His Daughter [Completed] Book 1/2

Chapter 2

[Dom]

She had the voice of an angel. Was it wrong that I couldn't wait to meet her? All these years hearing how beautiful she was I wanted to judge for myself. She had her own portfolio of successful investments having studied business at Cambridge. Old Cobalt was so proud of her the day she graduated. She was bright and beautiful he would say, a killer combination. But a combination not many young men could handle along with a multi-million pound fortune. Why he didn't encourage her to hang out with all the Trust Fund Brats in Chelsea I never knew.

It had meant the world to me when she said he had been fond of me. When Donavan had called me to break the news it had felt like a dagger to my chest. I owed everything to the old man and I felt lost without his advice and belief in me. I'd gotten so much shit from people when I'd started out at Cobalt Enterprises. No one thought I deserved to be there. They all had MBAs or degrees in this that and the other. I had just about finished school. But he believed in me and within a matter of years my whole life had been turned around and for the good. Ma and him had a good relationship too. He'd often pick me up in one of his vintage sports cars on a Saturday when Georgiana was away with friends and we'd head out of the city for the day only stopping to grab some lunch. He'd lived all over the world and seen and experienced so many things. I was a mess when I heard of his death, calling in sick I went on a bender of binge drinking and cards. It was as though the very pillars that had been propping me up had come crashing down. Could I continue to stay on the path he had introduced me to ? Could I do it without his firm words and hand pushing me to do my best?

Where should I take her? Somewhere quiet so we could talk but also somewhere not too formal so it didn't feel like a business meeting. I doubted she'd been to Luigi's it was a small quaint Italian restaurant in Covent Garden away from the tourist strip with a small courtyard out back, which in summer over spilled with roses. I hoped she would like it.

I called and made a reservation and then texted her the details.  Why did I feel nervous? Would she hate me? This street urchin nobody who now almost had his hands on her fathers business. She must hate me. I should prepare myself for that. I just wanted to meet her, the most precious thing to the most important man in my life. Perhaps I hoped I'd see something in her that reminded me of him. One last lunch with an old friend, one last time to tell someone how much he had meant to me.

I had been sitting in my apartment staring at my phone waiting for her to respond. I looked around to see what a dump the place was. I had cancelled the cleaning service this week so I could work from home and sleep off some of the alcohol induced nights I'd been having. I hadn't drunk like this since ... when the old man had found me. Great I was doing just a fine fucking job of messing my life up again. I hadn't touched a drop since last night and I didn't intend to for some time. I grabbed the rubbish bin and cleared the kitchen surfaces into it, bottles, takeaway boxes. I searched around under the sink for that lavender spray stuff Roksana my cleaner always used. The smell made my home feel like home and it some how relaxed me. I found it and a clean cloth and set about wiping down all the surfaces.
"I will not fucking lose grip of my life. I will not start making the wrong decisions again for myself. Get your shit together Karlsson!" My fists banging on the table.
I moved into the open plan lounge tidying the cushions which I had thrown on the floor after falling asleep on the sofa. More food packets and whiskey bottles pushed into the bin.

At the time it had seemed excessive to purchase a penthouse apartment in Kensington. But when I explained to my financial advisor Mr Welsh that I had all this money I didn't know what to do with, he suggested I start investing in real estate. He'd been recommended to me by the old man. He'd asked me one day why I was still renting a shitty little flat in a council estate in Kilburn and wearing the same suit for two years. I'd been proud of both, I'd come from nothing as a kid. To be able to live on my own and also pay Ma's rent had been a proud moment for me.
"That was fine for then kid, you're a successful man now. I think it's about time you bought your mother an apartment." And I did the next month. She cried and cried. Ma never expected anything from anyone. I think she'd given up on that idea after she finally left my father. It was a relief for us both to live in some kind of peace. But I couldn't really feel that still living in that crumbling shit hole we called home. So as soon as I could afford rent for us both I moved her. She was sad to leave her friends but the look in her eyes when I showed her the newly rented flat said it all. She lived there for a few years and made good friends. Working in a local seamstress factory. A year later I bought her a brand new apartment in Hampstead Village, it wasn't far from her old friends in Camden and Kilburn. I bought her an apartment in a new complex surrounded by greenery with balconies and a pool and salon. She thought she'd died and gone to heaven. She wouldn't stop kissing me, hugging me, telling me she loved me. Whatever her failings especially for staying with my father for so long, she was selfless. We had little but I felt loved. Which was more than what a lot of the kids in our estate had. But it was that day when I gave her the keys I could see a real change. She was free at last. Free from him and she had the security she had always needed to make her feel safe. I remembered her voicemail from yesterday, worried that she hadn't heard from me. I quickly grabbed my phone and sent her a text saying I'd call her tonight.
I crawled upstairs to my gym dumping my suit and tie on the ground. I needed to work off some of this energy and anger I felt growing in the pit of my stomach. Perhaps it was grief, I didn't know. Either way, I hoped I could clear my head for this meeting.
After an hour of pounding my body on the treadmill and weights, I jumped in the shower. The hot water felt good and I could feel the fog in my head lift. Surveying my walk-in wardrobe I opted for dark jeans, an open crisp white shirt, brown leather brogues, and a linen blazer. It was smarter than I would usually wear to Luigi's but I didn't want her to think I was a slob after all her father had done for me. I styled my hair, sprayed on some aftershave, and checked myself in the mirror. I looked a bit tired but the flush in my cheeks from the workout made me look better than I deserved. An Italian mother and Swedish father I had to admit I'd been blessed by both with my olive skin and naturally muscular physique. Unusual strength and height of six foot four with my bright light blue eyes which were just like his. I hated them I had always wished I had brown eyes like my mother. In fact, I was convinced that all the bad I had in me, and there was allot, was from him. And all the good from her. I just had to ensure the good always won.
I grabbed my phone and keys and took my private lift down to the building reception getting Jared the concierge to hail me a Black cab. He found one almost immediately. I handed him a tip and climbed into the cab telling the driver my destination. Turning over my phone in my hand I could see she had responded which made my heart quicken slightly.

Thank you Dom. I look forward to finally meeting you. Georgiana.

***********************************
Ah! Don't you just wanna meet Dom, sexy, strong and rough around the edges! Every girls dream right?!

Hope you are enjoying this so far?
Please vote and comment if you're enjoying it and want to see more chapters.

Thanks for your support. Xx