Slowly regaining his feet, his dad swiped away a trickle of blood from his lips. “He was more than happy to settle his stack of markers.”
If O’Malley were still alive Billy would have punched him in the jaw too. Leaving Angel and Gabby penniless and homeless was the least of O’Malley’s gambling addiction fallout.
Suddenly Angel’s reaction to Billy’s bet didn’t seem so unreasonable.
Chapter 18
A s Angel waited for the elevator to glide upstairs, she stared at the business card Hannah had given her at lunch. O’Malley’s didn’t do therapy. That’s what her father always said when she pleaded with him to get help for his gambling addiction.
But if someone like Hannah admitted to needing a therapist for what she called her ‘mommy dearest’ issues, then maybe Angel could get help too. When Billy made that bet she’d deflected all the fears and insecurities from years of O’Malley’s addiction onto him. Billy had never lied or tried to manipulate her. He’d been nothing but kind, loving, and generous. She hoped he’d understand. Hoped, he wouldn’t call her crazy because she needed therapy. Hoped he’d forgive her.
The doors of the elevator slid open. She froze after taking two steps out into the hall. An older man with the same colored hair as Billy’s looked at her with disgust. His father.
“Well look at you, all dolled up with my son’s money.”
“You will not speak to her that way.” Billy’s expression softened and he motioned Angel to come to him.
Angel sidestepped Mr. Burner and rushed into Billy’s waiting arms. “Is Gabby okay?”
“Yes, she’s playing in her room. I’m almost done here. Why don’t you head inside too?’
Billy’s father glared at her. “Not so fast. Admit that you knew about the money.”
“What money?” Angel’s heart pounded as if she climbed all forty-four stories.
“Dad!” Billy took her hands. His face a death mask of pain. “Angel, I don’t know how to tell you than to just say it. My father paid off yours to get you to break up with me.”
What? Angel almost laughed. Did she hear that right? By the way Billy’s face tightened in distressed she knew he struggled with something else.
“There’s more.” His thumbs ran along her hands in a caress. “Did O’Malley try to talk you into adoption?”
“He had a social worker come to the hospital, but… oh my God! No, no, no.” God, if she didn’t need therapy before, she sure did now. How could two fathers be so cruel to their children, to their grandchild? “I refused. I couldn’t, I just couldn’t. She was a part of you, a part of us.”
Billy pulled her into a tight embrace. “You’re a strong woman, Angel.” He hugged her even tighter. “Thank God.”
“Don’t be stupid, Billy. She got pregnant on purpose,” Mr. Burner accused.
Before Angel could deny it, Billy defended her. “Don’t put that at her feet. I’m the one who didn’t wear a condom.”
“You can dress her up Billy, but she’ll always be a slut.”
Billy placed Angel behind his back as he turned to meet his father head on. “She was never that. In fact, she’s the one with a college degree. Not the son who you pushed and pushed to declare early for the NFL draft. Now go.”
Tears spilled from her eyes. No one had ever stuck up for her like that.
Up against his back, she could feel the tenseness in his muscles and how hard he was trying to keep himself in check. His father didn’t say a word as he pushed the down button.
Billy took a deep breath. “Dad, if you decide to be a part of my family, you’ll have to apologize to Angel. And to your granddaughter.” The doors opened. “Her name is Gabriela. Gabriela O’Malley Burner.”
Without a word Billy’s father stepped into the elevator.
As the doors slid closed, Angel squeezed his arm. “I’m so sorry, Billy.” She knew how hard it was for Billy to stand up to his father. She realized that she and Gabby weren’t the only ones
If O’Malley were still alive Billy would have punched him in the jaw too. Leaving Angel and Gabby penniless and homeless was the least of O’Malley’s gambling addiction fallout.
Suddenly Angel’s reaction to Billy’s bet didn’t seem so unreasonable.
Chapter 18
A s Angel waited for the elevator to glide upstairs, she stared at the business card Hannah had given her at lunch. O’Malley’s didn’t do therapy. That’s what her father always said when she pleaded with him to get help for his gambling addiction.
But if someone like Hannah admitted to needing a therapist for what she called her ‘mommy dearest’ issues, then maybe Angel could get help too. When Billy made that bet she’d deflected all the fears and insecurities from years of O’Malley’s addiction onto him. Billy had never lied or tried to manipulate her. He’d been nothing but kind, loving, and generous. She hoped he’d understand. Hoped, he wouldn’t call her crazy because she needed therapy. Hoped he’d forgive her.
The doors of the elevator slid open. She froze after taking two steps out into the hall. An older man with the same colored hair as Billy’s looked at her with disgust. His father.
“Well look at you, all dolled up with my son’s money.”
“You will not speak to her that way.” Billy’s expression softened and he motioned Angel to come to him.
Angel sidestepped Mr. Burner and rushed into Billy’s waiting arms. “Is Gabby okay?”
“Yes, she’s playing in her room. I’m almost done here. Why don’t you head inside too?’
Billy’s father glared at her. “Not so fast. Admit that you knew about the money.”
“What money?” Angel’s heart pounded as if she climbed all forty-four stories.
“Dad!” Billy took her hands. His face a death mask of pain. “Angel, I don’t know how to tell you than to just say it. My father paid off yours to get you to break up with me.”
What? Angel almost laughed. Did she hear that right? By the way Billy’s face tightened in distressed she knew he struggled with something else.
“There’s more.” His thumbs ran along her hands in a caress. “Did O’Malley try to talk you into adoption?”
“He had a social worker come to the hospital, but… oh my God! No, no, no.” God, if she didn’t need therapy before, she sure did now. How could two fathers be so cruel to their children, to their grandchild? “I refused. I couldn’t, I just couldn’t. She was a part of you, a part of us.”
Billy pulled her into a tight embrace. “You’re a strong woman, Angel.” He hugged her even tighter. “Thank God.”
“Don’t be stupid, Billy. She got pregnant on purpose,” Mr. Burner accused.
Before Angel could deny it, Billy defended her. “Don’t put that at her feet. I’m the one who didn’t wear a condom.”
“You can dress her up Billy, but she’ll always be a slut.”
Billy placed Angel behind his back as he turned to meet his father head on. “She was never that. In fact, she’s the one with a college degree. Not the son who you pushed and pushed to declare early for the NFL draft. Now go.”
Tears spilled from her eyes. No one had ever stuck up for her like that.
Up against his back, she could feel the tenseness in his muscles and how hard he was trying to keep himself in check. His father didn’t say a word as he pushed the down button.
Billy took a deep breath. “Dad, if you decide to be a part of my family, you’ll have to apologize to Angel. And to your granddaughter.” The doors opened. “Her name is Gabriela. Gabriela O’Malley Burner.”
Without a word Billy’s father stepped into the elevator.
As the doors slid closed, Angel squeezed his arm. “I’m so sorry, Billy.” She knew how hard it was for Billy to stand up to his father. She realized that she and Gabby weren’t the only ones
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