My body stiffened the moment I stepped into the office, away from the club section. Sitting by the large mahogany desk was—Joseph Blackwell. My breath caught. I had dreamed of this moment for so long, but nothing could have prepared me for it.
He looked older—his hair streaked with gray, his proud posture now slightly hunched. But his eyes, the silver-blue ones I’d inherited, stopped me cold. Fury, pain, and impatience swirled in them, hitting me like a punch. His gaze locked onto mine, and for a split second, I saw his vulnerability.
“Dad?” My voice came out more accusatory than I intended.
“Allison,” he said, his voice thick with emotion as he rose from the chair.
Words caught in my throat, choking me. This man, the father I'd once adored, had sold me off like I was nothing. Betraye
