His eyes softened before he wrapped his arms around me and embraced me. “I miss you too.”
My arms grabbed on to him, and I clutched him hard, my hands fisting the material of his suit like I was using it to climb a mountain. My chin moved to his shoulder, and I inhaled a deep breath, feeling the tears escape from my eyes. I could see my pitiful reflection in the glass, and I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to face my weakness.
He cupped the back of my head, and his breathing increased slightly, like he felt the same emotion too.
I didn’t want to let go, wanted to hold him as long as I could. I’d been lost without him, depressed like I’d lost my mother again. He was my family…he was everything. My pain had turned to hatred so it would be easier to handle, but I always knew how I really felt—that I missed him so damn much.
After a few minutes, he pulled away and looked me in the eye, his eyes not wet but filled with emotion. “I’m sorry too.” He kept one hand on the back of my neck, his other hand gripping my shoulder.
I wasn’t embarrassed that he could see my tears because I wasn’t looking at a stranger. I was looking at my best friend, the one person I could be completely myself with, the man I would take a bullet for in a heartbeat. “I love you, man.”
He nodded. “I love you too.” He squeezed my shoulder before he released me.
My father stepped back into the room. “You can make out with your girlfriend later, Damien. I’m hungry.”
Hades glanced at my father and chuckled.
I chuckled too then let him go, quickly wiping away my tears on my jacket. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
He nodded, still smiling. “Tomorrow. And every day after that.”
I got my father inside and made him a sandwich. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay with me?” I placed the plate in front of him at the small round table where he sat.
“I’m not gonna let those thugs scare me out of my own home.” He grabbed it with both hands and took a bite.
I stood behind the chair across from him. “Maybe it’s time you move in with me anyway. You know I have a big place—”
“No.” He took another bite. “I can take care of myself.”
“Never said you couldn’t. I just think—”
“I said no,” he snapped. “I don’t need your charity.”
“It’s not charity, Dad. I just think you’d be safer—”
“I’d rather die.”
Fucking drama queen.
“I’m perfectly fine where I am. I’m not going to burden my thirty-year-old son and chase all his dates away.”
I didn’t roll my eyes in front of him because I’d get slapped. “That’s not what would happen. Like I said, it’s a big place—”
“The answer is no.”
I sighed in defeat. I knew my father was starting to slow down, and after this happened, it made sense for him to live with me. Patricia could help him with whatever he needed, and he would be safe in the house since he never went anywhere anyway. “Alright.”
He finished his sandwich, leaving his mess behind. “I’m tired, so I’m gonna go to bed.” He got to his feet and patted me on the cheek as he walked by. “I’ll see you later, son. You have a key, right?”
I nodded. “Goodnight, Father.” I didn’t know how he brushed off tonight like it was no big deal, and that made me wonder if he was entirely mentally astute. I turned off the lights then locked the door behind me before I walked to my car.
Then I sat there, finally having a moment to myself to process what the fuck had just happened. I rested my head against the window and let out the breath I’d been holding for the last minute.
I couldn’t believe Heath went there…
After an innocent old man.
What would I have done if Hades hadn’t saved my ass?
What if it was someone else? Like my sister? Or…
I couldn’t even bring myself to think about her.
Annabella.
I sucked in a breath between my teeth, feeling so much pain at the idea of her being tied to a chair with a gun pointed at her head. Heath probably would have picked her if he’d known about her. We’d been seeing each other in private so Liam wouldn’t figure out who she was sleeping with. If that hadn’t been the case…it could have been her.
And I would have died.
It made me realize how much I cared about her, that she wasn’t just some hot piece of ass.
Now I understood why Hades stepped away from the business, because Sofia and his kids would always be at risk. They were easy targets to him, and he would be a terrible husband and father if he didn’t put them first.