Page 145 of Crave Me

“I can’t, Sky. You’ve found a way around it, but it’s not the same for me. This city is tainted for me now. All I can see while I’m here is that final image of your mom… her dying in my arms.”

“Dad, I’m sorry, so sorry.”

They hugged tightly for several moments as emotion got the best of them.

When they pulled apart, Frank smiled bittersweet as he looked at her.

“You don’t need me anymore.”

“I’ll always need you.”

“Not in the way I mean. You’ve come out of the hell we’ve been through and found a way to move forward. And I want that for you. I want you to finally be happy. That can’t happen with me around, being like this. The only way would be to take you with me when I go off the grid with Riley. But I won’t. You’ve found your place in the world, somewhere you belong, and as difficult a road as it’s been, it’s been undoubtedly proven that your place is with them.”

“Dad. I can’t have you disappearing again. Not being able to reach you in all that time… I can’t do it, it can’t be like that.”

“It won’t. I’ve already spoken to Riley about it and she has a way where we can still be in contact, yet also safe and undetected.”

“Are you and her… together?”

“We’re something. I can’t define it yet, it’s not… I’m not ready yet. Your mom is still very much with me.”

“Well, if it does get to that point, just know that I’m in your corner. You’ll get no blowback from me, only support.”

“Thank you, baby girl.”

Their conversation came to a halt as they both caught sight of me.

“Hey, sweets,” Sky greeted me, holding out her hand and pulling me to her as I took it.

“Beautiful,” I returned, kissing the back of her hand and holding it between us.

Frank smiled at me. “It’s time?”

I nodded.

Sky’s eyes lit up with anticipation. “They’ve found him?”

“They’ve got a lock, yeah.”

“Be careful,” Frank told us.

“We will,” Sky assured him. “I’m sorry you can’t be a part of it.”

Yeah, taking part in the fight during the invasion and then torturing Wheeler had worsened his injury to the point that it had set him back several weeks of recovery.

“It’s all right. It’s for the best. I’ve spent too long immersed too deep in the blackness.” He stepped closer, urgency coming off him as he told Sky, “Be very careful with that too. Continue with your therapy and make this the last of its kind. If you return to your work with The Jackals, only participate in the lighter operations. Promise me.”

“I promise, Dad.” She looked out at me. “I know it’s not good for me, that it doesn’t agree with me and I understand where that line is for me now too.”

“Good.” He gestured at the house. “You’d better get going. They’re waiting on you.”

“Okay,” she said, turning to go with me. She pulled up short and called over her shoulder to her dad, “See you when we get back from the operation? You’ll still be awake?”

“See you then, pumpkin.”

Sky was caught between this and centering herself to focus up for what was to come, so she didn’t notice the look in his eyes as he spoke those words. More like, she didn’t notice that he wasn’t looking steadily at her, nor even directly.

He was lying.

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