Page 83 of The Secret's Out

He smiled sadly at me and my heart cracked. “No, baby girl. You no longer need me. You’ve grown into...” he took a deep shuddering breath that shattered me. “G-grown into a beautiful strong woman and you have not one, but two men willing to take on the world for you.”

“I still need my dad.” I sobbed, my head resting gently onto his shoulder. His hand slid to the back of my head.

“You have always deserved much love in your life, baby girl, and I was glad I got to be one of those people to love you.”

Oh, God, my sweet dad.

It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair.

“Now, I...” Looking up to him, I saw he was struggling with not only words but keeping his eyes open. He cleared his throat. “I need you to know, having you come into our lives, baby girl, it made it that much richer. I love you and I don’t want you to be sad. I want you to live your life to the fullest and you tell those boys of yours, if they don’t take care of my girl, I will come back and haunt their arses.”

A burst of laughter left my lips.

Sobering, I said, “I love you, Dad. You know I appreciate everything you’ve done. You and Mum taught me the world wasn’t dark. You showed me I could be loved and cared for.” I broke off on a sob when I saw tears in his eyes. They fell like mine. “Dad...”

“My sweet, baby girl, grown so much.” He took a deep breath. “Your mum will need some help after...” Oh, God. He clenched his jaw as his lips trembled. “After I pass.”

Nodding, I whispered, “I’ll help her.”

“I know, Josie. I know. I’ve been a lucky man having such great kids. A very lucky man.” He reached for my hand and brought it to his lips to kiss it. “Baby girl, when...when I go, I’ll go in peace.”

Shaking my head, I cried, “Dad—”

“No, Josie. I want you to know, I’ll be going in peace because I have lived a life full of happiness and love. You helped make that happen.”

Taking in an unstable breath, I nodded again and again.

“Love you, kiddo. So much.”

My other hand went over my mouth to hide my choking sob. Once under control, I leaned down, kissed Dad’s forehead and told him, “I love you so much, Dad.”

The door opened behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see Mum, Zara, Talon, Mattie and Julian enter. Not only them, but my gorgeous men with concern for me in their eyes, silently walked in.

Two hours after I arrived, my dad drifted off to sleep...never waking again.

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