Page 46 of Stealing Daddy's Heart

I sink into the leather armchair, my legs suddenly unsteady. Dad paces in front of me. Garrett leans against the bookshelf, his eyes never leaving me.

Dad runs a hand through his hair, defeat etched in every line of his face. “The mystery benefactor who is so interested in your work? It's not what it seems.”

Garrett steps forward, his eyes soft with concern. “The gallery deal, Skylar. The one that seemed too good to be true? It was. The Scarpettas are behind it.”

“Who?”I ask, confused. This involves me directly, but I have no idea what they are talking about.

“The Scarpetta family,” Dad says, his voice heavy. “They're dangerous, Skylar. Organized crime.”

The blood drains from my face, leaving me cold and dizzy. The room spins, and I grip the arms of the chair to steady myself. “I don’t understand. Why are they interested in me?”

“They're using you, Skylar,” Dad says softly, his eyes filled with regret. “The gallery, the benefactor–it's all a front. A carefully orchestrated charade. They're setting you up as leverage against us. Against me and Garrett.”

The pieces start falling into place—Garrett's constant presence, his overprotectiveness, the strange men I'd noticed lurking around the gallery. My stomach churns as I realize how blind I've been.

“You knew about this too, didn't you? That's why you've been keeping such a close watch on me,” I whisper, meeting Garrett's gaze. “All those times you looked worried, all those secretive phone calls. You could have told me!”

But even as the words leave my mouth, I feel a twinge of doubt. Deep down, I know it wasn't Garrett's place to tell me. This was Dad's responsibility, and he failed.

Garrett's face crumples with guilt. “Skylar, I wanted to tell you. But your father?—”

“No,” Dad admits, shame coloring his voice. “Garrett warned me but I brushed it off. I hoped nothing would happen.”

“You hoped? Dad, how could you?”

“It was a mistake. A terrible mistake.” Dad kneels in front of me, taking my hands in his. “Skylar, listen to me. We need to stop this. We need to get you out of danger before it's too late.”

“You lied to me, kept me in the dark,” I say, yanking my hands away from Dad's grasp.

Dad flinches, but I'm not done. “By keeping me in the dark, you've put me in more danger, not less.”

Dad and Garrett exchange guilty glances. The silence that follows is deafening.

I stand up abruptly, needing to something with this surge of energy coursing through me. The anger, the betrayal, the fear—it all swirls together, threatening to overwhelm me. But beneath it all, a seed of determination takes root.

I'm tired of being a pawn in someone else's game.

When I speak again, my voice is steadier.

“I want in,” I say, looking from Dad to Garrett and back again.

“What?” Dad asks, confusion etched on his face.

“I want in,” I repeat. “On everything. No more secrets, no more lies. If the Scarpettas want to use me, then I want to know exactly what we're up against and how we're going to fight back.”

Garrett straightens, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “Skylar, it's dangerous?—”

“I know,” I cut him off. “But I'm already in danger, aren't I? At least this way, I can be prepared.”

Dad opens his mouth to protest, but I hold up my hand. “No, Dad. You don't get to make this decision for me. Not anymore.”

I turn to Dad, meeting his gaze head-on. My blue eyes, so like his, challenge him silently. “And while we're being honest, there's something else you need to know. I choose to be with Garrett. I understand you might not approve, but this is my decision to make. I'm in control of my own heart.”

My voice doesn't waver, and I feel a surge of pride at my own strength.

Dad's face flushes red. “Skylar, you can't be serious. He's?—”

“He's what, Dad? Too old? Too experienced? Too much like you?” I take Garrett's hand, intertwining our fingers. “We didn't plan this, but it happened. I'm not asking for your permission. I'm telling you how things are.”

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