The Girl He Craves

Meredith’s pov

He hauled in a shaky breath, his eyes swimming with sadness. I had hit him with the

past, something that could potentially bring out the man he once was.

’She’s dead.” He whispered, pushing the photo away. “The dead can’t speak.'”

I blinked in sadness, pitying the man he is now today. “But they can still see and hear.

If mom was here, she’d smack you upside your head and then nurse your wounds.”

He clenched his fists, turning away from me completely.” Is this why you came here?

To remind me of why I’m actually doing what I’m doing? Look at me, Meredith.” His

eyes snapped up to mine suddenly and I had to take in a very sharp inhale as

emotions swam through the windows of his soul.

Father was in more pain than I realized.

’I’m a shell of a man because of her. I can love no other, I have a permanent hole in

my heart because of her. Love is selfish Meredith, the pain is unbearable. I tried to

save you from it too,” He looked over my shoulder at Grant.

He continued. “But I was too late. I need to save my grandson before it’s too late.”

I shook my head, reaching out for him. My heart ached for my father. A man who once

believed love was the answer to everything now made love his enemy. It was painful

and tormenting to watch him become this person.

When my fingers touched his hand, he flinched. His eyes swept to mine in shock. I

don’t remember the last time I held my father’s hand or the last time I voluntarily stood

this close to him.

After mom died, our father-daughter relationship was swept up and tom into shreds.

He would come home late from work, smell of booze, and trash the entire place.

I can recall listening to a few bottles shattering on the wall. I can even remember the

glass piercing through my heel one

rampage.

when I cried out in pain, he looked at me dead in the

told the maid to help me.

day too.

in my

that hurt that day, my heart

terms with the fact that I lost

mother.

From that day, we regarded each other coldly, like we were not father and

asked and made sure to

course, I met Grant and everything

wrong dad,’ I

him dad in a

he heard my words. There’s a flicker in his gaze,

the way he looked at

worth it. Those years you shared with mom, I was sure were

happiest you’ve ever been. Do you regret

life with her?’

apple bob as he swallowed and croaked out. “No. I don’t

to your mother Meredith.’ He tore

pain deep

do it all over again.”

again. ■

My heart squeezed. I could hear the

you’re hurting her now that you’re trying to hurt her grandson

son, a woman who he loves dearly. You’re trying

good idea? Why do you

to me. “Don’t you see

over again, but

Love is

hand, growing angry now that he

beautiful. Every bit of it

hurting Aiden because of what I had

father had tried his

could marry into the Muralo’s. But Grant and I run away and never turned

he thinks that I

didn’t realize that it was his actions

lost his wife and then he lost

and how a

to think any action they take, is

I cracked. ‘I’m sorry for