chest. There was something wrong, it
wasn’t a death or an illness in the family… What was wrong
was me .
There was a large black and white photograph
of a couple out the front of a restaurant and pictures of them
dining together. Even one of them getting out of a limousine. It
was me and Vaughn.
I glanced up at my father and his expression
said it all. Disappointment.
“Dad…” I only ever called him dad when I
wanted to pull on his heartstrings and he knew it.
Frowning he said, “You know that man’s
reputation, Lorelei. Is he a client, or are you seeing him?”
My cheeks heated and I glanced down at the
paper. Twenty-five years old and still under my father’s thumb. I’d
expect it from my mother, but he’d always been lenient with my
whims. I guess he was until I did something he didn’t approve of
and Vaughn was it.
“Dad…” I didn’t know what to say. “We went
out for dinner. That’s all.” It most definitely wasn’t all. How
could I explain all the things I felt for Vaughn to my father of
all people?
“That man is nothing but a boy with more
money than he can handle. He’s got a dangerous reputation.”
“And you don’t want our name associated with
that,” I snapped.
“ Lorelei .”
“So you came over here to forbid me from
seeing him? From allowing me to be happy? I thought—”
“ I came over here to save you
from yourself.” His expression was pure anger and I stepped back,
hugging the newspaper against my chest. I’d never seen him like
this before. Not even when I’d gotten into trouble at school for
setting one of the mean girls’ English folder on fire.
“ Lorelei, you must disassociate
yourself from Sebastian Vaughn, immediately.”
“Why?” I almost put my hands on my hips like
a child about to throw a tantrum.
“He’s a dangerous man,” he replied, his lips
thin. “He’s in trouble, Lorelei. I don’t want you anywhere near
him. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“Dad…” I began to soften. I loved him so
much, but what I felt for Vaughn was undeniable. I was falling much
too fast and dare I say it…it felt a lot like love.
He stared at me, his warm eyes appraising my
expression, and shook his head. “Do you love him?”
I felt tears begin to prickle in my eyes and
I shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable.
Father sighed, running a hand over his face.
“Lorelei… I want the best for you, you know that, right? I want you
to be happy, but not at the expense of your health and safety. I’ve
always allowed you to follow your heart, but this time I have to
implore you to see reason.”
“Do you know something that I don’t?” I
asked, handing him back the paper.
“I know enough.”
Stepping forward, I hugged him
tightly, laying my head against his strong shoulder. “Thanks, Dad,
but I can take care of myself.”
“Do you love him, Lorrie?”
I smiled against his suit jacket at the
sound of my nickname. “I think so.”
“If he hurts you…” He swallowed hard and I
glanced up. “I will ruin him.”
I knew my father always made good on his
promises, or in this case, threats. If Vaughn so much as hurt a
single hair on my head, he would end up financially ruined, his
reputation completely obliterated. I hoped it wouldn’t come to
that. I knew it wouldn’t, because this was different. What we were
only beginning to explore was the start of something great.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He backed away, reaching for the front door.
“Think about it, Lorrie. Don’t rush into anything you might later
regret.”
I smiled as he opened the door and stepped
across the threshold. “I won’t.”
“I love you.”
I stepped forward and leaned against the
open door. “Love you, too.”
As I watched my father slide into the back
of his car, I shook my head. Talk about a whirlwind weekend.
Closing the door, I leaned against the wall
and drew in a deep breath. If my father believed the rumors then
there had to be a grain of truth in them. What did
wasn’t a death or an illness in the family… What was wrong
was me .
There was a large black and white photograph
of a couple out the front of a restaurant and pictures of them
dining together. Even one of them getting out of a limousine. It
was me and Vaughn.
I glanced up at my father and his expression
said it all. Disappointment.
“Dad…” I only ever called him dad when I
wanted to pull on his heartstrings and he knew it.
Frowning he said, “You know that man’s
reputation, Lorelei. Is he a client, or are you seeing him?”
My cheeks heated and I glanced down at the
paper. Twenty-five years old and still under my father’s thumb. I’d
expect it from my mother, but he’d always been lenient with my
whims. I guess he was until I did something he didn’t approve of
and Vaughn was it.
“Dad…” I didn’t know what to say. “We went
out for dinner. That’s all.” It most definitely wasn’t all. How
could I explain all the things I felt for Vaughn to my father of
all people?
“That man is nothing but a boy with more
money than he can handle. He’s got a dangerous reputation.”
“And you don’t want our name associated with
that,” I snapped.
“ Lorelei .”
“So you came over here to forbid me from
seeing him? From allowing me to be happy? I thought—”
“ I came over here to save you
from yourself.” His expression was pure anger and I stepped back,
hugging the newspaper against my chest. I’d never seen him like
this before. Not even when I’d gotten into trouble at school for
setting one of the mean girls’ English folder on fire.
“ Lorelei, you must disassociate
yourself from Sebastian Vaughn, immediately.”
“Why?” I almost put my hands on my hips like
a child about to throw a tantrum.
“He’s a dangerous man,” he replied, his lips
thin. “He’s in trouble, Lorelei. I don’t want you anywhere near
him. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“Dad…” I began to soften. I loved him so
much, but what I felt for Vaughn was undeniable. I was falling much
too fast and dare I say it…it felt a lot like love.
He stared at me, his warm eyes appraising my
expression, and shook his head. “Do you love him?”
I felt tears begin to prickle in my eyes and
I shrugged, suddenly uncomfortable.
Father sighed, running a hand over his face.
“Lorelei… I want the best for you, you know that, right? I want you
to be happy, but not at the expense of your health and safety. I’ve
always allowed you to follow your heart, but this time I have to
implore you to see reason.”
“Do you know something that I don’t?” I
asked, handing him back the paper.
“I know enough.”
Stepping forward, I hugged him
tightly, laying my head against his strong shoulder. “Thanks, Dad,
but I can take care of myself.”
“Do you love him, Lorrie?”
I smiled against his suit jacket at the
sound of my nickname. “I think so.”
“If he hurts you…” He swallowed hard and I
glanced up. “I will ruin him.”
I knew my father always made good on his
promises, or in this case, threats. If Vaughn so much as hurt a
single hair on my head, he would end up financially ruined, his
reputation completely obliterated. I hoped it wouldn’t come to
that. I knew it wouldn’t, because this was different. What we were
only beginning to explore was the start of something great.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He backed away, reaching for the front door.
“Think about it, Lorrie. Don’t rush into anything you might later
regret.”
I smiled as he opened the door and stepped
across the threshold. “I won’t.”
“I love you.”
I stepped forward and leaned against the
open door. “Love you, too.”
As I watched my father slide into the back
of his car, I shook my head. Talk about a whirlwind weekend.
Closing the door, I leaned against the wall
and drew in a deep breath. If my father believed the rumors then
there had to be a grain of truth in them. What did
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