Page 121 of My Only

Tightly.

Because if his goal was to make me feel like shit, to feel the full weight of his disappointment?

He had achieved it.

With flying colors.

“You lost this game.” My father stood to his full height, locking eyes with me. “Don’t fuck everything up and lose your wife, too.”

He pointed at me.

“You lost the game?—”

His voice dropped.

“Do not lose your wife.”

I stared at him, throat tight.

Then my gaze dropped to the table.

Empty.

Just like my stomach.

And in that moment, I realized my dad was right.

I wasn’t blind.

Harper was beautiful. She was into me. Clearly.

I saw it.

But I never let her attention cloud my judgment.

I was in control. Always.

Women had always been drawn to me—but I knew how to handle that.

Didn’t I?

Agreeing to go to Vernon’s, though? A bad call.

But it was innocent… right?

Right?

Or had I been wrong all along?

The drive home was torture.

Even after my father pulled me into a hug, told me he loved me till his dying breath, his final words wouldn’t stop playing.

“You lost the game… Don’t fuck everything up and lose your wife, too.”

The idea of losing Ayla?

Never crossed my mind.

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