Page 21 of Forever

“Just got the text from James,” Rob said. He showed me the picture on his phone. James was sitting on the floor in his tux reading Jacob a bedtime story. “All the kids are safe. Although Penny crying woke them all up. Just so you know, the first thing Matt did was send James to check and make sure Jacob was okay.”

Matt.I hugged him again. If I hadn’t already said yes to his proposal, I would have now.

“Perfect shot, Uncle Richard.”

I pulled back from Matt and turned toward the door to see Poppy standing there with Nigel and my father. The gun in my dad’s hand was smoking.

“Dad?” my voice cracked. He’d come. Even though I told him I wanted nothing to do with him. Andhewas the one who’d pulled the trigger.Oh thank God.

“Angel,” my father said calmly. “Are you alright?”

I nodded.

“Oh thank fuck,” Matt said and looked up at the ceiling in relief. “I thought I killed him.” He still looked like he was going to hurl. “Jesus.”

I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief that Matt wasn’t the one who had shot Locatelli. But Poppy was behind all of this. And it wasn’t exactly soothing seeing my father so easily murder someone right in front of my face.

“Everyone stay where they are!” Nigel yelled. “I have a hand grenade and I’m not afraid to use it!” He lifted the grenade above his head and waved it around.

My dad turned to him. “Put that away before you hurt someone, son.”

Nigel smiled up at him. “Do you think of me as a son?”

“I barely know who you are. Put the pin back in that now.”

“I think I misplaced the pin,” Nigel mumbled. “I expected to be using it.” He looked around the floor and started checking his pockets.

“Why does no one ever offer you their jacket when you’re in duress?” My father asked and walked over to me. “James let you run around that hotel half naked back in high school. And here you are again in nothing but a towel.” He shrugged out of his suit jacket and put it around my shoulders.

I remembered him taking care of me after Isabella tried to murder me at homecoming. I remembered the smell of the cologne on his jacket making me feel safe. But I also remembered the smell of his cologne at the lake house making me feel anything but safe. I felt trapped. I knew there were a lot of sides to my father. I knew that he loved me in his own way. And I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. I at least wanted him to be alive long enough so we could talk about everything. All of it. I was just about to open my mouth when my dad turned to Magnus.

“As for you,” my father said. “No one touches my daughter without my permission.” He lifted his gun.

“Wait!” I stepped in front of him. “Magnus was just following Locatelli’s orders. And he was actually kind of nice about the whole thing.”

“He kidnapped you,” my dad said.

So did you.But I knew my father didn’t see it that way. He’d thought he was protecting me from Isabella. He thought he was doing the right thing. “Magnus isn’t the bad guy here. And Locatelli was just a pawn, dad. Your wife is behind all of this. All the Cannavaros are. You should be threateningher.” I pointed to Poppy. “Poppy betrayed you. She’s working with your wife to…”

“No, Poppy was the one that warned me what Patricia was up to. I told you, Angel. Poppy is on our side. She found out what Patricia was doing. Well, not just what she was currently doing. What shedid. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But I was wrong. It wasn’t just Luigi Locatelli who had a hand in Miller’s death. It was Patricia’s plan.”

I swallowed hard.

“That’s true,” Poppy said. “Aunt Patricia completely lost her mind when you returned to the city. Well, actually before you returned. Since she was the one that planned toblow you up. Which for the record, I only just found out about recently. I told Uncle Richard as soon as I uncovered the truth. And I tried my best to talk to Aunt Patricia. But she wouldn’t listen to reason. And why do you not believe that I’m on your side? I killed the Locatelli heir for you. Well, a little for Matt.” She winked at him. “How are you doing, sugar tits?”

“Stop it, Poppy,” Matt said and put his arm around my shoulders.

I melted into his side.

“And I’ve been trying to warn you all week that you might be in danger,” my dad said. “Why haven’t you answered any of my calls or texts, Angel?”

Because I thought you killed my husband!I hadn’t believed that he was innocent. But now? Tanner had already told me that my father hadn’t done it. But I’d kind of needed Locatelli to admit all of it to truly believe it.“Did you really step down, Dad?”

He nodded. “You told me I had to. So I did. Poppy has taken my place.”

“I love being on top,” she said and winked at Matt again.

“What the fuck?” Matt mumbled under his breath.

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