Page 155 of Nash

“It’s not a lie.” He swallows. “My daughterisbeautiful and loved.Lochloves her. So, don’t take it away from her.” He swallows again. “Please.”

“Tell her,” I seethe. “Tell her the truth before they get married, or I will.”

“It will break her heart.”

“You broke her heart the moment you bargained it away! You had no right. She deserves true love. Not one built on a lie.” I pause, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Not one like ours.”

“Vale,” he shakes his head, “our love isNOTa lie, and you know it.”

“No, I don’t. I know a thousand facts from books, but I never knew the facts from you, Nash. Since the day we met, you’ve been lying to me.”

“I never lied about how I love you.” He steps toward me. “I proved it but never said it. I didn’t say it for so long to protect you. I’ll always protect you.”

“Yeah,” I lift my wet chin, “well, who’s protecting Alena from her father now?” I throw up my hands. “Oh, look, it’s me, and another thing we have in common. Our fathers chose their jobs over their daughters.”

“Don’t you ever compare me to your father!” Rage threatens his voice. “Every time I could, I was there for you. After you gave up your golf scholarship, you didn’t win an academic one. I was the anonymous benefactor who paid to make one for you. That nice old lady in your building? She didn’t give you her vintage bike. I paid her to give you the red bike I bought for you. Your mother’s headstone with tulips engraved on it? It was me, not her coworkers, who had it made for her. I havealwaysloved you, Vale. I will alwayschooseyou!”

Sobs burst up my burning throat.He’s so kind. He’s so cunning.“But don’t you see, Nash? Even when you love me, you lie. You’re lying to Alena, too.”

“No,” he snarls, “I’ll do anything. Anything! For someone I love. I’ll lie. Kill. Sacrifice. I’ll do it for you and my daughter, too. So you can hate me, Vale, but I will never stop loving you.”

I can’t breathe under the weight of his vow. I can’t find words that don’t hurt. I can’t find a truth that doesn’t break my heart.

“But I can’t love a father who lies to his daughter.” Tears pool over my lips. “You know all those Happy Meals I ate as a girl? They only made me cry because I saved all my toys from them to play with my father, but he never did. Every time, he was too busy. Every time, he left me waiting and never showed up. His love was a lie. And sometimes, I hate to admit, I wished he were dead because then he wouldn’t have a choice. But no. He’s alive, and he never chooses me. But you can choose Alena. You can choose to tell her the truth.”

Pain bends his face. It mirrors mine. Every emotion Nash feels drowns me, too.

“Vale, please.” His tone softens. “I love you, and Loch loves Alena. You have to believe me.”

“You have to tell her.” I wrap my arms around my clenching stomach. “Or I will.”

Right now.

I turn for his backdoor.

“Where are you going?”

“Every moment you wait only hurts her more.”And me.

Nash doesn’t stop me. He follows me. Too quickly, I’m at the steps to Alena’s villa. Too easily, the guard lets us by. He knows better than to try and stop me.

Rocks fill my throat. My cheeks burn hot with tears. My bare feet weigh a ton under this burden as I climb the stairs and open the glass door.

Nadine lifts her stare from her phone and immediately reads the situation.

Me, crying.

Nash, seething.

Secrets, unraveling.

She sets her wine down, and Alena lifts her head, reclining on Loch’s chest. They’re cuddled on the sofa, but she pops up once she sees my tears.

“What’s wrong?” Alena’s eyes flit from mine, pouring pain to Nash’s, flooded with rage. “Dad?” Dread fills her voice. “What happened? Why is Vale cr?—”

“We need to talk, sweet … pea.”

I’ve never heard Nash’s voice break with pain like it just did.

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