Page 32 of London Has Fallen
“He is right to worry,” Grandpa says as he places a hand atop my shoulder. He always has this effect on me where a simple touch or a look calms me which is why I find myself softening. “What you face is something we have no idea about. I have no information about the trials, nor does your father.”
I smirk at my grandfather. “You both don’t, but I do, Grandpa.” They both exchange a look before turning back to me.
“How?” Dad asks.
I pin him with a disapproving look. “Mom would be so ashamed of you right now.” Grandpa snickers while my dad tries to mask his annoyance but fails when his face turns red.
“Don’t be a dick, tell me how you know,” he snaps.
“I made a deal with the headmaster. I stitched him up and he told me about the trials.” Both of them frown and share another look.
“What do you mean stitched him up, sweetheart?” Dad snorts at my pet name from Grandpa. He says Grandpa is going senile and that’s the only reason he thinks I’m sweet.
“He came back here, cut up and beaten. I helped him so he helped me, end of story,” I answer.
“Bullshit, since when do you ever let someone walk away without a broken nose or split lip for speaking to you the way he did today?” Of course Dad had to pick up on that, didn’t he!
“I’m trying to establish an alliance here and the only way to do that is through them. If I have to bite my tongue to do it and keep my hands to myself, so be it.” I can tell Dad isn’t buying the bullshit I’m selling, but I’ll never admit to the fact that I’ve slept with the enemy, he would kill Artemis and start a fucking war. Then he would kill me, only to bring me back to life to clean up the fucking mess!
“You can try and spin this story any way you want but I know you’re lying.” I keep my expression neutral and try to look bored with this line of questioning from my dad. “What the fuck does he have over you?”
“Nothing!” I shout, getting fucking pissed off that he isn’t letting this go.
“Fine, if you won’t tell me I will find someone who will.” I snort.
“Good luck with that one, old man.” His eyes spark with outrage at my nickname for him but he says nothing as Grandpa shakes with silent laughter.
“Oh, sweet girl, you are the best karma I could have ever wished for. That ungrateful fuck has met his match in you and I am so grateful for that.” I shoot Grandpa a wink before wrapping my arms around him. He rests his head atop my own and sighs before saying low enough for only me to hear. “That boy never took his eyes off you, there is something happening and it is more than what you are saying.” I remain still and fight to not tense, if I do he will know I’m screwing the headmaster. Grandpa releases me and places a kiss to the top of my head before getting in the car, leaving me and my dad alone. The tension between us is strong, he knows I’m hiding shit and it pisses him off when I leave him in the dark, but this is something I can’t confide in my dad about.
“You know I will figure out what you are hiding.” It’s not a statement, just a fact.
“Dad, I’m eighteen–”
He scoffs, cutting me off. “I said the same thing to my own father. Want to know something I have never told another living soul, not even Chaos or Sin?” My eyes widen and I lean in closer.
“Yes!” The excitement in my tone is clear.
He flicks his gaze back to the car where Grandpa sits for a second before turning back to me. “I thought I never needed my father, I had something to prove and wanted to show the world that I could outdo Bishop Murdoch.” He smiles sadly and shakes his head. “London, I was wrong.” My brows leap to my hairline, hearing him admit he is wrong is as rare as a solar eclipse. “I didn’t need to outdo my dad. I didn’t need to prove anything to him or anyone else because he always knew I was good enough. I just had to believe that myself.”
“What are you trying to say?” I ask hesitantly. He places both his hands atop my shoulders and bends until we are eye level.
“You never have to worry about proving yourself. I know you are good enough and can lead our family but you just need to learn to think like a leader and not a soldier.” He snorts as if I’m missing a private joke or something, but I don’t call him on it. “If this fucker tries anything and I mean anything, you take Artemis Argyros down and I swear on my love for your mother the entirety of the Memento Mori and the Murdoch Mafia will stand behind you.”
“Dad–”
“You are our queen, our future and I will never let anyone hurt my only child. Make no mistake, London, I know people question you because of your blood but hear me now. I knew I had a lot of catching up to do when your mother brought you home. You don’t have my eyes or smile.” An ache begins to form in my chest as he brings my greatest insecurity to life. “But what you do have, is my heart.” I feel my bottom lip tremble slightly and I bite down to keep from showing any emotion. “I love Erika more than anything in this fucking world, but I love you more. You are mine.”
I bury my face in his chest and lock my arms around him, he holds me close and places a kiss to the top of my head. “I love you, Dad,” I mumble.
“I love you more. No DNA test will ever tell me you aren’t mine, never doubt my love for you, London, because I would give everything I worked my entire life for up for you in the blink of an eye. Fuck Costa, I will be with you through these trials, let me help you.”
I pull back and stare into his eyes, the plea I see in the depths of his gaze steals my breath. He’s letting me see everything he is feeling and that is something he has never done before.
“Okay.” He beams down at me but this whole emotional shit is fucking with me so I have to bring us back to normal ground. “So I shouldn’t sleep with him to get what I want?” He leaps back as if I burned him and scowls down at me.
“Why do you have to ruin every fucking good moment?” Laughter bursts out of me. “Touch the cunt and see what I do to him,” he snaps.
“But, he could become addicted if you get my drift.”