Page 64 of Knot a Tie
“No.” James’s tone mimics my dad’s, and I can see this going tits up in the middle of the Parliament building.
“Rayne,” Daddy says, calmly. “Let’s talk about this.”
“There is nothing to talk about, unless you want to carry on asking me questions about Mick and his men in order to arrest him and let Richard off whatever hook you have him dangling from.”
“Yes.”
I blink in confusion.
“Yes, what?” I ask, peering out from behind James’s muscular bod.
“We will talk about it,” he grits out. “I am not having you walking out over this. Clearly, you have strong feelings about it, so we will talk more.” He turns on his heel and marches back into his office.
“You don’t have to follow him,” James states.
“Yeah, I do,” I say with a sigh. “He’s my dad for a start, but secondly, he needs to see that Richard is not the enemy here.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod and give him a brave smile even though my insides are withering away over the previous confrontation. I don’t think I have it in my little omega soul to have a round two. I said my piece and I walked away. Going back in now might destroy me completely. If that’s Daddy’s plan, then I will officially cut him out of my life for using what he knows against me.
Most of me tells me that he won’t, but there is that tiny part of me that isn’t sure, and I don’t like it. A few days ago, I would never have even thought my father would be so manipulative. But now I know differently and that knowledge hurts.
My mouth is dry as dust, but I force myself to move forward. The alphas follow me closely and my brave smile strengthens. They have my back.
“Here,” Willow whispers as we pass and hands something to William.
He quietly removes the cap and hands me a bottle of water. Gratefully, I take it and gulp down a couple of mouthfuls.
“Thanks,” I mutter and hand it back to him.
Reaching my father’s office, I pause and turn to give them each a smile. “You don’t have to wait. I’ll be okay.”
“We’re not leaving,” James says.
“Don’t worry about anything, except what you came here to do,” Spencer adds.
I nod and enter the office, closing the door quietly and turning to face my dad.
He is sitting in his chair, his head in his hands. “How did it come to this?” he asks quietly.
“You won’t listen to me.”
“I’m listening now.”
I gulp. Now I don’t have anything left to say. The adrenaline I was riding has run out, and left me drained. I flop down in one of the chairs opposite his desk and immediately catch a faint whiff of earthy pinecones.
Richard.
He was here in this chair.
It gives me the strength and courage I need to see this through. “I know it seems strange,” I start. “That these alphas have taken over my life. But they have. They are sweet and kind and thoughtful. They have been perfect gentlemen and even helped me out of a situation that they could easily have taken advantage of.”
“Explain,” he croaks.
I bite my lip. Discussing my heat with my dad is a bit weird, but he already knows about my heat suppressants and the reasons why.
“I lost my supply of heat suppressant injections in the struggle on the side of the road. When they found out, William asked his sister to help me out by getting some for me. Yes, I understand that it’s not exactly legal,” I hasten to add when he looks up. “But I was desperate. They could easily have left me to go into my heat and taken advantage of that. They didn’t. They want to court me as much as I want them to. All that I told you on the phone was true. I’m ready, and I’m ready because of them. But that includes Richard. I know you see him only as a felon, but he issomuch more than that to me. Can you accept that?”
