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

of that broken glass piercing through my heel one of those

rampage.

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

to help me.

day too.

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

that hurt that day, my heart

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

mother.

coldly, like we

I did what he asked and made

But of course, I met Grant

wrong dad,’

hadn’t called him dad in a while too.

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

and the way he looked

years you shared with mom, I was sure were

ever been. Do you regret meeting her?

life with her?’

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

your mother

deep within his

do it all over again.” He whispered.

again. ■

could hear the raw emotions playing

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

dearly.

good idea?

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

her all over again, but the

Love is

angry now that he was trying to justify his

beautiful. Every bit of

Stop hurting Aiden because of what I

Grant, my father had tried

But Grant and I

thinks that I had

But he didn’t realize that it was his actions that drove

his wife and then he lost his

loneliness and how a dead mind and heart

any action they take, is really

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