Just One Kiss, Please Daddy

Chapter 17

Livia’s POV

Ford’s eyes are probing me. Never have I ever felt this bare, this vulnerable.

The truth that he wants from me hangs from my lips. How long have I wished for something like this to happen? For someone to just look me in the eye and ask for the truth with the full intent of believing me?

One word. One word is all it will take. I know that if I confirm just one day out of all the years of abuse, Ford will immediately take action.

And I let myself dream in that split-second.

Being taken away from here.

Being with him and Nadine.

But if that happens, no one will take care of my mother. No one will look out for her. She’ll be here all alone, taking all the abuse that’s supposed to be split between the two of us.

I wipe out all emotion from my face and keep smiling. “I told you, Ford. It’s all good. Tyler wasn’t in a good mood and it didn’t help that I was being a b***h. The whole thing with Nadine… is just a misunderstanding.”

“But that wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Nadine starts to say.

But I cut her off. “I’m sorry, Nadine. I didn’t get the chance to introduce you to my brother. We were fighting that day.”

Ford hasn’t said anything. I turn to him, wanting him to take my word for it.

But at the same time, a small part of me wants him to ignore everything I said and look deeper.

“Then why didn’t you go back to school?” Nadine presses. “You never do that. You’re always present. You love going to school so much that it’s freaky!”

I force a laugh. “I got sick.”

There. Plain and simple.

Silence lingers. Ford’s eyes don’t leave mine.

“I really am okay,” I say again. “I will… I will go back to school next week. No worries. I just need to rest.”

Nadine steps back. She looks at David, then at Tyler, who’s still standing in the kitchen, seemingly hiding behind the counter.

Only when she turns to Ford does he move.

He steps back. Enough to let me breathe, but not enough to stop my heart from twisting with longing.

“So it was an argument that got out of hand and then you got sick,” he repeats, his incredulity hiding under his calmness. “And you mean to say that neither of these people here had anything to do with it?”

“That’s right,” I confirm. “Nothing’s wrong. You will see me next week—”

“No,” he says simply.

My heart gets caught in my throat. I glance at David, and he looks gobsmacked. Then his face crumples with anger.

“What do you mean you don’t believe her?” he starts to demand.

Ford slowly turns to face him. “I didn’t say I don’t believe her. Unless you know a reason why I shouldn’t believe her.”

David is stunned.

Ford plows right through his bravado. “I only said no to her last statement, about seeing us next week. Because I would like to see her tomorrow. My daughter and I would take her out. We’re going to pick her up, and we’re going to have fun. Then, she will spend the night at our house.”

I don’t move. I don’t even dare breathe.

He just let loose something incredibly delicate here.

If David refuses to have Ford do all that, then it would basically confirm his suspicions.

But if David lets me go, he stands the chance of getting exposed.

David’s face goes blotchy purple again. His eyes flicker to me. I can see his throat bobbing up and down. It seems that he’s waiting for me to refuse—no, expecting me to refuse.

I’m not the one that Ford asked, though. So I will let him decide.

“Well?” Ford prompts. “What do you say to that? Surely your daughter is allowed to have some fun time with her best friend after being sick all week, right? It’s a good reward.”

When David keeps looking at me, Ford lets out a dry laugh.

“It’s up to you. Not to her.”

“Fine,” David finally mutters. “You can take her tomorrow. She can spend the night at your house.” He starts to smile, his eyes sparking with insanity. “I’m sure she will love that. She did hate being cooped up at home.”

“Perfect,” Ford says. “Then we will get her first thing tomorrow.”

I almost faint with relief.

Tomorrow, I will spend time with him and Nadine. I can escape my personal hell, even if it’s just one night.

It’s much more than what I can ask for.

“Alright.” David recovers some of his fake bravery. “Now is there anything else you need to say? Any accusation you want to throw?”

I can feel Ford glancing at me, but he says, “That would be all. Thank you for your cooperation.”

With that, Nadine rushes over and hugs me again. Ford comes next, standing in front of me. I wait for him to hug me. But he just reaches out and touches the side of my face briefly.

Only when I look up at him do I realize why.

He’s disappointed.

His eyes are downcast, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

Did he expect me to speak up? Does he wish that I told the truth instead?

As though to confirm that, he whispers, “Maybe tomorrow.”

My chest tightens. He takes Nadine’s hand and turns to leave. I take a step closer to him. Then another.

But the door closes and they’re gone.

Once the sound of their car retreats completely, David faces me.

He looks me up and down like he’s trying to find a spot he can put a bruise on without it being a red flag for tomorrow. But it seems that he can’t think of anything, because he doesn’t make a move.

Instead, he smiles at me and pats me on the head, touching the side of my face like Ford did.

“Don’t touch me,” I mumble.

David doesn’t listen.

He pulls my hair, bringing my ear close enough to his mouth so I can hear him loud and clear.

“Say one word to him, and your mother is dead. You hear me?”

My eyes go wide. “You would’t.”

“I wouldn’t.” David smirked. “But I know a lot of people who would. So don’t f*****g cross me.”