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

through my heel one of those

rampage.

I cried out in pain, he looked at

to help me.

day too.

me stay up alone in my room, crying my eyes out. My foot wasn’t

that hurt that day,

with the fact that I lost my father the same day

mother.

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

did what he asked and made sure

I met Grant

wrong dad,’ I

dad in a while too. Always regarded

words. There’s a flicker in his

past and the way he looked

worth it. Those years you shared

regret meeting her? Sharing life with

life with her?’

his adam’s apple bob as he swallowed and croaked out. “No. I

comes to your mother Meredith.’ He

deep within

go back I’d do it

again. ■

squeezed. I could hear

that you’re

a woman who he loves dearly. You’re trying to tear his family apart.

is a good idea?

eyes to me. “Don’t you see I’m trying to help him Meredith? Yes.

your mother and would choose her all over again, but the

unbearable. Love

angry now that he was trying to justify his

bit of

because of

in love with Grant, my father had

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

that I had

that it was his actions that drove me

his wife and then

understood his loneliness and how a

action

‘I’m sorry for leaving you the way I did. I’m sorry