Page 61 of The Wrong Fiancée

I exhaled, the tension still coiled in my chest but loosening just a bit. "What the hell are you doing in Kauai, Dad?"

"Knew you were leaving, and I wanted to…well, I wanted to snoop in your business and meet Elika when you were not here."

"What?" I was grateful he'd been there, but this interference was not fucking okay. But it also didn't matter what I thought or felt; Dad would do exactly what he wanted.

"You should thank me," he continued arrogantly. "If I hadn't intervened when I did, she might have spent the night in jail. And that would've been unacceptable."

That thought sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing through me. I closed the zipper of my suitcase with more force than necessary. "I can't believe Felicity did this. I should've seen it coming. She and Ginny?—"

"We're going to deal with that," Dad cut in, his voice dropping into something harder. "I've already spoken to the lawyers. If Elika wants to go after Felicity and Ginny for what they did, I'm ready to make that happen."

"But she doesn't want to." I already knew that. Elika would not hurt anyone. It just wasn't who she was.

"Yep. Says she's not interested in a legal fight." Dad's tone was softer now, almost understanding. "I had dinner with her, talked some. She's unique. I like her."

I ran a hand through my hair, pacing the length of the suite. The curtains shifted slightly as I passed, revealing a glimpse of the Roman streets below, quiet now with the early hour.

"She is pretty fucking special," I agreed.

"She hates your guts, though." My father was amused.

"No, she doesn't."

"Yep. I told her you're in love with her and she told me that I didn't know you. I told her that I never thought you'd actually marry Felicity, and she told me that you both looked very happy. She thinks you're a pseudo-intellectual snob and that I agreed with her on."

"With parents like you, who the fuck needs enemies," I quipped.

"She's pretty traumatized. I have a feeling life has been a series ofthe shit hitting the fanfor her, and lately, things got better with her job, and then she got arrested. By the way, she knows island art like no one's business. I'm impressed."

Dad saying that meant that she'd all but floored him with her art knowledge.

"May I talk to her?" I wanted…no,neededto hear her voice.

"She's sleeping," Dad stated. "Let her rest. It's been a long, eventful day for her, and the last thing she needs is more stress right now. I'm assuming you're on your way back?"

"Yeah. I told Damian he needed to find a way to handle Hong Kong. I'm taking a sabbatical."

"Good on you."

"Damian wants to punch me in the gonads."

"Damian was always the violent one," Dad joked. "But we have people in Asia who can handle things, Dean. You've built a good team there. Don't worry about it. If nothing else, Mom and I can stay in Hong Kong for a few months."

Damian may have been irritated, but he and my parents were understanding. I had so much support and help that it was nauseating—especially compared to Elika, who didn't have any.

"Dad, thanks for taking care of her for me."

"She's family, kiddo." I heard a rustle on the other side, and then he continued, "When you get back, you've got to give her time. You've fucked up time and again with her. She reminds me of Emilia…or maybe Elsa…or both, actually. She's not going to be swayed easily. You're going to have to be vulnerable, open, kind, considerate…all the things I know you can be."

"I'll be there in fifteen or so hours. We're going to have to stop and refuel somewhere."

"See you soon, kiddo. I'll text you the address of the house."

I was about to hang up but stopped. "Dad, do you think she and I have a chance?"

"Yeah! But what you do with that chance? That’s on you—I can’t predict it."

I could. If she gave me a chance, I'dneverfuck it up.

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