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“I’m not confused.” I flexed my fingers on the arms of the leather chair. “What makes you say I don’t love her? That I haven’t loved her for years?”
Before she was legal. One year, to be exact.
“Up until this moment, you haven’t considered doing something more than…observing her. Even when her age no longer presented an issue.” She adjusted her glasses on her nose, preparing for an uncomfortable truth. “You made it seem as though that’s all you’ve ever wanted. To watch her. Today, though, there’s been progress. You mentioned talking to your daughter and the girl later. That’s serious. Because of the impending move to New York. Hence my conclusion that this is an obsession. You can’t imagine doing what’s right by her since it means letting her go.”
I couldn’t tell her why I’d kept this to myself this entire time. Couldn’t tell her about the secret home or my escape plans in case shit hit the fan. And I certainly couldn’t divulge that my daughter had a tendency to make the only two women I ever dated—other than her mother—disappear.
I didn’t want that for Leighton.
I’d loved her for years. I’d protected her, even from myself.
But I couldn’t.
Swapping her pills that morning, planning on locking her up so she wouldn’t move to the other side of the country, willing to face my murderous daughter…
This wasn’t a phase. Wasn’t just an obsession.
It was love.
“All right. I haven’t loved her before,” I lied. “I do now. I’m interested in a future with her. Until death do us part.”
Not death by Rylan, obviously. I’d talk to her. We’d figure this out. We’d have to find a middle ground that’d work for the three of us. We would.
My fake, easy smile reflected on Miranda’s face.
“If you say so.” She nodded. “Let’s discuss how to approach the subject with both women.”
Afterwards, Miranda spent the rest of our hour encouraging me to confess my love and almost five-year celibacy to Rylan. It would be before I went to Leighton. Once my daughter gave me the green light—which I highly doubted—I was supposed to have a sit down with Leighton. Reassure her there was no need to hide and sneak around.
I’d have loved her and cherished her out in the open. Held her hand out in public and whisked her to getaways in the Malibu home but not as a captive or someone who needed protecting. As my partner. My wife.
She’d have found a new job here on the West Coast. I could’ve moved my clinic to the east.
Then I’d pound one baby after another into her. She’d never had to worry about anything ever again.
She’d have had me.
It seemed so simple in Dr. Hatchett’s clinic.
It planted hopes in my fragile mind.
It made me come onto Leigh hard at the pool today. We were going to be together. My teeth were burning to tear her little white bikini right off her sinful curves.
What a fucking impatient idiot I’d been.
As I head south, I curse myself. What an oversight on my part to make a move on Leighton before running it past Rylan first.
“Nmnmnmn,” Leighton mumbles. A glance at her closed eyes tells me she hasn’t woken up.
Looking at her knocked out and so precious in my car, I am more resolute than ever.
She deserves better. She deserves to live, period.
“Good girl.” I brush a lock that escaped her messy bun, tucking it behind her ear.
Rylan’s damned iced tea could’ve taken her away from me.
I growl. Rylan isn’t in love with me. But I’m her only living parent, and she plans to keep me hers, no matter the cost.
