Corruption - Leigh Lennon Page 0,75
her dad’s been calling my personal cell, too. I didn’t keep my visit to her parents a secret. She knew about it the same day it happened. And I’ve told her that her father wants to see her.
“I can’t say I’m happy about this, but I understand. Though your father and I will need to have a coming to Jesus moment before I can agree to this.”
Her smile broadens, and she envelops my body. “I love how you love me so much that you want to protect me from everything in this world.” She kisses my cheeks, and she’s right. I love her so much, I’ll protect her and our little baby growing in her body with every breath I breathe.
Standing at the large windows of our new home, I watch him as he steps from his car, making his way to the front porch. Jewel is at school. Even with a baby on the way, she’s more adamant than ever that she’ll complete her degree. It may take her a little bit longer, but I’ll make sure she has the resources to make any dream she has come true.
He doesn’t have a chance to knock when I open the door for him.
“Mr. Atkins. Come on in.” I sweep my hand toward the house, and his eyes search the entire living room. I extend my hand to his, but he walks past me. This isn’t getting off to a great start.
“Is Juliana here?” he asks.
“I told you she wouldn’t be.” I sit down on the sectional that looks out to our acreage and trees. It’s a gorgeous view.
“Well, a man could hope. I wanted to make sure she was okay after that jerk hurt her so bad. You wouldn’t let us see her.”
We left out most of the details from everyone. At the end of the day, this man is Jewel’s father, and he doesn’t need to know that Danner almost raped her.
“You realize what a hypocrite you sound like, right? I saw Jewel’s face after you slapped her so hard she fell over.” His eyes widen that I know about this. Technically, Jewel hadn’t told me. Tori had that night, and it took everything I had not to go pummel his ass. My tone both raises and lowers, when I continue with my warning. “So, do not give me that concerned father bit. I’d save it for now.”
His hands find the inside of his jacket pockets, standing near a big over-stuffed chair.
“Have a seat, Mr. Atkins.” I motion to the chair behind him.
He rolls back on the balls of his feet, then sits down. Pulling his hands out, he looks at them, and we sit in silence. I wait for him to speak.
“You’re right, Mr. Sobota. I’m the world’s biggest hypocrite. When we found out how Juliana could have been killed that night, it put things in perspective.” He takes in a deep breath, then exhales, but he won’t look me in the eyes.
He’s not done. “Do you know how many times I think of that second in time and don’t want to do it over again, have a second chance? I’ve always been hard on Juliana, and in the past ten years, I haven’t been the most loving father, but I’ve never slapped her, never laid a finger on her—not even to spank her when she was younger.”
He rubs his chin. “Juliana doesn’t know this, but I changed after Rebekah had a stillborn. Bek cried herself to sleep for years over it. It had been her way to grieve. Mine was to push everyone away from me. Even Rebekah and certainly Juliana. She was easier to control from afar than to love, and then the hurt wouldn’t be too much if something happened.”
Oh, hell, his hurt was like mine, not wanting to love because of the deep wound. Him losing a child and me having mine aborted. Somehow, I can understand him better.
“It may sound like I’m making an excuse for the way I’ve treated her. In a way I am, but I guess, she’s always been so obedient, that she was so easy to raise. And when she turned down a man I knew would take care of her, I couldn’t understand it. But then the sick man who hurt her—you were the only one who could have protected my little girl.”
We’re getting somewhere, so I sit back to listen to him. “Your lifestyle was the final straw. And maybe it’s because the control over my daughter