Page 158 of Nash

“You told Loch tobefriendme?” She pulls her hands away.

“Yes. But I never told him to fall in love with you or ask you to marry him. In fact, I wanted to beat his ass for it.”

She tilts her head, searching my gaze. I’m staring down the Spanish Inquisition, but she’s my mirror. Alena has my eyes.

“You’re lying.”

I clench my jaw. “A little.”

“God. Fucking. Dammit. Dad!” See? She sounds like me, too. “Give it to me straight, and quit bullshitting.”

“Once I found out he fell in love with you and wasn’t backing down, I?—”

“You told him to marry me.” Tears spill over her dark lashes. She looks away, her chin quivering. “So it’s a lie. This wedding. Our marriage. Our love. It’s a lie.”

“No, Alena, it’s not. Loch loves you. He fought for you. Literally. He and Axel almost killed each other over you.”

Her glance darts to the floor. It’s odd, but I don’t know how to read her right now. I’ve never hurt her like this before. I’m just thankful she’s hearing me out.

“Axel told Loch if he loved you, he had to commit to you. He wouldn’t let him walk away and break your heart, and I…” I swallow, confessing, “I agreed. Nadine, too. I didn’t want your heart broken, and even more, I wanted you safe, and no one else, other than me, can protect you like Loch.”

Solemnly, she nods. “So he lied and became a ranger because you told him to.”

“No,” I shake my head, “he’s into all that nature shit, too. I mean it; he loves you. You’re a perfect match. And trust me, as your father, who still sees you as a little girl in animal pajamas crawling into my bed during every lightning storm, and not because they scared you, but because you wanted me to listen to them with you … I hate to admit it … but Loch loves you as much as I do.”

“No, he doesn’t,” she chokes. “Love is a choice, Dad, and you didn’t give him one.”

“A choice?” I huff. “I’m sorry, sweetpea, but you’re wrong. I don’t choose to love Vale. I can’t fight it; I just do and always will. And you don’t choose to love Loch; you just feel it. Right?”

“I can’t believe this.” She closes her eyes. Tears drip from her jaw. “I’ve lost my best friend and my fiancé in the same night.”

“Don’t say that,” I murmur, reaching for her hands again. “Vale loves you. She’ll always love you and…” Fucking tears. I blink them back. “It’s what I love about her most. And Loch, too. That goddamn shithead loves you, too.”

“Do you really love her, Dad?” She slants her eyes at me. “Like this isn’t some age-gap kink that’s going to run its course, and then I have to choose between my dad and my best friend? Because right now? I don’t like your chances.”

A grin tugs at my lips. I fight it. “Yes, I love her, and you’re not losing her as your best friend. I just need her, too. I need Vale in my life. I need to finally be free to love her. I want to marry her and give you a little sister with her and?—”

“Ewww.” She cringes. “One revolting image at a time.” Pause. “I mean … I love babies, but just…” Her shoulders sag with her sigh. “I want you to be happy. I hated how you were always alone, and Vale’s been so alone, too. Ever since her ex-boyfriend, Chad, and?—”

“Yeah, about Chad.”

She stops and reads my eyes.

“No,” she gawps.

I raise a brow.

“Dad,” she mutters. “You didn’t.”

“I did, and I’ll do the same for you. Even your precious Loch. If he ever hurts you, he’s fucking dead.” I brush a tear off her cheek. “But he wouldn’t, and that’s what I mean. Give him a chance. Hear him out. Nadine, too. There’s a lot to tell you, but start with him. Let him tell you his side of the story.”

“The wedding’s off.” A stern look takes her eyes. I’ve seen it in the mirror before. She’s not joking. “I’ll hear him out. And Nadine. But there’s no way I’m getting married this Saturday. Not like this.”

“But what about the pounds of shrimp I just paid for?”

She narrows her eyes. “Daaaddd.”

“Kidding.” I just wanted my baby to smile. “Loch’s brothers will eat it all in an hour flat.”

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