Unexpected Eva (Triple Trouble #3)(103)

I keep defending myself. “You’re not listening to me, Charlie. I am not the man Tabitha has told you I am. Listen to me. Not her.”

“She’s too young for you. It’s wrong. She’s my baby girl. My Eva.”

“You are ten years older than your wife. Is that wrong too? You’re a hypocrite,” I spit back.

“That’s different. Let me go.” He looks left and right at Hunter and Fraser. “I won’t touch him again.”

“There is no difference. But I don’t think our age difference has anything to do with it. I know you. You're a proud man, a man of honor. But you’re too proud to back down now. Because you stupidly believe the lies you’ve been told. I am truly sorry we didn’t tell you sooner. I’m sorry for hiding our relationship from you. But I am not a cheat. Or a liar or a skirt-chaser or a playboy or Christ knows what else Tabitha said about me. I am dedicated to your daughter. I’m a good man.”

Charlie shrugs his dinner jacket back in place on his shoulders. “You betrayed me!”

He makes a run for me. Eva screams and I hear Edith shouting for him to stop.

Pushing me to the ground, I land with a thump. He jumps on top of my chest, crushing my ribs. He swipes his fists left and right. I try to protect myself with my forearms, but then I give in and let him take whatever hate he has for me out on my face.

“I’m not fighting you, Charlie,” I say through his punches.

Charlie is pulled off me.

Eva is by my side in an instant.

“What have you done?” she sobs.

I reach up and cup her face, unintentionally painting her cheek with my blood.

“I’m sorry, Sunshine. We should have told him earlier.”

Eva’s face turns dark. She swivels around on her feet.

“Look at what you did, Dad. Look at what you did to your friend.” She turns back to me. Dazed and confused, I try to sit up.

“Get away from him, Eva,” Charlie commands.

“No. I will not.”

“Yes, you will. You are not to speak to him ever again. Do you hear me?”

“What the hell are you saying, Charlie? You are making this worse,” Edith shrills.

Eva continues to look into my eyes. Charlie and I love Eva equally, and there can only be one winner from this. I know it won’t be me.

It never crossed my mind Charlie would fight me the way he has this evening. I don’t stand a chance.

“I will do no such thing.” She’s adamant.

“Fine. I am cutting you off. Don’t ever speak to me again, Eva,” he says flippantly. He’s not thinking straight.

Her sisters and mother gasp in horror. I look over and Edith’s jaw is grinding together. “Charlie, you take that back right now!”

Eva whips around. “What?”

“You’re an embarrassment to me. You have brought deep shame on this family in front of the whole town this evening. I’m blaming him, though, not you. He’s brainwashed you. Seduced you with his flashy cars and money.”

Eva stands to her full height. “You are the one that is embarrassing yourself. Knox is right. This isn’t about the age difference between us. It’s because of the lies Tabitha fed you and how she humiliated you, us, exposed our secret. Because you didn’t know. It bruised your ego. I know you’re upset because we kept us a secret from you. I know we lied to you, but we had our reasons.” Her voice turns soft. “As a family, we have had so much going on, what with Eden and Hunter, then the babies, and then Ella and Fraser, with the media and Fraser’s contract scandal, then the wedding, and then Christmas. I was giving you time to recover from all the drama. I knew the relationship between us was always going to be a shock, not to this extent, but I waited to give you breathing space. We were thinking about you.

“Knox has been busy with the ball, which has been completely ruined by Tabitha. She's a spoiled girl who enjoys getting her own way. She did this tonight. To get back at Knox. She succeeded.” Eva presses a hand to her chest. “We planned to tell you on Monday. Knox and me together. We were waiting. We were being considerate. You can’t even admit you are wrong about Knox. You stubborn old fool. You can’t even apologize for believing Tabitha’s shameful lies. He’s your friend, Dad. Deep down you know the truth.” She bows her head.

“He’s no friend of mine,” he sputters.

I try to stand up. Lincoln helps me. My vision is blurry and I can barely see out of one eye. My skull feels like it's been rattled about in a blender.

“Are you saying that if I don’t break up with Knox, then you won’t speak to me anymore? You don’t want to see my boys? I can’t be part of this family?” She begins to wilt. I’ve witnessed this before. Ewan made her feel the same way.

And I don’t fucking like it.

“That will never happen, Eva.” Edith steps forward.

“That’s exactly what I am saying. You girls can rip up that dance retreat contract, too. You are not fulfilling that contract. He’ll be after you two next.” He looks at Ella and Eden, who look lost and don’t have a clue what to do or say.

“Charlie, that is enough now. You are walking on dangerous ground.” Hunter’s voice is low and steady.

“Hunter, you can’t possibly think this is okay. He’s fourteen years older than her. He’s warped her mind. Surely you are all as shocked about this as I am?” He looks at everyone. Then it dawns on him.