Daddy's Girl: A Daddy Issues Novel, Rebel Wild [top 10 most read books in the world .TXT] 📗

that’s the case and I hate myself even more for being the selfish, possessive prick that I am for wanting to be the one that can somehow console her, but it’s not about me right now.

“Maybe she’ll feel better with you and Joe.”

“We’re not who she wants. She could have easily knocked on our door, but she ran to you. It’s you she needs right now. Go to her.”

I nod as I take the tea from her and head to my room back to Sydney.

“Joe, can you go get her something to help her sleep, but nothing too strong.”

“Sure thing,” he says before turning back to her. “Take care, Sydney.”

“Thank you, Joe,” she tells him.

“Sydney,” I say as I sit beside her once we’re alone. I place the serving tray next to the bed and she sits up to fix it.

“I don’t even know why I asked for this,” she says. “I hate tea, but Daddy used to drink it every night before he went to bed. Tea to sleep and coffee to wake up.” She laughs. She looks void and detached from everything that’s going on around her as she dips the teabag in the water. “I’m sorry I’m so much trouble, sir.”

“No trouble at all. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m having a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Who told you?”

“My mother went to check up on him and they told her.”

“He died hating me.”

Her voice is barely a whisper, as if she’s talking to herself and not to me.

“That’s not true,” I answer regardless.

She looks at me, her lower lip trembles, and her eyes pool with tears. She abandons her tea and balls herself up again in bed as her tears finally fall. I rush to the door, pull it open, and yell for Brianna. I’ve never seen her move so fast.

“Under her pillow, there’s a stuffed rabbit,” I explain to her. “She needs it.”

“I’ll get it.”

I remember she was holding it the first time I saw her crying in her bed. I take the scruffy old rabbit from Brianna and lay it on the pillow next to Sydney. She quickly grabs for it, holding it close. She looks so vulnerable. I can’t help but want to comfort her. Before my mind can talk me out of it, my body is climbing into bed behind her.

“Let me hold you?” I ask her.

She uncurls herself just enough for me to slip an arm around her. She scoots toward me until her back is pressed into my chest. She takes hold of my hand, pulling it under her cheek to lay her head on it as she holds me and her rabbit, adorned with two of my handkerchiefs, close to her.

We stay lying this way for what seems like hours until she finally cries herself to sleep. I stay still, fearful that any attempt to reclaim my arm would wake her. I lie beside her. The place where I have longed to be since I first watched her sleeping like an angel in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The notion of it didn’t do it justice as feeling her soft warm body next to me pales in comparison to anything my mind conjured up. Guiltily, I allow my body to relax next to her as the scent of her hair invades my senses and calms me. Unable to hold out any longer, I close my eyes and let sleep take me.

I wake up with the weight of an arm around my waist and turn my head just enough to see Mr. Garrett sleeping behind me. When I opened my eyes, I prayed that last night had all been a bad dream but being here in his bed with him holding me, says it’s all very real.

The night was so perfect before I got the phone call. Mr. Garrett had just put me to bed after giving me aftercare and I was feeling so relaxed when he left me to sleep. I was sleeping so well. I almost didn’t answer my phone until I remembered it could be the hospital.

“Hello?” I cleared the raspiness of sleep from my voice.

“How could you do this to me, Foxy?” Daddy’s voice came on the line. He sounded groggy, but I could tell he was crying. “You let them take my leg. I already told them no.”

“But I had no choice. You had an infection. If they didn’t operate, you’d be dead. I couldn’t let that happen. I love you too much.”

“You love me? You love me, but you went against what I wanted. You don’t love me enough to respect me.”

“That’s not true. I do respect you, but I couldn’t just let you die, Daddy. Don’t you get it? You’re all I have.”

“Selfish,” he spat the word at me. “You’ve always been so damned selfish.”

“No,” I said. “Everything I’ve done since you were arrested was for you.”

“What have you done but take my right to make decisions away from me?”

“I made sure you got the best lawyer that money can buy.”

“With whose money? We lost everything when I lost my job.”

“I’m getting paid more than enough money and I used it to help you.”

“What the hell are you doing for it and don’t lie and tell me you’re helping Mona around the office for that asshole Garrett. I can only think of one thing he’d have you doing for that much money and it’s sure as hell not helping Mona. I pray to God it’s not true.”

“No.”

“Then what the hell are you doing with him?”

“I’m just working.”

“You’re a whore?”

“No!”

“You are whoring yourself out. I didn’t raise you that way,” he cried. “I just want to die. Why didn’t you just let me die in peace, Foxy?”

“Daddy, please listen to me.”

“My daughter is a whore to the man I hate most in the world.”

I heard who I thought was a nurse when the monitors went off.

“Daddy?” I called for him, but there was no answer.

I heard people talking, and I strained