Page 67 of The I Do Over

Pushing away from the door, Knox knew if he didn’t speak now, his head would surely explode.

“Or what? You’ll call the cops and have me arrested?” he snapped as he took a step toward the man. “I’m not a kid anymore, Mr. Christopher. You can’t threaten me. I’m a grown-ass adult now.” The closer he got, the more Knox realized how much he now towered over her father. “I’m a decorated soldier—a NavySEAL—and you havenosay in whether I stay or go here in Maddie’s home.” He stopped when they were practically toe-to-toe. “So if I were you, I’d take a moment and consider your options.” His voice dropped to a near growl. “And then you should leave.”

“How dare you!” Jeff shouted. “For all I know, Maddie’s not even sick and you…you did something to keep her from seeing me out of spite!” He turned and looked toward the hallway that led to his daughter’s room. “Maddie! Maddie! Where are you? Are you okay? Did this man hurt you?”

When he went to turn and walk toward her bedroom, Knox put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. “I would never hurt Maddie. Ever. Can you say the same?”

“Listen here, Knox,” he spat with disdain. “Everything I’ve done has been in my daughter’s best interest. I’m her father and I know what she needs and I also know what she doesn’t need and that’s you!” He took a step toward the hallway again.

“I just told you she was sleeping! If you’re so concerned about her, then let her be! What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me,” Jeff replied smugly. “I don’t like that you’re here sniffing around my daughter again. She’s got a good life. She’s made something of herself. And do you know why? It’s because you weren’t holding her back! Look around you, Knox! She went to college and is one of the top physical therapists in the state. That never would have happened if she stayed with you!”

“That’s where you’re wrong. Again,” he added for clarification. “Maddie was always going to go to college. That was always the plan. I was going to go to work for my uncle to support us so she could go to school. She just didn’t want to go away to some fancy college like you and your wife were pushing her to.” He snorted with disgust. “You never listened to her! She used to tell me about how hard she tried to explain to the two of you how she wasn’t going to be happy living far away from home.”

But her father simply shook his head and let out a mirthless laugh. “Is that why you forced her to leave town and marry you? And made her lie on the license? To make her happy?”

His back stiffened and it took every ounce of self-control not to shake this man and force him to listen to reason. “I never forced your daughter to do anything. We went to Maryland together. We planned it together. And if you had just listened that day instead of yelling and making threats, you would know that!”

“You’re wrong. My daughter never would have agreed to that. I believed it then and I believe it now. You were the problem! You were the guilty party, and I knew I should have just called the cops that day! Then you’d be where you belong and not here sullying up my daughter’s life again!”

“Sullying…? Dude, do you even hear yourself?” Knox asked loudly. “Maddie is a grown woman and more than capable of making her own decisions. And if you were so concerned about her and her life, then maybe you should have taken notice of all the ways you have made her miserable!”

“I will not stand here…”

“Oh, you will,” he said gruffly, advancing on him again. “Seems to me that you’re a selfish son of a bitch. Back when Maddie and I got married, you refused to listen to us. I’ll admit that maybe we went about things the wrong way back then, but we loved each other and we did have a plan for our future—one that we tried explaining to you, but you didn’t want to hear it.”

Jeff just stared angrily at him.

“Your solution was to threaten me and then send your daughter away because she didn’t fit into the perfect mold and swayed from the perfect plan you made up for her.” He paused and took a moment to collect his thoughts. “Then there’s your wife. You knew something was wrong with her. Knew she was legitimately sick. And rather than stick around and care for the woman you were supposed to love and be there for your daughter, you chose to leave and move 800 miles away and start your life over with a new family—one that didn’t come with so many blemishes.” And with a smug smile, he added, “That’s the real crime in all of this.”

“Knox? Dad?” Maddie said sleepily as she walked into the room. She was pale and looked thoroughly confused. Knox was instantly at her side.

“Hey,” he said softly as his arm went around her. “You should still be sleeping.”

She blinked up at him. “I was just about asleep when I heard the yelling. What’s going on?”

Before Knox could answer, her father walked over like the meekest, sweetest guy in the world. “My poor baby,” he cooed, playing the role of the sweet, concerned father. “I’m so sorry we woke you. Here. Come sit down. Can I get you some tea? Should you be out of bed?”

Knox was an expert at observation. He noticed immediately that Maddie tensed up as her father approached and she seemed flustered by his concern.

“Um…sure. I’d like to sit,” she said slowly. “But no thank you on the tea.”

“Are you sure?” he asked softly, leading her away from Knox and over to the sofa. “I know you need to be careful with what you eat if you have food poisoning.” He paused and shot a look at Knox before giving his daughter his full attention. “That is what you have, right?”

Nodding, Maddie curled her feet up under her. “The leftover Chinese food smelled a little iffy but I ignored it.” She smiled weakly. “Lesson learned.”

Jeff stroked her hair. “You need to be careful, Madalyn, and take better care of yourself.”

“It’s fine, Dad.”

She glanced at Knox and he did his best to look like he was fine, but inside, he was seething.

“What are you doing here?” she asked her father. “You haven’t been back in years and you didn’t mention a trip when we spoke a few weeks ago.”

“It was just last week…”

“No,” she corrected. “It was easily two weeks because you called me at the clinic and…”

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