Page 38 of Ice Cold Christmas
Victor turned away. “Your father is waiting.”
Her stomach clenched.
Melody opened the door to the den. She eased inside, and surprise, surprise, Victor followed right on her heels. But he didn’t speak. Just took up a position near the wall on the left. Crossed his arms over his chest. Waited.
Her breath rustled out as she closed in on her father. What was she supposed to call him? Dad? Sebastian? Father? Or?—
Sebastian’s head turned toward her. A warm smile curled his lips. His eyes—dark, not green like hers—seemed to shine. He remained in the tall, leather chair, but he reached out for her with his right hand. “I’m so glad you’re home, Melody.”
Her lower lip trembled. Her steps were suddenly hurrying toward him. She caught his hand and gripped it tightly. Desperately.
“I missed you,” he told her.
The hand she held only trembled a little bit. “I missed you, too.” The words poured from her, and they felt true. As she stood staring down at him, sadness pulled at her. My father. He’s my father, and I want to remember him. I lost a year. An entire year without him.
“You look so much like your mother,” he told her. His face softened.
Melody had seen pictures of her mother throughout the house. And before she’d come here, she’d looked up her mother online. Her mother had been a failed Hollywood actress who’d married business mogul, Sebastian Mage. She’d supposedly charmed everyone that she’d met.
But she’d been unhappy, always looking for excitement.
“Your mother.” He sighed. “I?—”
“Sebastian.” Victor’s sharp voice. “Melody is home. Focus on Melody.”
Sebastian nodded. He swallowed. “I missed you,” he said again as he stared up at her. Tears glinted in his eyes.
Melody found herself dropping to her knees in front of him so they could be on eye level. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” Absolute truth. Her father was sick, she could see it. They’d lost so much time.
He leaned toward her. “It’s my fault,” he said.
Chill bumps rose on her arms.
“I was supposed to get you back.” A tear slid down his cheek.
Those chill bumps got worse.
“I was supposed to pay,” he added, voice roughening.
Her heart beat faster. So much faster.
“Sebastian.” Victor surged toward them.
“But I didn’t.” Another teardrop. Sebastian’s hand had turned so that he held Melody in a hard grip. A grip that nearly crushed her fingers. “Forgive me?”
Her mouth hung open. She didn’t know what to say or do, and what did he mean, he was “supposed to get her back”—back from where? And what hadn’t he paid? Like…a ransom? Was he talking about a ransom for her?
Victor touched her shoulder. “Melody.”
She ignored him. “Who were you supposed to pay?”
A furrow appeared between Sebastian’s eyes.
“Who were you supposed to pay?” Melody repeated. “Who took me?”
Sebastian shook his head. The lines on his face appeared deeper. Harsher.
“Please.” Melody was begging and didn’t care that she sounded so desperate. She was desperate. “Please, who took me? Who were you going to pay? How much were you supposed to pay?” And… “Why didn’t you pay?”
