Page 92 of The Mistakes I've Made
Who was this guy?
“Of course I do,” he said, dismissing my shock with a wave of his hand. “I bought property on your island. You think I didn’t do research before doing so? I investigate every business, every property. I’m meticulous, unlike my daughter who appears to just be sleeping with the locals rather than doing her job.”
I rose to my feet. “You don’t know a damn thing about Lani!” I roared.
“And you do?” He seemed amused.
“A hell of a lot more than you do,” I said, slumping back in my chair. “Lani is working her ass off to meet your deadline. God knows why. You don’t seem to give a rat’s ass either way. I mean, don’t you realize what an amazing woman she is?”
“You seem to.”
“I do,” I said, which brought me to my point—the very reason I’d brought him down here, to this bar. “I need you to decide,” I said.
“Decide?” The old man seemed confused.
I was about to make it crystal clear for him. “You need to decide if you’re in or out when it comes to Lani because I will not allow you to continue to hurt her like this.”
“You won’t?”
“No, I won’t.”
“And who are you?” he asked, his gaze dead set on mine.
“What? What do you mean, who am I?”
“I mean exactly what I said, Mr. Sutherland. I asked you what you were to my daughter. A friend? A lover? What do you mean to her? Since you never gave me an answer, I’m asking again. Who are you to demand this of me, her father?”
“I…” I had no words.
A satisfied grin spread across his face. “I think the question you’re asking is actually one meant for you, Mr. Sutherland. Because as her father, I am always in. Even if our relationship is difficult or strained, I will always be in; even if she doesn’t want me to be. But you? You have a choice, so what will it be? Are you in or out?”
My mouth hung open as I stared at him and then back toward the elevator that would take me to Lani.
Every molecule in my body wanted me to tell that man that I was in it for the long haul.
That I’d pack up my life, leave my family, and move across the entire damn world for his daughter.
But, as I stared at the elevator, I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t say the word.
Why?
Because, deep down, there was still a part of me that believed that this would never work. Love wasn’t as simple as my brother believed it to be.
Like all good love stories, ours would just eventually end.
And where would that leave me? Just like Sierra and my mother…
Alone. Absolutely alone.
Iawoke to darkness, the sound of the suite door being opened and shut.
“Taylor?” I called out, rising up in bed to look for him.
“I’m here,” he said, the silhouette of his broad body moving toward me.
I felt the bed dip as he came to sit beside me.
