Page 73 of Ties That Bind Us

“Vince?” she interrupted.

“Yes. Vince knows about this. He has been working with Leo and me since we found out.” She was quiet. “Your father put a track on my credit card, that’s how he knew about the room in Chicago. Then he booked two prostitutes under my card to try to convince you I was cheating on you so you’d call off the wedding. That way, he wouldn’t have to come clean about what he had really been planning and could use you as a scapegoat.”

“Nick, this doesn’t seem right. I know he’s a bad person, but he couldn’t. . . . Why would he do something he knew would hurt me?” She shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around what I was telling her. I knew it was killing her. All of the terrible things he had subjected her to over her life were faint in her mind right now. All she could see were the good things, because she didn’t want to believe this. He was her father, after all. Her blood, the one who was supposed to protect her at all costs. Instead, he was basically serving her up on a silver platter to anyone he thought could get him ahead.

“I need you to trust me, Ava.” I stroked her cheek.

Her body shook with sobs. “He’s my dad, Nick.”

“I know, baby. I know this is hard to take, I know he’s not intentionally trying to hurt you, but he’s too deep in with the Russians. If he doesn’t deliver, they’ll be out for blood. They’ve already shown that with the shooting, and believe me, if they come back, they won’t miss this time.”

She covered her face with her hands, continuing to sob as I wrapped her in my arms and pulled her in tightly. The parallels of his situation, and Andrew’s years ago, was uncanny.

“Ava, I am never going to let anything happen to you, okay? Do you understand that? I am going to do everything in my power to make sure no one ever hurts you again. Not your father, not the Russians, no one. Okay?” I pleaded with her, her tears breaking my heart. It infuriated me that she had to go through this, and I needed to put a stop to it as quickly as possible.

“We’re going to figure this out, but I need you to trust me, okay? Can you do that?” I continued.

She nodded, still sobbing.

“I love you, Ava. I have since the second I met you, even before I knew who you were. And I’m going to make this right, okay? All of it,” I promised.

She nodded but I could tell she wasn’t sure. Honestly, I wasn’t, either, but I sure as hell was going to do everything in my power to try.

Chapter 29

Ava

After hearing what Nick had to say, my mind was all over the place. We didn’t even make it to dinner, just stayed in our villa and ordered from room service. I felt numb, trying to process everything he had told me. I didn’t want to believe my own father was capable of doing the things Nick described, but what if he was right? What if I trusted Nick, and he was wrong?

It was hard to dispute the proof Nick had, but I just couldn’t imagine my dad doing something like that. I lay awake all night trying to remember little bits and pieces of my childhood. Up until I met Nick, I hadn’t realized just how oppressive it really was. My dad never let my sisters or me anywhere near the business; he didn’t even talk about it in our presence. We weren’t allowed to ask about it or be involved at all. I always thought he was trying to keep us out of it, to keep us safe, but was it something else? I did have happy memories with my dad—birthday parties and movie nights and him teaching me how to ride a bicycle. When I was young, he used to let me get all dressed up once a month and would take me to do whatever I wanted, just the two of us. I idolized him when I was younger, but I was starting to see that I idolized the idea of him more. The father I wanted him to be, the one he was on occasion, but not the one he was most of the time. That was the person I remembered most—my father, the iron fist.

When I was eight, I remember hearing something in our backyard and wandering out to see what it was. I don’t know what I was doing, but I remember dropping whatever it was on the floor and walking toward the noise. I opened the sliding glass door and went onto the patio. My dad was standing beneath the pool shower, fully clothed, dark-red liquid disappearing from his skin and clothes.

I must have been entranced because I don’t know how long I stood there staring at him, trying to figure out what was happening.

“Are you okay, Daddy?” I asked softly. He craned his neck in my direction, anger flooding his face. He shut the water off and stomped toward me. If I had been thinking straight, I probably would have run, but instead, I stood with my feet cemented to the ground. The sharp sting of his hand hit my cheek and then he gripped my shoulders roughly.

“You’re not supposed to be out here,” he hissed, shaking me violently. “Get in the house,” he said, shoving me toward the still-open door. “And don’t tell your mother about this.”

When I finally got my bearings, I raced inside and shut the door behind me, squeezing my eyes shut to stop my tears, and hurried to my room. I didn’t dare look outside again for fear of getting caught.

That was my first real clue that something was off about my dad, that what he did wasn’t normal, not like what my friends’ fathers did. They were doctors and lawyers and stockbrokers—they didn’t come home with blood all over them and take a shower outside so their families didn’t see.

I had wanted more for my own kids, if I ever had a family myself, and look how well that had turned out for me. I was in bed with the Mafia for life—literally.

Nick stirred next to me, and I was jealous of the way he could sleep so soundly. My world was crumbling around me, and this was just another day in the life for him. I wanted desperately to hold on to him to steady myself and make sense of all of this, but was it a mistake to trust him?

I had to choose between Nick and my own father, everything I had ever known. If I went through with the wedding, people would get hurt, maybe even die, and it would be my fault. I had never imagined my marriage could cause so much hurt and turmoil within people, and it was really wearing on me. Was it worth it? What if Nick couldn’t protect me like he thought he could? Did I really need protecting from my own family?

When I woke up the next morning, Nick was gone, and my immediate reaction was frustration. Had we not talked about this last night? What about focusing on us? Relaxing? Apparently, it hadn’t sunk in, and I was going to have to enjoy this vacation with or without him.

I threw the covers off, but something on the table caught my eye. There was a bouquet of roses, a tray full of breakfast, and a note.

I picked the note up and read Nick’s words, unable to control the smile on my face.

Good morning, my love!

You looked so peaceful sleeping I didn’t want to wake you. As I promised last night, today is all about you! I have big plans so I hope you got some rest. Your first stop is the spa. Rose will have your next adventure waiting there. I’ll be seeing you soon :)

---