I filled a glass of water out of the fridge filter system and passed it to him. "I'm sorry that I'm staying in your house. But really it was your own fault for wanting to build those luxury apartments. Anyway, Bane and I will get out today, and it will be as though none of this happened."
With a heavy sigh, he drained the glass of water. "Where will you go?"
"Bane's been looking for an apartment to rent."
"And this was the kind of man you wanted to marry? Someone who lives in other people's houses when they're not around?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat. This was why I'd avoided my dad for two years. If there was something that could be disagreed upon, or assumed, he would find it.
"I could tell you everything, but it seems like you're being unreasonable again."
I turned and grabbed my car keys off the hook next to the fridge. "When you've calmed down, maybe I'll explain."
Heading to the door, I stopped when his quiet voice reached my ears. "Please don't go."
I paused, my hand reaching for the door.
"It's been so long."
I glanced back over my shoulder. The moisture in his eyes made me feel as though I might split in two.
Angry dad, I could handle. It was always easy to yell at someone who yelled at you. Sad and broken sounding dad? I didn't like that, because it tested my resolve and made me want to turn around and hug him and make it all better. Regardless of all the pain he'd caused me.
"Please, just tell me how you've been. How did you meet this man you're married to? I've missed you."
I nodded. Tossing my keys on the entry way stand, I headed to the living room and sat down, waiting for Dad to make his way to the recliner like I knew he would.
"I'm not married."
"But you just said—"
"There's been a little bit of confusion." I proceeded to tell him the whole story, not leaving a bit of it out. How I broke into the house and dragged Bane in. How Bane routinely insisted on making updates and keeping things running. How I told Bane I had permission from a friend to live here. How Bane had accidentally been elected HOA president. It was easier to talk to my dad than I imagined.
Two years of pent up anger and hurt feelings, and all I wanted to do was sit there and talk with him. I should want to hang on to that anger. I had the cold hard facts about the type of man my father was, but that still didn't stop the craving I had to be loved by him.
Dad nodded, "So, you've been living in those run-down apartments all this time."
"For a while, but not the whole time."
Dad ran a hand across his chin. "Why didn’t you come home?"
"You know why," I whispered.
He shook his head. "You’re as stubborn as me, but I really don’t know why."
"Riley. Why dad? Nate texted me and told me not everything was as it appeared. I would love for him to be right. I would love to know my dad didn’t stand by and do nothing while my best friend disappeared."
Dad sat silently while I erupted.
"I needed you!" I yelled. "She could be dead somewhere, and I needed my dad to take her disappearance seriously—to help me look for her! But you were so busy with your work that you couldn’t spare any time."
Twin tears rolled down my cheeks.
"I wanted to tell you." His voice cracked. "She made me promise."
I swallowed the lump in my throat and swiped angrily at the tears. "What are you talking about?"
Dad studied the back of his hands, doing his best to look nonchalant. He failed. The pinched skin on his forehead told a different story. "I talked to Riley before she left."
"What?" I scooted to the edge of my seat.
He pursed his lips, debating what to say next. "She made me promise to wait at least a few years before I told you the truth. She knew when you found out you’d begin looking for her."
"Stop being vague and tell me what you’re talking about!"
He cleared his throat. "I came to visit you at the dorm one day. I passed a man in the hall, coming from the direction of your room. I didn’t like him."
Dad had the same instant feeling about people that I did. He either liked them, or he didn’t. The instinct was always correct, too.
"When I got to your room, you hadn’t gotten back from your test yet, but Riley was there. It was her stepdad visiting. I don’t know all the details, but Riley wanted custody of her little sister. He gave her an ultimatum. I don't know all the details, but Riley told me the father was neglectful at best."
I sat in rapture. Why hadn’t he told me this before? When I’d been dying for any scrap of information of her disappearance?
"The man held a grudge. He didn’t like that Riley had made it to college and had prospects in front of her. Riley wanted to protect her sister. So she planned on disappearing with her. She'd already been working on getting custody of her, as you know. I think she's hiding her from the dad."
"But we could have helped her!" I cried.
Dad shook his head. "The courts won’t take away a child from her father. There was no physical abuse. A judge isn’t going to be quick to give custody to a twenty-two-year-old over a biological father."
Rubbing my hand against my throbbing chest, I asked, "Where did she go?"
"She wouldn’t tell me where they were going to live. Her stepfather is smart, according to Riley. I wanted to set up a bank account to help her. But she was afraid he'd be able to trace it. Apparently the jerk wanted to
