Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Her grin widened, her eyes shining.
“A lion.” My chest filled with emotion at the same time her chest seemed to puff up. “It’s what you chose.”
She added, almost under her breath, “It was my favorite animal when I was little.”
“Which never surprised me. You’re ferocious. You’re fierce, and kid, you have so much power. No matter where you stand, no one can take that away from you.”
Her eyes glistened.
I felt a pull in my chest because I meant it. This kid of mine was an apex predator. I only hoped she wouldn’t realize the extent of how strong she was until she could handle it in a responsible way, but she was everything a lion represented.
I had more, but it was time to get to other business. “Okay. Out with it, Maddy. What’s the reason you’re bringing me your favorite latte?”
Her gaze averted away, and she slouched a little. “Oh.”
She drew in a breath.
A moment later, Maddy mumbled something under her breath, sitting up straight, but still keeping her one knee propped in front of her on the chair. She began picking at her jeans, not looking at me. “So…” she began, her eyes lifting. “I need to ask you something, but when I ask, you’re going to want to know where I heard about this, and that means I’ll need to…” With a big breath, she rushed out, “IhavetocomecleanaboutsomethingIwenttoapartylastnightI’msorryDaddy.”
I took a minute to decipher that and leaned forward. “Sorry. What did you say?”
She frowned. “Huh?”
“Say it again. Slowly. With spaces between your words.”
She gulped, closing her eyes for a moment before she took a deep breath. Putting her own coffee aside, she pulled up her knee again and hugged both to her chest. Her eyes dipped. “I have to come clean about something. I went to a party last night, and I’m really sorry.” She lifted those eyes back to me. Pleading. “I’m sorry, Dad. I snuck out again.”
I sat back in my ch—my dad’s chair—and swept that wave of grief aside, focusing on my daughter. I knew her well. She was here for a reason. She just outed herself, which meant something more pertinent was coming on its heels.
I knew the signals. Maddy was not one to come clean so her conscience was cleansed. She didn’t work that way. I blamed myself because I wasn’t like that either. All of this was spelling more trouble was brewing and Maddy was about to deliver it at my front doorstep.
She certainly didn’t get this side of her from her mom, who was a saint after she got everything healed inside of her. I was a different matter, and the raging monster that had come out of me last night confirmed that. I’d passed this fucking gene, whatever it was, to my daughter. Jesus. I hoped Nolan and Nash hadn’t gotten it.
I extended a hand toward her. “I’m sorry.”
She stuck her bottom lip out. “Huh?”
I gave her a smile that wasn’t a smile. It was a warning, and she read it correctly, her eyes going wide.
I said, “I’m apologizing to you because I must need to have my hearing checked. What I thought I heard come out of your mouth is that you went to a party last night. And I know my daughter. She couldn’t have, because she’s grounded for breaking the rules already.” My tone hardened, and I leaned forward, letting her know how much trouble she was in. “You know the rules are that we know where you are, and you take your phone with you if you leave.”
Her mouth snapped shut as she flushed, rolling her eyes. “That defeats the point of going to a party. You can track my phone. Then you’d know where I was! What’s the point of sneaking out?”
“The point is that you’re alive!”
“I’m—”
“Who do you think you are?”
That stumped her. She blinked at me, dazed, not having a goddamn clue. I would’ve laughed if she hadn’t been my kid.
Her mouth turned down and she spoke slowly, a finger touching her chest. “I’m…Maddy…Kade?” She said it like she wasn’t sure anymore.
I wasn’t amused, and I didn’t have the patience to decipher whether she was truly confused or being a smartass. “Your dad’s a Hall of Famer. Your mom is an Olympic star. We recently moved back to this town, and your grandfather, who runs a multi-billion dollar company—”
“Used to run,” she muttered.
“What?”
“Used to run.” Her eyes lifted back to mine, bright with tears. “You said he runs, Dad. As in present tense. He doesn’t run it anymore. You do.”
Fuck my life. She was right.
I’d be taking over.
I knew that. I’d thought it, reminded myself of it, but feeling it in my bones and my body, looking into the future and figuring out how to keep this company running was a whole different issue. She’d just reminded me of how much our lives had changed, would change more.