My Father's House

Chapter 52

Now that I was looking at him closely, I doubted he was homeless. His black coat was tailored, his leather shoes immaculate. I couldn't fathom who would know me in this part of the city, especially after ten years of absence.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

Looking to the far end of the bridge, I wondered how much of an advantage this delay would offer Higgins.

He stepped from the shadows, finally allowing me to see his chiseled features. The street lights reflected off a large, jagged scar that trailed down the right side of his face.

"What is that accent," he asked, "American?"

I gasped, "Gideon?" My lips parted in surprise. He nodded slowly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets as I'd seen Kael do countless times during awkward or uncomfortable situations. The recognition sent chills down my spine as I started to turn away. Now that I saw him, I didn't want to stay, couldn't bare the emotions I hadn't prepared for.

"Don't." His one word stopped my steps, even though I still couldn't look at him. Between meeting him and losing Kael, I was slipping into the despair that threatened to swallow me whole.

"Why?" The word came out in a choked sob, the full meaning to my question not lost on him. I stared down at the wood planks of the bridge. Drizzle formed small puddles in the knots of the wood.

I heard him shift in front of me, but he said nothing. I finally looked up, surprised to find him watching me, not bothering with a response to my question. No matter, I had found my courage, as well as the words I had waited so long to say to him.

"I asked you why."

I met his gaze and, hardening my own when his didn't flinch, released my stream of questions and accusations, "Why did you abandon me, leave me to be raised in a broken, loveless system? Why did you start writing me suddenly six months ago? Don't shake your head. This is all your doing. We both know it. You set a bounty on my head, Gideon! Why? Why do you hate me so much when I never even knew you?" I was shouting and, wiping roughly at my wet face, I backed away at the end of my speech.

I looked up at the dark, cloudy sky and laughed softly through my tears, the irony of his question registering. "You want to know why I have an American accent? My life now has no resemblance to where I came from. I've tried to erase any semblance of my horrid past."

His face was blank. Any other man would have had some emotion on his face, but not my father. His expression lacked any remorse or anger. The way his dark eyes watched me should have terrified me, but they didn't. He merely said, "And yet even now you live in the shadows of your past, unaware. I wanted you to be free of this, but I see now. You can't be."

I retorted, "Don't lie to me. I know you are responsible for what's happened here." My hand went unconsciously to the locket around my neck. His eyes followed my movements and then his gaze flew to mine. He must know the locket had been in Kael's possession after Kiley's death. I whispered, "Kael's dead because of you." I loathed to hear the words spoken aloud.

He no longer hid his expression. With a haggard look he backed away and shook his head. "It wasn't me, Caraleena," he said, "You have to believe me. It was Henry. Henry did this." He took a ragged breath, wiping moisture from his upper lip. Kael had underestimated the affection this man had for him, but it was too late now. "I have always protected you. Even Mr. Kinley's death wasn't the result of a random mugging." My eyes widened and he continued. "The whole time I've been watching out for you, although your wretched childhood couldn't be prevented. Even in recent years, Kael and I always had someone monitoring your every move, protecting you."