My Father's Best Friend

Chapter Three: He Is My Father's Best Friend

-Natalie Romano-

I arrived back home with a cab and noticed that my dad's car was already outside. Shit

He was back already, panic gripped me. I'm going to be in so much trouble. I paid the cab driver and staggered inside. I opened the front door and the living room lights were out

Oh, thank God, a small relief eased me. Maybe he must have been so tired that he went to his room to sleep immediately he arrived

I took off my heels and slowly tiptoed towards the stairs, so I could head to my bedroom

I stepped on the first stair when the living room lights came on

“Natalie Wayne Romano. So, you're sneaking out now?” I heard my dad's voice roar through the living room.

Oh f**k me. I was cooked

I slowly turned around to meet his furious gaze.

“Dad I-” I tried to come u with a lie but he interrupted me

“Natalie, Where the hell were you?” he snapped, rising from his seat. His face was red with anger, and I could see the muscles in his jaw clenching tightly.

My mind raced for an excuse, but I was too tipsy to think clearly. The room spun slightly as I tried to keep my balance, gripping the stair railing for support.

He noticed my unsteady stance and his eyes widened in disbelief.“You’re drunk?” His voice was laced with disappointment, cutting through me like a knife.

“My daughter sneaks out, goes God knows where, and comes home drunk?”

“I’m not drunk, Dad. I just—”

“Enough Natalie!” he roared, stepping closer. His eyes scanned my outfit while I dropped my head, looking at my feet. “Go to your room and when you're sober enough, pack your things. I'm sending you to California first thing in the morning”

He didn't even give me time to argue or process what I had just heard. He walked past me to his bedroom. I staggered to my bedroom and just fell into my bed

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I woke up the next morning with a severe hangover. My eyes were hurting from so much light coming into the room, my head hurt so bad and I was starving. I still remembered everything that happened last night, the stranger I kissed and almost had s*x with and my dad telling me he was sending me to California.

I picked up my phone and saw so many missed calls and text messages from Amelia. She was worried after I disappeared from the club last night, I replied and told her I was fine.

I headed downstairs and saw my dad in the kitchen making breakfast. He was probably still mad at me about last night but I'm sure he didn't mean it when he said I was going to California.

I took a seat in the dining room and he turned around. “Good morning Natty, how did you sleep?” He asked, giving me a warm smile.

It seemed like he was no longer mad at me. “Good morning dad” I replied

He walked into the dining room with two trays full of pancakes, eggs and bacon and set them on the table. One tray was for me while the other was for him.

“Eat up” he patted my head “And when you're done, take this it'll help with the headache I know you're having” he smiled and handed me a card of ibuprofen

He took his seat and started eating. I had f****d up last night and it was all because of Brian. I should have just listened to my dad and stayed away from boys

“Dad, about last night I'm really sorry” I started my apology but my dad cut me off

“It's okay, Natalie. I know sometimes I can be really overprotective but I can't help it. I need you to be safe because a lot of danger lurk outside” my dad reached for my hand

“But dad, I'm twenty. I can handle it” I argued

“I know you're twenty but what's out there is far bigger than your age. That's why I'm sending you to California where you can be free”

What?

“Dad, you're still sending me to California? I thought you just said it in the heat of the moment last night. Dad please don't send me away, I have friends here and I'll miss you” I pleaded

“Natty, believe me I don't want to send you away but I have to. I need you to be safe.” I could see tears clouding his eyes and then his voice dropped to a whisper. “I have rivals at work who would go to the extreme to take me out by hurting the ones close to me. Last night, I wasn't mad at you because you snuck out of the house without telling me. I was mad that you could have died if anyone of my rivals saw you unprotected. I made that mistake once with someone I loved and I won't take any chances with you”

I knew that my dad was a CEO of his jewelry company but what kind of rivals does he have that would want to kill me

“Can't you report them to the police?” I asked

“It's much more complicated than you think and some things are better left unsaid. Now eat up and go pack your things. My best friend is coming over to pick you to California. I've already arranged your college transfer documents, you'll be transferring from NYU to Stanford” my dad with finality

I finished my food and went to my room to start packing up. As I folded the last of my clothes into my suitcase, I heard a faint laughter coming from downstairs. There were two voices; my dad's voice and a voice I couldn't recognise

I grabbed my phone, dialing Amelia’s number. She picked up after two rings.

“Hey, girl, I’ve been trying to reach you all morning! What’s up?” she asked.

“Amelia, you won’t believe this, but my dad’s sending me to California.”

“Wait, what? Like, for a trip?”

“No,” I sighed, running my hand through my hair, “he’s transferring me to Stanford. I’m leaving today. I’ll be gone for who knows how long.”

There was silence on the other end, and I could imagine Amelia trying to process what I’d just said.“California? That’s insane. What happened?”

I filled her in quickly, recounting last night’s disaster, the stranger, and my dad’s freak-out. When I finished, Amelia was quiet again.“Nat, I’m coming over right now. You can’t leave without saying goodbye in person.”

“Please do. I’ll wait for you.”

We hung up and I dragged my luggage downstairs and then I heard a voice that was definitely not my dad's but it sounded familiar

I hurried my steps and as I reached the bottom step, my heart almost flew out of my chest when I saw the person my dad was talking to. It was the same stranger from last night, the one I kissed and grinded on. I almost had s*x with him if not for my dad's interruption.

What was he doing here? Did my dad find him or maybe he was my dad's spy

His eyes fell on me and I froze. I could tell he was shocked to see me but why could that be

“Natty, you're here” my dad turned around, facing the stairs completely oblivious to thr tension in the room “Meet my best friend, Jordan Parrish. He's the one taking you to California where you will stay with him. I know you'll be safe in his hands”

Bestfriend? The stranger from last night is my dad's bestfriend? How come I never knew of him till now?

Oh God.