Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series), стр. 40

“Please, Shannon. What you heard doesn’t change why you called me. Tell me about the car. Who has been driving by?” Jace asked.

I looked down at his fingers wrapped around me. “Let go,” I demanded. He released my wrist, and I looked him straight in the eye. “It was probably just another person trying to meddle in my life. I’m done with that. From now on, I’m in control.”

I stormed out of the room and was about to rush up the stairs, but my heart was pounding and I couldn’t catch my breath. I sat down on the stairs and closed my eyes. This is one of those bad B-movies that the director forgot which way the plot was going. Not a romance, not a horror film just a…heartbreaker.

I needed to go back inside and get more answers, but right now, I was overwhelmed with what I already knew. Prince Babboo was a horrible human being, but at least he was clear about it. His threats were to my face. I didn’t want to deal with that, but at least I set my expectations accordingly. My father, even he shocked me today. He would tell me it was all done out of love. Sadly, control is the only way he knows how to show it.

It was Jace that made no sense to me. What did he have to gain from all this? Why help my father, a man he didn’t even like? I would’ve thought he’d tell me just to spite my father. I’m shocked they aren’t at each other’s throats in there. Once again, I’m wrong. Seems like a habit lately.

I stood up and was about to go to my room when I heard Jace raise his voice.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Why did you tell her that?” he barked.

“Do you really believe I’d let you use my daughter?”

“I don’t care what you think. Your daughter is a grown-ass woman. She can make her own choices,” Jace said.

And yet you didn’t let me. I appreciate the fact he was trying to defend me now, but it was too late.

My father said, “You haven’t changed one damn bit. Twelve years ago, I said you weren’t good enough for Shannon. I stand by my decision. I’m so glad that when you asked for her hand in marriage, I kicked your sorry ass out of my house. The only thing I regret was not putting your name on the list for Carlton to keep away from her.”

Marriage? My ears definitely couldn’t have heard that correctly. Jace never asked me to marry him.

“I suggest not letting this meeting get physical. It won’t end well and I’d rather not give Shannon more reasons to hate me,” Jace said.

I don’t hate you. I just hate what you did. Frozen to the spot, I continued eavesdropping.

“Well, then, something good did come out of all this. You know where you stand with my daughter. So why don’t you leave? And if we never see you again, that’s fine with me.”

Not with me. I wanted to see him again. I just needed time to process. And to figure out what Prince Babboo was doing. I needed someone impartial to talk to. Maybe that man Carlton they’d both mentioned could sit and tell me the truth. What would he have to gain by lying?

Jace must’ve taken my father’s advice, because I heard the door open, and then slam shut. Then my father came around the corner. When our eyes met, my anger overflowed.

“Jace wanted to marry me?” I demanded.

“You were only eighteen. Not old enough to know what a mistake marrying him would’ve been.”

“I guess that is a yes, he did love me. And he never reached out again because of you.”

“You’re a doctor because you didn’t marry him. Where would you be now if you had? Living in some run-down two bedroom apartment with a bunch of kids wondering where you’d get the money to feed them all.”

He meant it. My father really thought he’d done what was best for me. I was about to show him how wrong he was. “I had plenty of food growing up. Always had the best clothes and the nicest place to live. Better than any of my friends. What I didn’t have was a father who read me a bedtime story. Who came to school to cheer me on when I had the lead role in the play. You were only at my graduation because I begged. I would have eaten a can of beans every single day to have had you there by my side, loving me.” After the amount of beans I ate with Jace at the cabin, I already know what I’d do for love, because I hate beans.

“I did love you! I still do. Everything I’ve done has been for you. When I’m gone, this will all be yours,” he said.

“And they can take it all to charity for all I care. None of it means anything to me. All I ever wanted was your love,” I said, then turned and slowly went up to my room.

He didn’t follow or call out to me. We had said what was needed. There was nothing to argue about, because we both knew it was the ugly truth. I know you gave me what you could, because you’re not capable of giving anything else.

I laid on my bed, but no tears came. For once, I felt as though a weight had been lifted. Maybe tomorrow my father and I could start to build a different type of relationship. One of respect and understanding.

Jace and I needed to talk, too, but first he needed to sort things out for himself. I wouldn’t ask him any questions. Next time, either he tells me on his own, or I’m done.