Page 87 of His to Love
She arched a brow. “I think you should see him. At least to give you closure this time.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think that would go over well with my father or Malik.”
I knew it wouldn’t. On the few occasions I’d left the house since Malik told my father who I had been seeing, who I had given family secrets to, a black car followed closely behind me. I now had a shadow twenty-four seven. I couldn’t even summon any emotion to care that a man trailed my every move.
“Perhaps.” She took another sip and leaned forward, setting her mug on the coffee table. “But it’s also not Malik or Jimmy who I’m concerned about.”
I shrugged and matched her smile. “I’ll be fine. At least in a while. I’ll start over like I just did and move on.”
“Moving on isn’t the same as living.”
No. It wasn’t.
I opened my mouth to tell her that when Malik appeared in the doorway to the living room. His gaze locked on mine immediately and he barely spared Eleanor a nod of acknowledgment.
“Your father wishes to see you. It’s important.”
Tossing the blanket off my legs, I unfurled from the couch and tossed Eleanor a look. “I’ll be back.”
She snorted into her teacup. Being around my father for two days, listening to his constant demands and seeing his bossy ways, hadn’t endeared the two to each other anymore than previously.
“What’s this about?” I asked Malik as we walked through the kitchen.
“Due to everything going on, we’ve spent the last several days scrambling to fix the damage your mistake has done to your father’s organization.”
I bristled at the statement. “You know, had I known your takeover was so secret, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“It doesn’t change the fact you’ve put us at risk.”
I opened my mouth to speak, knowing his patience with me was hanging on by a very small thread, when someone pounded at the front door, vibrating the heavy wood against the frame.
“Fuck,” Malik cursed and grabbed my hand. “Whatever you do…do not answer that door.”
My eyes widened as he hustled down the hallway. “What’s going on?” I called out, hissing so as not to yell.
He pierced me with a glare before turning the corner. “Don’t answer that door.”
Claude and Clarissa, along with Eleanor, who I figured had heard the noise, rushed into the hallway and met me in the entryway.
“FBI. Open the door.” Another round of pounding vibrated the door and all four of us stared at one another, our gazes flickering between each other and the door we were only a few feet from.
My heart sunk to my toes. FBI.
Tyson.
I swayed on my feet. “Holy crap,” I said as a firm hand clasped down on my forearm.
“Steady there, Ella,” Eleanor whispered into my ear. Her hand left my arm and wrapped around my back.
“Perhaps we should go back to the living room.”
My head snapped to her. “Like hell.”
The doorbell rang wildly and made all of us jump.
Firm footsteps echoed off the tiled floor and all of us looked toward the noise.
My father walked toward us, glaring at me while he did so, ignoring everyone else. “You have done this to your family,” he stated simply as he walked passed me.
