Page 219 of LA King

He laughs in my face. “I did that to give you some purpose in your life, Alana. Without me, you’d be nothing. I arranged your marriage to the king of fucking LA, and even that’s not good enough for you. And now that he’s seen you for who you really are, he’s tossed you aside. So you’ve come crawling back, trying to blame me for the fact that he doesn’t want you. I hope he realizes he doesn’t get a refund for returning you. You’re used goods now, sweetheart!”

The sting of his words is like a slap to my face, but I choke down the sob that bubbles up.

He will never see me cry.

I am Alana fucking Montoya.

“You couldn’t be more wrong. Alejandro loves me because of who I really am, not because of who he tries to make me be or who you tried to convince him I was. You sold me to him, Dad. You sold your only daughter to a man you knew to be a ruthless killer. You call him an animal, but you are a fucking monster.”

He raises his arm and brings the back of his hand crashing down against my cheek so hard that my head snaps backward. “You ungrateful little whore.”

I back away as he advances toward me with his fist in the air.

Paolo comes through the kitchen door so fast that I don’t have time to process the fact that he’s in the room until he has my father in a chokehold.

“Get off me,” my father sputters, flailing against Paolo’s superior strength.

“If I let you go, are you going to sit your ass down?” Paolo snarls.

“Yes,” my father croaks.

Paolo releases him, and my father stumbles to a chair, rubbing his throat. “What the hell are you doing? You work for me.”

Paolo glances at me like he’s reassuring himself I’m okay before he turns back to my father. “Actually, I work for Mr. and Mrs. Montoya.”

“What? But you’re my security.”

I’m stunned too. Alejandro has had Paolo working undercover for two years? I know Alejandro and my father have a long-standing business relationship, but wow. That is sneaky, and I’m so grateful for it right now.

“I am,” Paolo says. “But I’m employed by the Montoya Corporation. I was selected by Mr. Montoya himself to protect you and also to keep an eye on his interests.”

“You’ve been spying on me?” my father accuses.

“Keeping an eye on Mr. Montoya’s interests,” he repeats.

“Does that mean me too?” I ask Paolo.

“Not until today, ma’am, when Mr. Montoya told me that you were coming here. He asked me to make sure no harm came to you. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner.” He grimaces, and I wonder if he’s worried about what Alejandro’s reaction will be when he sees my cheek, which is sure to be bruised after the smack my father gave me.

“There’s no need to apologize. I appreciate you intervening when you did,” I say, then glare at my father. “You sold your own daughter, and you tried to convince me that Alejandro was the monster. You made me marry a man because I believed he was blackmailing you, all for a campaign donation. You make me sick. And I never want to see you again.”

He shoots daggers at me with his eyes, and I can tell he wants to respond, but he’s still sitting under the heat of Paolo’s intense gaze.

“I guess I have nothing left to say.” I shake my head sadly. “It’s time for me to go.”

Paolo walks me to the door and opens it. “Hugo is waiting outside, and Mr. Montoya said to tell you he can take you anywhere you want to go, ma’am.”

Under the watchful eye of Hugo, who remains across the street, I sit on the steps of the brownstone and ponder where to go next. Visiting my friend Kelsey is tempting given that she’s so close, but if I see her now, I’ll probably turn into a blubbering mess incapable of making any decisions. I’m not ready to face her when my whole world has just been turned upside down.

I’ve never really known my father at all. Everything I believed about my life and all that I’ve done has been a lie. He isn’t a good man. He isn’t a good father.

He is the monster.

I know the ramifications of that will hit me at some point, but for now I look up at the blue New York sky and watch a bird swoop overhead.

Just like that bird, I’m free. For so long, I’ve lived my life out of a sense of duty and responsibility, and now I have complete freedom to do whatever I choose and not what anyone else wants or manipulates me into doing.

I wipe the tears from my eyes and smile to myself because, for the first time in my life, I know exactly what I want.