Why would Todd mention that?
“I don’t need to see her swanning around as if she’s the queen of the world, when in fact she’s nothing.”
Ten years of hearing those words should have numbed her to the impact. Would it ever happen?
“If you think she’s nothing, then you’re a fool.”
The quiet certainty in Todd’s voice warmed Sia’s heart like nothing else ever had.
Sienna stood and reached over to touch her father’s arm. “Let’s go home, Dad,” she said.
Frank reacted violently. He swung his arm up to release her and his hand hit Sienna under the chin. She fell back into her chair, grabbing her face and stared up at her father.
Frank had never hit her before. Or Brock, or Ebonny.
Only Sia.
If he knew what he’d done, he didn’t care. Instead, he thrust his finger at Todd. “You think you’re so fucking good, being a Lansing. Well, your father was a loser and so are you.” Then the finger stabbed at Sia’s forehead.
“Nothing. You think you’re so great, but you’re nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.” Then he stumbled out of the pub.
Sia got up and rushed around to her sister. She pulled Sienna’s hands away and looked at her reddening chin.
“No cut,” she said softly. “Gonna be sore, but you’ll be fine. Charles, can you get me some ice?”
“He hit me,” Sienna whispered. “He’s never hit me.”
“I know, sweetie.” Sia kissed her forehead. “Consider it a lesson learned — you can’t get near him when he’s like that.”
“Sometimes, I thought that you deserved being hit.” Sienna’s voice was low and hoarse with shock and pain. “That was why he only hit you. I’m sorry I ever thought that.”
Charles returned with the ice and Sia pressed it against Sienna’s chin. “That will help with the swelling,” she said softly. “Let’s get you home and you can have some ibuprofen.”
“You’re not going home,” Mary said. “The two of you will sleep at our place tonight, so Frank can’t come find you.”
Sia looked over her shoulder to tell Mary it would be fine, but noted Charles and Todd whispering furiously. Sia made Sienna hold the ice to her chin, then went over to the two men. She was pretty sure she knew what they were talking about.
“No.”
They frowned at her. “No what?” Todd said.
“No, you won’t go after my father. He’s drunk and upset. He’ll sleep it off and be fine in the morning.”
“Sia, I’ve dealt with my fair share of drunks over the years, and you can’t let this continue. If he —”
“He’s upset,” Sia said. “Once he deals with what’s upset him, he’ll be fine.”
Todd frowned. “Will he?”
“Of course. You are, aren’t you?”
He blinked and his face softened. “Starting to.”
“And Dad will be too.”
Todd looked at Charles, nodded and the other man went over to check on Sienna. Then Todd leant closer.
Sia was torn between being glad he had and wishing he hadn’t. Boy he smelt good — masculine and strong.
“Your safety is important.”
“My family is more important.”
“Is your father really part of your family?”
“Of course. You haven’t seen him with the children. He loves them, and they adore him. Poor Sienna’s had a bad night, but there’s still a part of her that loves her father to distraction and I want that to continue. Children deserve to be able to love their parents, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do.” His lips twisted in a slight smile. “Everything you do is about caring for the children, isn’t it?”
“I want them to have the best life possible.”
“And who cares for you?”
The gentle question shook her and she wasn’t sure how to respond.
The door to the pub flung open, hitting the wall with a crack that drew the attention of everyone present.
A man stood in the doorway. “Come, quick. The town hall’s on fire.”
Then he looked at Sia. “It’s your dad.”
Sia ran. Out the door and down the middle of main street not caring if
“I don’t need to see her swanning around as if she’s the queen of the world, when in fact she’s nothing.”
Ten years of hearing those words should have numbed her to the impact. Would it ever happen?
“If you think she’s nothing, then you’re a fool.”
The quiet certainty in Todd’s voice warmed Sia’s heart like nothing else ever had.
Sienna stood and reached over to touch her father’s arm. “Let’s go home, Dad,” she said.
Frank reacted violently. He swung his arm up to release her and his hand hit Sienna under the chin. She fell back into her chair, grabbing her face and stared up at her father.
Frank had never hit her before. Or Brock, or Ebonny.
Only Sia.
If he knew what he’d done, he didn’t care. Instead, he thrust his finger at Todd. “You think you’re so fucking good, being a Lansing. Well, your father was a loser and so are you.” Then the finger stabbed at Sia’s forehead.
“Nothing. You think you’re so great, but you’re nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.” Then he stumbled out of the pub.
Sia got up and rushed around to her sister. She pulled Sienna’s hands away and looked at her reddening chin.
“No cut,” she said softly. “Gonna be sore, but you’ll be fine. Charles, can you get me some ice?”
“He hit me,” Sienna whispered. “He’s never hit me.”
“I know, sweetie.” Sia kissed her forehead. “Consider it a lesson learned — you can’t get near him when he’s like that.”
“Sometimes, I thought that you deserved being hit.” Sienna’s voice was low and hoarse with shock and pain. “That was why he only hit you. I’m sorry I ever thought that.”
Charles returned with the ice and Sia pressed it against Sienna’s chin. “That will help with the swelling,” she said softly. “Let’s get you home and you can have some ibuprofen.”
“You’re not going home,” Mary said. “The two of you will sleep at our place tonight, so Frank can’t come find you.”
Sia looked over her shoulder to tell Mary it would be fine, but noted Charles and Todd whispering furiously. Sia made Sienna hold the ice to her chin, then went over to the two men. She was pretty sure she knew what they were talking about.
“No.”
They frowned at her. “No what?” Todd said.
“No, you won’t go after my father. He’s drunk and upset. He’ll sleep it off and be fine in the morning.”
“Sia, I’ve dealt with my fair share of drunks over the years, and you can’t let this continue. If he —”
“He’s upset,” Sia said. “Once he deals with what’s upset him, he’ll be fine.”
Todd frowned. “Will he?”
“Of course. You are, aren’t you?”
He blinked and his face softened. “Starting to.”
“And Dad will be too.”
Todd looked at Charles, nodded and the other man went over to check on Sienna. Then Todd leant closer.
Sia was torn between being glad he had and wishing he hadn’t. Boy he smelt good — masculine and strong.
“Your safety is important.”
“My family is more important.”
“Is your father really part of your family?”
“Of course. You haven’t seen him with the children. He loves them, and they adore him. Poor Sienna’s had a bad night, but there’s still a part of her that loves her father to distraction and I want that to continue. Children deserve to be able to love their parents, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I do.” His lips twisted in a slight smile. “Everything you do is about caring for the children, isn’t it?”
“I want them to have the best life possible.”
“And who cares for you?”
The gentle question shook her and she wasn’t sure how to respond.
The door to the pub flung open, hitting the wall with a crack that drew the attention of everyone present.
A man stood in the doorway. “Come, quick. The town hall’s on fire.”
Then he looked at Sia. “It’s your dad.”
Sia ran. Out the door and down the middle of main street not caring if
Similar Books
