Page 71 of The Bratva's Arranged Bride
I expected myself to be full of rage and prepared to splinter things between us even further, but at that moment, a warmth washed over me. “Thank you, Dad…I put a lot of work into this.”
“It shows. You should be proud of yourself,” Dad continued, apparently not afraid to show me just how much he meant it. Then, he murmured, “Can I have a word with you, my dear?”
Despite the slight apprehension wrapped around my heart, I wanted to give him a chance. At the very least, hear him out.
With a nod, I gestured towards the far side of the venue where the displays ended.
Dad seemed grateful for the opportunity, and he walked with me out of earshot of the rest of the event.
Once we were alone, he took a deep breath and met my gaze, allowing me to see the remorse in his eyes.
“I know this is long overdue, Tatiana, but I wanted to apologize for how I handled things. I lost sight of what mattered in my selfishness, and while I thought I was doing what was best for you, I realize I was only hurting you, and stifling your dreams and desires,” Dad said with the most sincerity I had ever heard from him. “Seeing you as a means of securing more business rather than my daughter was my biggest mistake, but my first one was never being the father you deserved. For that especially, I’ll never be able to apologize enough.”
I didn’t expect his words to hit me quite as hard as they did, but at the same time, it was the closure I had always wanted. The admission vindicated everything I felt, not only growing up but also within the last few months.
“I’m used to getting what I want, and rarely does anyone push back against me. But in many ways, you always have, for better or worse. But even so, I should’ve taken the time to learn from that…to understand that while I might feel I’m right about something, that isn’t necessarily the case,” he continued with a self-deprecating smile, seemingly laying it all out for me. Then he sighed. “You’ve always been a bright girl, and I know you’re well aware of how things are between your mother and me. I’m afraid that’s something I’ll never be able to mend, but you, my dear…I don’t want the same for us. I’m immensely proud to have you as my daughter, and I don’t plan on taking that for granted anymore. All of that’s to say, I’m sorry, Tatiana. I hope you can find it within yourself to let me try again. To do better this time.”
Swallowing hard, I tried my best to hold my emotions in, but the weight of it all made it harder than I expected.
Finally, it felt like everything was fitting into place. Like there was hope for us, and the promise of having a genuine connection with my father was in the cards after all.
With a gentle yet decisive exhale, Dad gently reached for my hand and held it between both of his.
“I never intended to hurt you…But I know I did. I don’t expect you to forgive me, and I know there’s so much more I need to atone for, but your understanding is all I can ask for right now.”
While I had the feeling there was more he wanted to say, the weight of it seemed to hang on his shoulders. I wanted to ask what else was still on his chest, but before I could say anything, a sudden gust of cold air pulled me out of the moment.
Before I could register what was happening, shock flooded Dad’s face, and then the crushing feeling of a heavy arm wrapping around my midsection brought a sense of dread over me.
At once, a hand clamped over my mouth as I was pulled back and swept off my feet. My heart hammered against my ribs, wanting to cry out for help.
But at the same time, I watched as several figures rushed past me and reached for Dad, pinning his arms behind his back roughly while they yanked him, too, out of the space.
It all happened so quickly…in a blur, it all went downhill.
With every alarm blaring within me, I tried to thrash and kick my way out of my assailant’s arms, but it was no use.
That arm was like a vice around me, and I was handled like nothing more than a sack of flour.
I could hear my dad’s muffled protests through my own, but it wasn’t enough. None of our efforts were.
As more of that cold air pulsed around me, raw panic tore through me, and yet, it seemed there was nothing I could do.
Not when something was put over my head to block out the world, and a cold, hard surface registered beneath me.
With the sound of my ragged breaths and roaring pulse in my ears, everything felt hazy, and I could only think about one thing…
Val.
***
There was something terrifying about having your surroundings blotted out…of having to bear the feeling of not knowing where you were going, or what was about to happen.
Yet, I had no choice but to endure it.
With something covering my eyes and eventually feeling something tightly pinning my wrists together behind my back, I had no idea how much time had passed or what was going on.
But eventually, the blind was yanked off my head, and everything came rushing in so quickly, I could hardly process it all.
