I was serious, but my legs weren’t cooperating, buckling under me as soon as my weight was on them. I grabbed for the nearest thing to hold me up, which happened to be Kon. With a chuckle, he swept me into his arms, and instead of depositing me back on the bed, he gave me a robe to wrap around myself and carried me to the kitchen.
It was much larger than the one at the beach house, bathed in sunlight that sparkled off the quartz tiles. I was looking forward to whatever Kon rustled up for me, but my stomach went back to rolling over when we rounded the corner, and I saw Papa sitting in a cozy booth, reading a book.
He slapped it down and rumbled at my mode of travel, but he eagerly started to rise, getting caught up behind the table with all the bandages he still had wrapped around his chest, arms and hands. It hurt to see him like that, the strong bear of a man who used to effortlessly swing me around. He’d been injured before, but this was the first time I was ever allowed to see the extent of the damage he had taken in his line of work.
No wonder he didn’t want me to have any part of it. But I was no longer that little girl, and staying away from that life was impossible now, since my life was with Kon. Could he get past his anger and accept that?
He was definitely much stronger than when I first laid eyes on him after the rescue, barely able to stand and still trying to attack Kon. Remaining half standing, he looked like he might start throwing punches all over again until Kon set me downacross from him. Papa reached for my hand and hastily wiped tears out of his eyes, before glaring at me, then Kon, then back at me.
Yeah, he was pissed. Really pissed. My heart constricted as I watched him war with his love for me and his disappointment and anger at my betrayal of all he ever taught me.
“He wouldn’t let me see you,” he said.
“Don’t lie to her,” Kon replied calmly as he cracked some eggs into a pan.
“He only let me peek in, said I’d upset you if I came in the room,” Papa argued.
“You’re upsetting me now, Papa.”
“Will you please let her eat before you two get into it?” Kon asked, putting a plate full of croissants in front of me while the eggs cooked.
“I’ve told you we’re leaving as soon as she’s well enough to travel,” Papa said, rising again. “I’ll make the arrangements right now.”
“Sit back down,” I told him, hastily adding, “Please. I’m not well enough to travel. Kon wasn’t carrying me for fun. And even if I was, I’m not going anywhere.”
“Tatiana,” he said, the end of my full name rising with his voice.
“No. I may beyourchild, but I’m notachild anymore. You have to accept my decisions.”
“This isn’t like dropping out of college. This is the rest of your life. I won’t let you throw it away.”
Kon made a noise, but I sliced my hand at him to keep him out of this. I’d let him protect me from many things, but not my own father. “I don’t see it as throwing it away. I see it as the only thing that will make me truly happy. I’ve been sheltered too long. I don’t want to be hidden away anymore, afraid of shadows.”
“I did that to keep you safe.”
“Kon will keep me safe,” I said. “And I’m not completely helpless.”
“Not at all,” Kon piped up, raising his brows at me. “Do you know what she was doing when I rushed in to rescue her?” When my father finally looked at him, he answered. “Breaking out on her own. Another minute or two and she’d have been free.”
He was exaggerating. Another minute or two and I would have passed out. If I managed to get out of the house, I might have made it ten feet before collapsing in the grass.
“We make a good team,” I conceded, smiling at him.
My father cleared his throat, looking like he might throw up his breakfast at our little display.
Papa stood up, shaking his head. “I don’t like it,” he said under his breath. “And neither will you in a few months… or years. I only hope you live that long.”
“You’re wrong, Papa. But I won’t hold it over your head when you realize it. And I hope you and Kon can keep doing business together. You two are a good team too, and you know it.”
He stomped out as best he could, not saying another word. Kon sank down beside me and reached for my hand, ready to console me, but I was beaming when I turned to him.
“That went all right, actually,” I said.
“It did?” he asked incredulously. “Because it looked to me like he walked out on you.”
“Yes, but he didn’t call you any names or tell me how foolish I’m being. You know him as well as I do. If there was more fight in him, he’d still be here fighting. He’ll come around.”
Kon’s serious face slowly gave way to a tentative smile. “I hope so. It’ll be hell to dissolve all those partnerships if he doesn’t. It’d be easier if he were—”