“I didn’t want to tell you like this darlin’.” He spoke with a heavy Irish accent.
“Why now? Why are you coming here and ruining my life again? Wasn’t it enough that you did it years ago when you had that pathetic excuse of a son kidnap and kill my sister? Was it not enough when he tried to kill me, too?”
Daddy stood and walked to me, pulling me into his embrace. This couldn’t be happening. When the sheriff had called Daddy the other day and told him that Alicia’s case was closed, it felt like I could finally have peace. This didn’t feel like peace anymore.
“Sweets, just hear him out.”
I didn’t want to hear him out, though. I didn’t care to hear his side of the story. I just wanted my nightmare to end.
“Rebekah, I met your mom when I was young and dumb, trying to make my way up the ranks in the family. A drunk one-night stand is all we shared, yet we created a life I knew nothing of. That life being you. I found out about your existence six months before Alicia’s murder. I was making arrangements to meet you because I wanted to get to know my daughter. Your brother…”
“DON’T YOU DARE CALL HIM THAT! THAT MAN IS NOT AND NEVER WILL BE MY BROTHER!” I screamed, tears flowing down my face.
Daddy rubbed soothing circles on my back.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Ian got word that you existed. He was supposed to be next in line to take over the family since he was the firstborn. When I found out about you, technically, you should have been the rightful heir because you are two years older than him. Ian felt like his position was being threatened.”
“HE KILLED MY SISTER BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO TAKE OVER SOMETHING I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT?”
“I never said that he was smart, honestly, the rocks outside are smarter than him. Jealousy makes people do crazy things,though. I never wanted this for you. I didn’t even plan on bringing you into the family unless you wanted that. I just wanted to get to know the daughter I had only just found and her sweet sister she took care of.”
“It was you that day at the graveside, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. Alicia might not have been my flesh and blood like you are, but I knew how much she meant to you. Plus, I’m not someone who believes that family has to be blood. I would, I mean, Ido, claim her as my daughter as well. I didn’t know whether you would come to see her on her birthday this year. You had moved away, so I felt like it was safe to go and pay my respects in your honor. When I saw you and your man there, I stood in the background, watching. That was the first time since her funeral I had laid eyes on you.”
I stood there in silence. My brain was racing a hundred miles a minute, yet not a single thought crossed my mind at the same time. I felt numb, listening to this man spill his heart out to me.
“I knew then that I still wanted to make that connection with you. When I told your brother, I mean Ian, that I had seen you back in town, he became paranoid again. You were a loose end that could unravel everything. See, Ian didn’t know that your man and his team were investigating the murders in Ravepoint. He didn’t know that the only reason you were back in town was to visit your sister’s grave. Ian thought that the team was looking for him.”
I rolled my eyes. Why would Daddy and the guys waste time searching for him when they had no idea that he even existed?
“That’s when he made his plan to get rid of the loose end once and for all. I’m so sorry, Rebekah. I had no idea that he had done all of this.”
“Where is he now?”
Daddy cleared his throat from behind me. “The team had been investigating the murders in Ravepoint, which meant thatwe were investigating your father. So we made a deal. Ian took the fall for the murders and is going away for a really long time. He is also being charged with Alicia’s murder and your attempted murder.”
“Once in prison, he will be dealt with in the way that the mafia handles things. You won’t have to worry about him ever again.”
Relief flooded my veins. Justice would be served for Alicia, and that was the only thing that mattered.
“What is it you want now?” I asked Donovan.
“Well, that’s really up to you. I would love nothing more than to get to know the daughter I didn’t know I had, but I also understand that if you wanted nothing to do with me. I’ve already brought a tremendous amount of pain and suffering into your life without even knowing. The last thing I want is to continue adding more.”
I nodded.
“Can I have time to think about it?”
“Of course, darlin’, take whatever time you need.”
Daddy led Donovan to the front door. Even though I hated the coward he was related to, it wasn’t like he was the one who killed my sister.
“How are you doing, Sweets?”
“I don’t have an answer for you, Daddy. Right now, I just want to shut off and just exist.”
That is exactly what we did. Daddy got my blankets and Ophelia, and we cuddled on the couch. The rest of our problems would be there for another day, but right now all I needed was my Daddy.
