The One She Needed

Chapter 20

RAQUEL

Flashback

Staring at his eyes I'm reminded once again just how much of him is in me. Finding him on my doorstep shocked me. Though I should have seen it coming since I'd been avoiding him.

We were both staring at each other now, each soaking the other in. What made this worse was the fact Angie and Morgan both ditched me.

Those two left me.

Traitors.

Both walked off together as if less than 24 hours ago they weren't just about to kill each other.

I shifted uncomfortably as my dad kept glaring at me." Sooo...how's the mechanic shop been?" I chuckled nervously.

His face remained neutral as he narrowed his eyes before he responded," Out of all the things you could say, you choose that." He chuckled whilst shaking his head." You're truly your mother's daughter in more ways than you realise, little one."

"Don't bother comparing me to that vile woman." I spat crossing my arms over my chest.

"I knew you'd react like that. Truth be told ever since I can remember I could always predict your actions." He paused shifting forward as he sat across from me." Still as of late you've been off the grid and I can't seem to pin point whether it has to do with your fake marriage or the fact you happened to be associating with one of my mechanics."

My eyes widened as I returned my gaze to the table," What?" He laughed his boisterous laugh rumbling off the walls." It's a small world; I've always told you this. He has no idea that I know about you two and that secondly, I'm your dad. All this time I had been wondering how you and Alex got together. But that'll be a story we can engage in on another time."

My brain halted, piecing it all together of how my father had met him it seems before me. He continued on after sensing my inability to respond just yet.

"Whilst on my trip your mom had called me and somehow I was to blame for you frolicking around with a guy a decade younger. Lord knows I never got involved in your dating life. I still see you as my little girl and I nearly had a stroke on your prom night. I admit I may not be best suited to your love life but still..." he tilted his head to the side to study me as if he was trying to search the depths of my soul." I'm hurt you didn't come to me about this entire ordeal. Instead I had to hear it through the grapevine."

His voice had grown immensely softer, as he looked at me, the familiar build of tears overwhelming me once again. I had been avoiding him on purpose. It's wrong and I suddenly felt ashamed that I made my father feel that way.

"I'm guessing you must be disappointed in me. Not only have I been ignoring you but I got with someone whos..."

I stopped mid-way, memories flooding my system of my time with him. He may be deemed wrong for me still he felt so right for me.

I felt fingers under my chin and soon my father's face came into view. With his dark chocolate skin, strong jaw and over six feet stature he had a domineering aura about him, but I never once felt fear like others felt for him. His piercing brown eyes held mine.

"I can never be disappointed with you little one," he murmured grabbing my hand and squeezing it reassuringly," All my years of being your dad, I thought I made it clear to you that nothing like money should matter when it comes to the natural bond of love."

"Your divorce with mother proves me otherwise."

I shuddered the slow images of the past showcasing the late night fights shared between them.