“He called you?”
“Yes, I thought it was surprising that he had my phone number, which is extremely private, so much that even spammers can’t hit it up. Only my clients have it, and my father, and that asshole Henry.”
“Do you think he gave it to him?”
“That’s the only way he could have gotten it.”
“It made no sense how he managed to get it so fast unless one of them gave it to him. How about we call him and find out?”
“He might be at the hospital.”
“Well, we can try.” I nodded and took out my phone nervously.
“Don’t worry. I don’t give a fuck that he thinks I’m not good enough for you or that you supposedly have a fiancé back home.”
“Fiancé?”
“Yes, he told me that you had one back home and that he’ll forgive you for betraying him.” I clamped my lips together because I was about to say something terrible. It was like I didn’t know my father anymore.
“Wow.” I dropped to the chair behind me. “I can’t believe it, but I know you’re not lying. He was the maddest I’d ever heard him.” I dialed his number and it rang twice before he answered.
“So you finally decided to call back. Have you packed up to come home?”
“She will be packing to move into her new home.”
“So you speak for her now?”
“Just like you believe you speak for me? I’m twenty-two and somehow you believe that you control my life.”
“I paid for your college.”
“I can’t believe you. Since when have you become so petty?” I had a hard time believing the shift in him.
“I’ll send you the money right now,” James responded.
“You can’t afford it. What’s an ad guy like you make, even in a city like New York? Besides, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry, Ava.”
“That would be true if I worked for the ad agency, but I don’t. Who the fuck gave you my number in the first place?”
“Someone at the agency, of course.”
“Not ‘someone.’ Who exactly gave you my number? I want to know who I’m going to sue into oblivion. I only did the ad as a favor. My number is private and exclusive. There wereonly two people at the agency that should have it, so I’ll repeat myself again. Who gave it to you?”
“Henry. He told me that you were just sleeping with my daughter to make a sale.”
“Well, for a doctor, you’re not a bright man. I don’t work for the agency, and if you had looked me up, you would have known that. I’m a security specialist who only works with those who can afford my services.”
“What?”
“I am going to rip my brother’s balls off, so he might need a doctor. Since you guys are so close, you could probably stitch them back on. Then again, he did come on to your daughter just to get between us and because he likes to screw any female with a pulse.”
“None of that matters. You’re not good enough for my daughter.”
“No, none of it matters because I remember you saying that you wouldn’t hurt her and now twice today you’ve made her cry, and that in itself is unacceptable to me, so until you can be the father she deserves or the man she can respect again, don’t bother calling again.” James ended the call and then pulled me into his arms.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I don’t know why he’s being so cruel and unsupportive. He’s always been my rock.” It truly hurt her, and that angered me.
“Don’t thank me. Everything from now on, I do for you and our family. I won’t ever stop you from seeing or speaking to your father, but I won’t allow him to hurt you.”
