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

feeling of that broken glass piercing through my heel one of those

rampage.

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

maid to help me. He

day too.

me stay up alone in my room, crying my eyes out. My

thing that hurt that day, my

came to terms with the fact that I lost my father the same day

mother.

we regarded each other coldly, like we were not father and daughter

what he asked and made sure to

of course, I met Grant

wrong dad,’

I hadn’t called him dad in a while too. Always regarded

He looks surprised when he heard my words. There’s a flicker

me of the past and the way

years you shared with mom, I

Do you regret meeting

life with her?’

apple bob as he swallowed and croaked out. “No.

mother Meredith.’ He

pain deep within

to go back I’d do it all over again.” He whispered. “I’d

again. ■

squeezed. I could hear the raw emotions playing in his

that you’re trying to hurt her grandson

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

this is a good idea? Why do you want to

see I’m

mother and would choose her all over again, but the

unbearable. Love

let go of his hand, growing angry now that he was trying to

thinking. “Love is beautiful. Every bit of it is beautiful. Every single emotion

hurting Aiden because of

father had tried his best to change

the Muralo’s. But Grant and I run

thinks that I

didn’t realize that it was his actions that drove me to

and then he

I understood his loneliness and how a dead mind and heart

someone insane to think any action they

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