Page 103 of Fight Me Daddy

Calix

I pacedthe airport back and forth nervously. Gabriele reached out and took my hand in his. After a tight squeeze, he offered me a smile that warmed my entire body.

"It's going to be okay," he said.

"Yeah." I couldn't pace anymore so I settled for rocking up on my toes and back down again.

"Tesoro," Gabriele said. "If you keep fidgeting I'm going to take you into the bathroom and fuck the nerves out of you."

I blinked at him. "Why would that be the first place you went? What is with you and sex to solve every problem?"

He stared back at me. "It works though."

I groaned trying to hide my laughter. The worst part was that he wasn't wrong. Whenever things were overwhelming I was starting to run to him for his cock to settle my mind. There was something about being able to completely mentally check out with him that made life a hell of a lot better than it had ever been before.

Gabriele shook my hand and nodded. "There he is."

I released Gabriele's hand and sucked in a deep breath. My father. I hadn't seen him in what felt like years. The closer he came, the more my throat tightened. I didn't know what to say to him.

"Son." As he got closer, I noticed how much weight he'd lost. Where he was usually clean-shaven, there was a scraggly beard and bags under his eyes. "I'm so glad you're safe."

He reached out and pulled me into a hug, his suitcase forgotten on the floor beside him. I let him hold onto me, my chest aching before I finally gave in. I hugged him back and all of the anger and disappointment that I had kept inside evaporated.

"I'm glad you're alive," I said. I stepped back and frowned. "You're an asshole."

"I know," he said with a nod. "Trust me, I know. But I didn't know what else to do. And once I ran I just-" He waved a hand. "I got in over my head. I'm so sorry, Calix. What I did was unforgivable."

My stomach tightened. "Yeah I know you are just...give me some time," I said. "I don't hate you. Not anymore. I experienced a lot of shit while you were gone and I can see some of what you did had reasons behind it. But leaving me like that..."

"I know," he sighed.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I glanced at Gabriele. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good." I smiled at him. "Thank you." I glanced between the two of them. I didn't have to have an introduction stage because they were already well acquainted. "Mr. Gonzalez," Gabriele said.

"Hello, Mr. Bianchi." He looked between us. "Um, you're here with Calix, huh?"

Gabriele raised a brow at me. "You didn't tell him about us?"

"No, no, I did," I said quickly. I could see the danger in his eyes. "On the phone."

"He did tell me. I guess I'm just surprised to see you here, that's all." He cleared his throat. "So our business together is over, right?"

Gabriele nodded. "Yes, it is. But I want to let you know that if you do anything so goddamn stupid again and you put Calix in danger, you'll have to deal with me. And I believe we've gone over the ways in which I would have fun tearing you apart in the past."

My father shuddered. "Don't worry. I have no plans to screw up again." He pushed his fingers through his graying hair. "Trust me, no one can beat me up as much as I've beat myself up these past few weeks."

Gabriele grunted. "You say that, but-"

I groaned as my cheeks heated. "What have I told you about threatening people?" I asked as I glared at him. "And in public? Really?"

Gabriele shrugged. "Old habits. And I'm not sorry."

I rolled my eyes and turned back to my father. "Let me get your bag. Where are you staying?"

"There's a hotel not far from the house. I want to get some things together before I go back to New York." He waved me off. "I've got my bag, son."

As he started to walk, I followed him. "You're leaving again?"

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