She reached out, hoping she didn’t touch any wires or anything that were connected to him. “Dad, you need to stop.”
“What I need to do is protect you.”
“I don’t need protecting.” She held onto his hands tightly, not wanting to let him go. “Diego’s not going to hurt me.”
Her father grabbed her wrists. “This? This is the kind of not hurt you’re talking about?”
“They’re bruised?”
“Yes, Belle. It looks like you were chained up like some kind of animal.”
“I was.” She winced. “This had nothing to do with Diego though. I promise you.”
“You promise me that Diego had nothing to do with chaining my daughter up?”
“No, he didn’t.” This wasn’t going to sound any better. “His dad did.”
“What?”
“Look, long story short. Diego was helping you and he gave me to his father to take care of. Because I’m blind, he chained me up in a bedroom with only one bed. It was fine. The cuffs weren’t, but when Diego got home, he was able to help me.”
“Are you even listening to yourself? You’re justifying his actions.”
“No, I’m justifying his father’s, but I don’t want to run away, Dad. Where would we go?”
“Back home.”
“You think Diego wouldn’t find us at home?”
“I can have protection in place. I can keep you safe.”
“I’m not in any danger with him. Diego loves me, Dad.” She placed her hands on her stomach. “I may also be carrying his child. I don’t want to run from this or away from him. I want to see this head-on. I love him.”
“No.”
“Yes. Dad, please, don’t do this because if you make a scene or you cause trouble, I can’t stop what will happen. You know who he is. You know what he’s capable of. What his family are capable of. I don’t want anything to happen to you, but I love him. I love him so much, and he doesn’t care about this.” She pointed at her face. “He loves me, and I wish you could feel it. When I’m with him, the way he is with me, it’s magical.”
“I see the way he looks at you, Belle. I know Diego loves you.”
“He does, and I love him so much.”
“You’re willing to be the other woman? A mistress?”
“I’m not going to be the other woman, Dad. He’s going to figure this out. I just need you to be my dad and to love me and to tell me everything is going to be okay.”
She waited, listening for any change in her father.
“I love you, honey. I love you so much, and everything is going to be okay. I won’t let him hurt you, and I’ll be here if he ever lets you down.”
She smiled. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
“It wasn’t.”
The door opened once again.
“I don’t want to ruin this moment, but I’ve got to take her back home,” Diego said.
Her father sighed. “You could leave her here with me.”
“Not going to happen. I don’t know how safe this hospital is, but I will put extra men on your door.”
“Shouldn’t he come back with me?” Belle asked.
“When he’s better. They’re still monitoring him. Besides, I bet he’d kill my dad if given the chance,” Diego said.
“Damn straight. He and I have an issue to deal with.”
“Dad?”
“No man puts my girl in cuffs. You know that.”
She laughed. “I better go.”
Her father held her close. His arms went around her, and she closed her eyes, feeling safe. “Everything is going to be okay, Belle. I know it is.”
“I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
Diego took her hand and led her out of the hospital room. By the time they got back in the car, her stomach was growling.
“I’ll take you for breakfast, and then I’m taking you back home.”
“What’s the rush?”
“I’ve got a hunch to work through, and I think it’ll pay off.”
“A hunch?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
They went to Mary’s for breakfast, and Belle ordered as much fat and carbohydrates as she could think of, without caring what Diego thought of her. He ordered exactly the same.
“Thank you for taking me to see my dad,” she said, sipping at the coffee Mary had brought her. Mary always gave her coffee in a takeaway mug, and placed her fingers on the top where she was to put her lips. It was the odd kindness of others that always gave Belle hope.
“I wanted to take you the first time you asked, but there are rules in place for all of us.”
“I get it. I do. It’s just, I don’t like them.”
He laughed. “No one likes rules.”
“I do, most of the time. They’re always there for a reason. You know, having fire exits in buildings, fixing broken pavement. I’ve tripped over a couple of those. Never falling in love with a mafia man.”
“I’m going to touch your hand.”
She didn’t flinch when he did.
“Falling in love with a mafia man? Let me guess, this guy is sexy as hell.”