by Perry, J L
Dragging my arse out of bed, I follow the scent of food into the kitchen. I find her with her back to me. My lips curl up in a smile when I notice she’s wearing one of my T-shirts. Fuck she looks sexy in my clothes. There’s earphones in her ears, and she’s dancing around the kitchen whilst listening to her iPod. She’s so fucking cute.
I lean up against the archway and watch her in amazement. I’ve never met anyone like her. You’d never guess she was the daughter of a billionaire. She’s so fun and full of life. I love being around her.
She has no idea I’m standing here. I could watch her all day. When she picks up the spatula off the benchtop and does a little air-guitar manoeuvre with it, my smile widens. If I’m not already, I think I just fell hopelessly in love with her.
I watch in awe for a few more minutes, before making my way over to her. I wrap my arms around her waist from behind and spin her around so she’s facing me. She smiles at me and raises her hand to pull out her ear plugs. I stop her. I remove one and place it in my ear. “Dance with me?” I whisper.
“Where are your clothes?” she asks, reaching around to slap my bare arse. Since I refuse to wear ball constrictors, preferring to go commando, I didn’t really have a choice.
“Someone stole my fucking shirt,” I reply, pushing her up against the cupboard door, placing my lips on hers. I feel her smile against my mouth.
“You can have it back,” she offers reaching for the hem. Even though it looks good on her, I’m not about to argue if she’s offering to get naked. I love her soft and delicious body. It’s perfect, just like her.
Once she removes it, passing it to me, I throw it across the room. “Nah, I think I’ll pass,” I say with a mischievous smile.
“You just wanted to get me naked,” she laughs, playfully slapping me with the spatula.
“Do you blame me?” I ask as I spin her around, walking her backwards until her arse hits the benchtop. My fingers slide up her toned body, cupping her perfect tits in my hands. My mouth works its way across her jaw and down her neck.
“Oh, Chase,” she moans when I suck one of her nipples into my mouth. “I need to flip the eggs.”
“Fuck the eggs. I’ve got my breakfast right here,” I say, lifting her up onto the benchtop and bringing my face between her legs.
“Yes,” she moans when I swirl my tongue around her clit. She’s insatiable. As soon as I start to feast on her, we’re interrupted by a knock on the door. “Shit,” she says sitting up.
“Ignore it,” I tell her.
“I can’t, Chase. It may be important.” She slides off the counter, turning off the now burnt eggs that were cooking on the stovetop.
“Fuck,” I groan, as I walk over and scoop my shirt off the floor. “You better run in and put some clothes on. You’re not answering the door dressed in only this.”
I follow her down the hall towards the bedroom. I watch as she frantically searches through her drawers for something to put on. After sliding into her bra, she slips a shirt over her head and wiggles her sweet little arse into a pair of yoga pants.
“You better put some clothes on too,” she says quickly, brushing her lips against mine and running out of the room. “Coming,” I hear her yell, when the impatient fucker knocks again.
I slip into my jeans, pulling my shirt over my head as I make my way into the hall. I’m stopped in my tracks when I hear her say, “Daddy, what are you doing here?” Fuck! Going on what Angel has told me about her father sabotaging all her previous relationships, I have a sick feeling this isn’t going to end well.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Logan
(Angel’s Dad)
I should’ve known something was up when her face dropped as soon as she saw me standing on her doorstep. In her whole twenty-two years of life, I’ve never got a greeting like that before. “I’m here to see my princess,” I answer honestly. “Is there a problem with that?” I open my arms to her. I’ve missed my little girl.
“No. Not at all, daddy,” she replies, wrapping her arms around my waist when I engulf her in a hug.
“I’ve missed you, baby.”
“I’ve missed you too. How come mum didn’t come with you?” she asks looking around me to make sure she’s not here.
“She’s busy at the studio today, getting ready for the concert next weekend. You know how busy pre-concert gets,” I chuckle. “You’re coming home for that aren’t you? Your mum will be disappointed if you don’t.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it,” she answers.
“So, are you going to invite me in, or are we going to stand out here all day?”
“Ummm, sure.” Her hesitation puzzles me. Something definitely isn’t right here.
I follow her through the door, and suddenly it all makes sense. I swear it takes every ounce of strength in me not to flip my lid there and then. “Be nice,” she whispers so only I can hear, as she links her arm through my elbow and leads me towards this punk.
Not fucking likely.
“Daddy, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Chase Daniels.” The little fucker winks at her when she says that, and my temper reaches fucking boiling point. “Chase, this is my dad, Logan Cavanagh.”
“Please to meet you, sir,” he says extending his hand. I can’t stop the angry growl which permeates from my throat.
Ignoring his outstretched hand, I turn my attention back to Angel. “You have a boyfriend? Why is this the first I’m hearing of it?” I seethe. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve lost my temper with her over the years, but if she thinks I’m not going to be pissed to find a man in her home, who more than likely spent the night, she’s seriously fucking mistaken.
The mere thought of it is giving me chest pains.
“I’m not a child. I’m twenty-two years old. What I do with my private life is none of your business.”
“None of my fucking business?” I scream. When I see her flinch, I immediately feel bad, but I’m so angry right now I can’t control it. If I knew this was what she was going to get up to, I never would’ve let her move here.
“Hey, don’t you speak to her like that,” the little prick says in her defence, moving to stand in front of her.
“Mind your own fucking business. How I speak to my daughter is none of your concern.”
“Want to make a bet?” he challenges, taking a step towards me. I’ll give him one thing, he’s got balls. When it comes to a father protecting his daughter’s virtues though, brass balls are not going to help, nothing will.
“Chase, please,” Angel pleads grabbing hold of his arm. He exhales as he takes a step back. Smart fucking move. “Why don’t you go and sit out on the back deck and let me talk with my dad?”
“Better still, why don’t you fucking leave?” I add.
“Daddy,” Angel shrieks. “How could you?”
He turns towards Angel, cupping her face in his hand. Everything in me wants to scream, “Get your fucking hands off my little girl.” She gives him a sad smile. He seems sweet with her, and protective, which I like, but it still doesn’t control my urge to wring his fucking neck.
“It’s probably for the best if I go,” he says. “I was brought up to respect my elders. If I stay, I may say something I’ll regret.”
Elders! I’ll give him fucking elders. My body seems to have a mind of its own, as I lunge forward and grab him around the neck. “You little fuck.”
“Daddy!” Angel screams as she tries to pry me off him. “Daddy, let go. You’re going to hurt him. Please daddy, please,” she cries.
Even though I don’t want to, the sheer panic in her voice has me releasing my grip on his neck. “Are you okay, Chase?” she asks with concern. He coughs a few times before glaring up at me.
“I’m fine,” he eventually says turning his attention back to her. “I’ll call you later, sweet-cheeks.” He leans forward brushing his lips against hers while keeping his eyes trained on mine.
Fucking sweet-cheeks! It almost has me
lunging at him again, but this time I manage to rein in my temper. When I see her eyes fill with tears, I almost feel bad for what I’ve just done. Almost.
“I’ll call you later,” Angel says to his retreating back.
“Sure,” is his only reply as he opens the front door and leaves.
Not if I have anything to do with it.
“How could you?” is the first thing she says once he’s gone. Tears pooling in her big brown beautiful eyes that are so much like her mother’s. It tugs at my heart. I step forward with my arms outstretched. “Don’t,” she snaps as she slaps my arms away. “I’m so disappointed in you right now.”
“Ditto,” I retort, but instantly regret it as soon as it leaves my mouth.
“Maybe you should go too. I have nothing to say to you right now. Nothing nice anyway.” She turns her back on me.
“Princess,” I plead as I reach for her again. When I hear that punk’s motorbike rev from outside, my temper spikes again. “He rides a fucking motorbike? You better not have sat your arse on that thing, or so help…”
Spinning back around to face me, she says, “Well I did, and I loved it. I’ve been on his bike hundreds of times.” She crosses her arms and narrows her eyes at me in defiance. I’m so flabbergasted right now, I don’t even have a comeback for that.
I run my fingers through my hair in frustration. The mere thought of it has my chest hurting again. She’s only been living here four months tops, so I find that hard to believe. I’m sure she’s just saying that to piss me off. Well guess what, it’s working. I have a good mind to throw her over my shoulder and drag her arse back to Sydney.
“Just leave, daddy,” she eventually says, before turning and running down the hall towards her bedroom.
“Angel,” I call out in desperation. I can’t possibly leave when things are like this between us. I flinch a few seconds later when I hear her bedroom door slam shut.
When I’m standing outside her room, I knock softly. I feel like an arse when I hear her sobbing on the other side of the door. “Princess,” I say, “I’m sorry. Please open the door so we can talk.”
“No. Leave me alone.”
“Please, Angel,” I beg as I rest my forehead against the door.
“Why are you so hell-bent on destroying my happiness?” she cries.
“I’m not. All I want is for you to be happy.” I hear her laugh sarcastically like she doesn’t believe my words.
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not,” I answer truthfully. Is it so wrong for a father to want to protect his only daughter?
“Go home, daddy. I have nothing more to say to you.” Hearing her say that, breaks my heart.
“Baby.”
“I’m not a fucking baby anymore,” she screams. “It’s about time you realised that.” She has never sworn at me before.
“Angel Maree. Don’t you dare use that language with me.” Don’t ask me why I always use her full name when she’s in trouble, but it’s something I’ve always done.
Shit, have I gone too far this time? I wish she could see things through my eyes, just for a minute. Since the moment I held her in my arms, the day I almost lost her and Brooke in that accident, I not only had this overwhelming feeling of love, but a fierce sense of protectiveness. It hasn’t lessened over the years. It’s only grown stronger.
“I’m not leaving until you come out and talk to me,” I tell her.
“Well you’ll be waiting an awfully long time,” she says. I run my hands through my hair. Fuck, she’s just like her mother when she’s angry or upset. A stubborn arse.
I make my way out into the main room. I’m not leaving until we hash this out. I’ll wait all fucking day if I have to. I need to make peace with her.
As the minutes roll into an hour, then two, I start to doubt she’ll ever come out of the room to speak to me.
My phone rings in my pocket. When I pull it out, I notice it’s Brooke. Fuck. She’s going to be pissed if she finds out what I’ve done.
“Hi, baby,” I answer.
“What in the hell have you done?” she practically screams down the phone. Fucking great. Now both of my girls are pissed with me.
“She had a guy here, Brooke,” I answer. “What did you expect me to do? Greet him with open fucking arms.”
“A simple handshake would’ve been enough. From what Angel just told me, you tried to practically kill him.”
“I didn’t try and kill him.” Although I would’ve liked to.
“Look,” she sighs, “Angel’s just called me. She’s heartbroken. She’s not ready to talk to you right now, so I suggest you get back on a plane and come home. Give her time to sort this out with Chase, that’s if you haven’t totally stuffed things up for her. He’s a nice boy, Logan. He cares a lot for our little girl. You would’ve seen it too, if you’d given him half the chance.”
“How do you know he’s nice, Brooke? How do you know he fucking cares?”
“Because I’ve met him. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“What the fuck?” My head is spinning at what she just confessed. Not only is my daughter keeping secrets from me, so is my wife. That’s real fucking lovely, that is. “When did you fucking meet him, and why am I only hearing about it now?”
“Calm down, Hot Stuff,” she says. My lips turn up in the briefest of smiles. I love how she calls me that after all these years. “I invited him over for dinner when I was last down there. I really like him, Logan, so does our daughter.”
“Why didn’t you tell me when you got home?”
“Yeah right. So you’d get on the first plane down there and do what you just did?”
“I wouldn’t have—” She cuts me off before I finish my sentence.
“Bullshit, Logan. If you really think that’s not what you would’ve done, you’re delusional.”
“He rides a fucking motorbike,” I say in my defence.
“And your point is?” she asks. “Your heart wants what your heart wants. You of all people should know that. How would you have felt if someone tried to come between us when we were dating?”
“It’s different.”
“Like hell it is,” she snaps. “I’ve stood by for too long, watching you sabotage every relationship she’s tried to have. I know you mean well, but enough is enough. Why do you think she wanted to move to Melbourne to finish school?”
“Are you saying…?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.”
“I wish she would’ve talked to me, before moving to the other side of the country.”
“Would you have listened?”
“I’d like to think I would’ve, but going on what happened today, probably not.”
“Exactly. If I remember correctly, her exact words were, ‘I need to experience everything life has to offer, mum, and that includes boys. If I stay here, daddy will make sure that never happens’. You need to let go, otherwise you might end up losing her forever.”
“That’ll never happen,” I scoff.
“It will if you make her choose.” Her words shock me, but they also make me think. Have I really been that controlling? “I love how much you love our children, I really do, but you need to take a step back. She’s an adult now. You’ve got to let her live like one. Let her make her own mistakes. It’s the only way she’ll learn, and grow.”
“I’ll try,” is all I can say. I’m not making promises I may not be able to keep.
“Okay. Now come home. Give our girl some time. She’ll come around, she always does.”
“I love you, Brooke.”
“I know. I love you too, Hot Stuff. Have a safe flight and I’ll see you tonight. Oh, and for God’s sake, don’t say another word to upset Angel. She’s had a hard time lately. She doesn’t need this right now.”
I sit there rehashing Brooke’s words. The last thing I want to do is lose my Princess. That would destroy me. Maybe Brooke’s right. Maybe I need to pull my head in.
A few minutes later I knock on Angel’s bedroom door. I can still hear her soft cries, and it breaks my heart knowing I’m responsible for her tears. “Princess, I’m sorry. I’m going to leave, but I just want you to know before I go, how much I love you. Please call me later if you can. I hate leaving knowing you’re angry with me. You mean the world to me, Angel.”
I feel a lump rise to my throat as I speak. I hate when things aren’t good between us. I wait a few minutes for her to respond, but she doesn’t. “Bye, baby,” I whisper as I run my hand gently down the door, before I turn and leave.
I just pray I haven’t done any irreparable damage to our relationship. We’ve always been close. My right hand girl is what I used to call her when she was little. We did everything together. What I wouldn’t give to have things like that again.
Once I’m seated in the car I hired at the airport, I call Claire, my PA, asking her to organise my flight back home.
My heart is heavy. Everything in me wants to go back into the house and try one more time to make things right, but as Brooke said, she needs time to calm down. I do too, I guess.
I pull my phone out of my pocket again, and make one last call. “Hi Mike, it’s Logan. I need you to come out of retirement, and do one last job for me.” He’s the best Private Eye I know. The only one I trust to get me the information I need. He’s never let me down in the past.
“What do you need me to do?” he asks.
“I need you to find out everything you can on a Chase Daniels. He’s a friend of Angel’s, and lives down here in Melbourne.” I scoff at the word friend. Friend my fucking arse.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Angel
My mum calls back about half an hour later to let me know dad is at the airport, waiting for his plane. Only then do I come out of my room. I feel horrible he left with things unresolved between us, but I’m so mad at him right now, there’s no way I could’ve spoken to him civilly.
I’m devastated and humiliated at how he treated Chase, especially after everything he’s done for me. I guess in my dad’s defence he doesn’t know about what happened that night.