybe six or seven. By the time her mom died a few years later, she started hearing the rumors about her dad and Dolly having an affair while her mom was sick and the hug she’d seen in the kitchen solidified it. She didn’t comprehend what cheating meant until she was a teenager and her dad married the woman she’d always heard he cheated with.
He barked a laugh. “If you saw me hugging Dolly in our kitchen I’m not surprised. It was hard to keep proper boundaries with her natural exuberance and love for everyone. That woman hugs everybody.” He smiled, and Izzy had a little insight into why her mom and Dolly could both love him. He had a nice smile, but he also had love shining in his eyes. He loved Dolly. She’d always known that, but it had always felt like this awful slight to her mom. Yet if all of this was true, he’d loved her mother too, and he and Dolly had done things the right way and had a right to be happy.
“Dolly is a dose of sunshine. That’s for sure.” Izzy admitted.
“Yes, she is.” Her father agreed.
“So, Hailey isn’t my sister?” That thought hit her hard. She loved Hailey, and although she’d hated thinking about her father cheating to create her sister, she loved having a sister.
He looked at her incredulously. “I just can’t understand what would make you think that.”
“I told you I overheard some of the kitchen help saying she was and Hailey claimed she was.”
&nbs
p; “Sweetheart. I didn’t even know Dolly until they moved in next door and Hailey was already three or four at that point. Don’t you remember her dad?”
“No. He deserted them, right?”
Her father nodded. “But if you’d ever seen him, he looked so much like Hailey—tall, blonde, blue eyes, straight nose, and the cleft in the chin.” He shook his head. “He was a pretty boy. I always wondered what Mariana or Dolly saw in me.”
Izzy bit at her lip. “I’ve thought the same thing.”
“I bet you have.” He smiled. “Even though you and Hailey aren’t sisters by blood, the two of you are sisters,” he said.
She nodded. That was true. She adored Hailey. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this years ago?”
“I had no idea you had everything so confused in your head.” He gave her a gentle smile. “When your mother died, I was such a mess. I could only deal with one day at a time, and you were this beautiful ten-year-old girl I didn’t really know how to relate to and it killed me to be around you and think of Mariana nonstop. When I finally started healing and fell in love with Dolly, I wanted to be there for you, but you hated me.”
“I don’t know if hate is a strong enough word.”
“True.” He nodded. “We should’ve healed together, but instead, I turned to my work and thought you were just going through mourning for your mom and teenage girl stuff and would come around. But you never came around, and then you left home as soon as you could.” He hung his head. “It about killed me, but at least, I knew you had Dolly and Hailey. I didn’t want to push you away from them as well, so I just tried to stay back. But oh, sweetheart, I’ve missed you. It’s an ache that never goes away.”
Izzy felt tears spring to her eyes. Her father truly cared about her. This man she’d made out to be a monster cared enough that he’d adopted Hailey when her own father had deserted her. She loved her sister and stepmom so much, and sadly, she’d made her father out to be the villain and shoved him away time and time again. She wanted to hug him and say sorry, but first she had to know.
“The deal with Xavier?”
He sort of bowed his head. “I watched you succeed at your career, so hard-working and driven, not wanting any help from me, from any man, and I knew because of how much you hated me, you wouldn’t let yourself fall in love.”
Izzy nodded. There was no use denying it.
“So when I prayed, Mariana came to me in a dream and told me Xavier was the one for you.”
Izzy gasped and felt a warmth flood over her. Xavier. She’d seen her mother when she’d almost drowned but had chosen Xavier instead.
“At first, it worried me because his agent had painted him as a ladies’ man. I don’t know how I know, but that’s not the real him.”
Izzy blinked quickly. Her dad believed in Xavier, her mom wanted them together, and Xavier and his mama claimed he only took those pictures with Alexandria to protect Izzy from his agent. It was all coming at her pretty quick.
“Do you know what his name means?” her dad asked.
She shook her head, thinking it was a warrior of light or something. That would make sense.
“Leader of the resistance, but his true wish is for a wife, children, and a planet that isn’t exploding.”
Izzy half-laughed. “You got that off an X-Men comic book.” How had she forgotten that her business-minded father loved the X-Men?
He nodded and smiled. “Still, isn’t that him? He’s a fighter and is absolutely fearless on the field, but his heart is still at home. Look how he cares for his mama and for children around the world. I knew he was the one for you, and so I schemed to get you two together.”
She regarded him for a few seconds. “You’re telling me all this crazy scheming had nothing to do with keeping him in Dallas for your Titans?”
He shrugged and gave her half a grin. “Hey, if I can keep the Triple Threat together, I’ll be a happy man.” He winked. “But no, sweetheart. I wanted you to be happy. I’m truly sorry about the kidnapping thing. That was Dolly’s idea. She thought it would be ‘so romantic’ when Xavier saved you, and you know I can’t tell that woman no.”
Oh, Dolly. Izzy loved her so much, but she was quite the romantic airhead sometimes. “That was a horrible idea. I can’t believe you went with it.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have.” He shrugged and seemed very unconcerned.
“You’re going to have to clear it up with the police.” Her chest tightened. How would the police respond? How had her parents schemed up such a stupid idea to bring her and Xavier together? Her parents. She’d just thought of her dad and Dolly as her parents.
“I know.” His wrinkles deepened. “Hopefully, we won’t get charged for faking a crime or something, but it would be worth it to show you how much I love you.” His eyes were soft and begging her to believe him.
“You’re crazy.” She felt warm all over, realizing her father did love her as much as he loved Dolly and Hailey. “Can you imagine the publicity if you and Dolly got thrown in jail?”
“I’d take the rap for it. Dolly would never survive without her Frappuccino and hair dryer.” He winked.
“You’d go to prison for me and to protect Dolly?” She was dumbfounded that he seemed so unconcerned about the possibility of the police charging him with something and that he truly loved her and Dolly this strongly.
“Of course. It would all be worth it if you find the person who makes you happy like your mother and Dolly have made me.”
Izzy couldn’t resist any longer. She walked around the desk and threw herself into her daddy’s arms. He wrapped her up tight and held her. She hadn’t allowed him to hug her since she was eight years old, and it felt like home, a home she’d missed without even realizing it. He smelled of peppermint and coffee and she loved that his smell was still the same.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered, her tears wetting his suit coat.
“Oh, Izzy, sweetheart. I love you so much.” His voice caught, and his own tears dropped into her hair.
For the first time in years, she believed him.
21
It was good to be back in Denver. Xavier still hadn’t decided which contract to sign, especially when Denver had offered six million dollars above Knight’s offer. Which had made Neil ecstatic, crowing about how he knew the date with Alexandria would clinch it all for them. Xavier walked away before he slugged him.
Luckily, he was busy at home. Mama always had somebody or some organization she was helping, and as soon as the neighborhood boys got wind Xavier was home, they came over for football.
Xavier came rushing into the kitchen from outside, hot and thirsty. Mama was whipping up a batch of cookies. He pinched a bit of dough.
“Oh, you stop that.”
He grinned.
“You doing okay?” she asked.
“No. The boys and I need some homemade strawberry lemonade, and nobody makes it as good as you.”
She laughed. “You little manipulator. You know I’d do anything you ask.”
“I know.”
Her eyes got serious, and she said, “Will you do anything I ask?”
Xavier grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge, opened it, and took a long swallow. “I always try to.” He finally answered, dreading where she would go with this.
“Call Izzy.”
He shook his head and hurried to take another drink.
“But love, you always obey me because you love me.”
“Yeah.” He did love her, but he couldn’t call Izzy. His mom hadn’t been there Saturday morning. She didn’t know how it ended. He still didn’t know what parts Knight was behind and what parts were real or contrived.
“Shouldn’t you obey Izzy for the same reason?”
“You think I love Izzy?”
“I watched you together. I think you love her the way a man should love a woman.”
He stared into his mama’s deep brown eyes, so full of love, understanding, and hope. He couldn’
t hide from those eyes. “You’re probably right, but she’s not the Izzy I fell in love with. I can’t trust her or her father, and you can’t build love without trust.” He’d also broken Izzy’s trust when he met up with Alexandria. No matter if he had done it to protect her from his agent’s slimy ideas. They couldn’t heal from wounds this big.
Mama bit at her lip and simply studied him for a few seconds. “One thing I’ve learned in this long life is things aren’t always as they seem.”
Xavier shrugged, not ready to commit either way. “But sometimes they are.”
Izzy walked off the plane, happy to be able to stand and walk the stiffness out of her legs. She dialed the number with trembling fingers. “Mama Newton?”
She heard a shriek then Mama said, “Is this my sweet girl?”
“Yes.” Izzy laughed, but it was uneasy. “Is X right there?”
“No, he’s out in the yard throwing a ball with some boys.”
Izzy could picture it, and she wanted to be there watching him.
“Are you going to come and fix my boy’s heart, sweet girl?”
“Oh, Mama, I want to.” She gripped the phone tightly.
“Well then, get your skinny buns on a plane.”
“I just landed in Denver.”
“Hallelujah!” Mama screamed into her ear.
Izzy laughed. Her body relaxed. If only Xavier would give her as warm of a reception as Mama. “I just need your address.”
“I’ll text it to you, and I’ll have some of my famous chocolate chip cookies waiting.”
“Thank you, Mama. Please don’t tell him I’m coming. I need to talk to him face-to-face.”
“Well hurry then. I can’t stand watching him hurt any longer.”
Hearing that made her hurt. “I’m on my way.” She hung up and pulled up the Uber app.
22
Xavier caught the ball then fired it back at Marcos. The boy got drilled in the gut, but he was grinning as he wrapped the ball up. Xavier rushed him. Marcos let out a squeak and took off running. Xavier had been able to buy the neighbor’s house when it was condemned and knock it down, making a huge side and backyard for Mama. He had also used the space to extend her house when he paid to have it remodeled. Luckily, the local gangs respected him and Mama and hadn’t made any trouble for her being in this rundown neighborhood with a bigger and nicer house and yard.
The Fearless Groom (Texas Titan Romances) Page 15