Her eyes widened as I wiggled my fingers at her, which made me laugh. I hugged her to me, knowing we would have a lot of ups and downs in our relationship, but I had her now, and I wasn’t ever going to let her go. She fit into my life like a puzzle; she was a piece of me that I didn’t know I was missing. The thought of living my life with her by my side made the future that much more exciting, and I knew a relationship with her would be more than worth it.
Nothing could take her away from me.
Nothing.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Present day ...
“Daddy?”
I looked at the doorway of the living room where my daughter lingered. Her big green eyes were as wide as saucers, and her hands were clasped together. She was nervous, and I knew it was because her mother had sent her to speak to me. She rarely called me ‘daddy’, so I knew she was worried. I hadn’t sought her out all day, and that went against everything she knew about me as a father. Usually after an argument, I would go and clear the air with whoever I argued with because I hated fighting with my kids. But I didn’t do that today because I wanted Georgie to know just how much trouble she was in.
“Come in, baby.”
She entered the room, her eyes locked on the glass of whiskey in my hand. It was almost six in the evening, and I felt like a needed a drink. I had never been a big drinker—I was usually the one who watched other people get drunk—but tonight, I needed something to calm my spiked nerves. I heard people say parenting drove parents to drink, and never realised how true that statement was until my babies grew into teenagers.
“Are ye’ drinkin’ that ‘cause of me?”
I set my glass down on the side table.
“No, but I’m not gonna lie, it helps.”
“I’m sorry I lied to ye’ about goin’ out with Indie,” she said, her big green eyes glazing over with unshed tears. “We’re only goin’ out a couple of months. It’s just ... ye’ love me to death, and I know it’s hard for ye’ to let me grow up.”
“While that’s true, Georgie, you didn’t tell me about Indie because deep down you knew your relationship with him is not what it should be for kids your age. You’re fifteen, and Indie just turned thirteen.”
Most people probably wouldn’t thirteen-year-old had an interest in sex, but having lost my virginity at that age, I knew all too well how possible it was.
My kid cringed. “It’s just a two-year difference, not even a full two years, just twenty months.”
I stared at her, and Georgie sighed.
“I talked to Ma, and I understand everythin’ that both of ye’ have said, and I agree. I don’t know why Indie bought those condoms because they weren’t for us to use. Maybe he just wanted to be prepared. I’m not stupid, Da. I’m too young for sex, and I know that ... I don’t even know how it all fully works. I mean, I know how it works, but at the same time, I don’t.”
Her face was burning red as she spoke, and while I knew she was embarrassed, the relief in my chest made me almost cry. She wasn’t having sex, and she didn’t want to have sex. That was all that mattered to me.
“Look.” I sighed as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my arms. “I know you get angry about how differently I treat you compared your brothers sometimes, but you have to understand that the world for a boy and girl are very different places. It’s unfair, but that’s the way it is, and to protect you from the fallout, I’m going to be overbearing.”
Georgie nodded. “I know. I accepted that years ago that all of ye’ were goin’ to drive me crazy.”
Me, my brothers, her brothers, and all her cousins adored her.
I managed a smile. “We all love you.”
“I know,” she said. “I love ye’ all, too.”
“Even Jax?”
Georgie looked up at me with raised brows. “Of course, I love Jax, Da.”
“You told him you hated him today.”
My daughter lowered her head in shame. “I was so mad at ‘im, but I didn’t mean it. I really didn’t.”
“I know that,” I said, “but you’re still to go over to his house this evening and apologise. He adores every hair on your head, and it hurt him when you told him you hated him today.”
Georgie swallowed. “I’ll make it right with ‘im. I promise.”
I leaned back in my chair. “I’m sorry that I reacted with anger earlier when Jax told me that you had a boyfriend. I never want to make you feel like you can’t talk to me. All the secrets were exactly why I got angry, but I shouldn’t have, so I apologise for that.”