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I decided to let that go without responding, knowing there was a chance that no matter what my answer was, he wouldn't be happy with it. Rich released my shoulders and stood off to one side, giving me a concerned look like he was trying to tell me he'd have my father removed if I wanted it. I gave him a small smile and patted his arm to return the reassuring gesture from a moment ago, and he fell in step behind me.

My father followed close behind as I led the way to the breakfast nook. We'd barely left the foyer when he spoke.

"Everything looks exactly the same, and yet it's not." He mumbled. "I haven't been here since… well, your mother."

My shoulders tensed at the pain in his voice, my steps faltering for just a second. Rich shot me a questioning glance.

"Princess?" His voice was soft but concerned, and I shook my head in response.

"I'm fine."

I didn't want to vocalize that the ache in my chest wasn't because my father sounded like he was in such pain. It was just the memory of her resurfacing in any way. I wished it was different, but the way he'd iced me out after her passing made it difficult to sympathize with his feelings after he'd left me to deal with mine alone.

I first saw Leighton setting the table when we stepped into the breakfast nook. The domesticity of his actions was strange, given his usual behavior. Instead of commenting on it, I turned toward the kitchen, intent on finding a cup of coffee before I dealt with whatever my father had to say.

"Looking a little tenderized this morning,ma petit." Leighton chuckled, abandoning his task in favor of bee-lining toward me.

He stopped close enough that my chest brushed his with every inhale, but his eyes were focused on something over my shoulder. Turning my head to follow his line of sight, I wasn't surprised to find him locked in some sort of staring competition with my father.

"I didn't realize Joey had it in him," Leighton murmured low enough that I wasn't sure he meant for me to hear as he lifted his hand to brush the bite mark just above the nape of my neck with his thumb.

"If you are quite done accosting my daughter." My father barked.

"Only if she's done being accosted." Leighton laughed as he winked at me.

"Figured you'd need this." Joey's voice drew the attention from Leighton's goading as he entered the room with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand.

I pushed Leighton lightly so that I could step around him and closed the distance between me and Joey, taking the cup from him.

"You're a lifesaver," I whispered, causing him to chuckle.

"These too," he said and held out a couple of ibuprofen for me. "For–"

"Thank you," I said quickly before there was something else for my father to bark about.

I tossed back the pills with a sip of coffee and watched my father move to the head of the table before glancing at each of the other men in disgust.

"Where's your leader?" He asked finally. "I was under the impression when the five of you barged into my office two months ago, demanding I allow you to prove his innocence, that his number one priority would be Victoria's safety."

"Dad–"

"No, Honeybee." My father leaned forward in his chair and motioned for me to sit beside him. "Someone destroyed everything you and your mother worked to build and, if what I've been told is true, left an apparent threat against you behind. If thesemenaren't ensuring your safety, then it's high time you come home."

"There are four of us here to protect her. She's not any less protected because the boss is tending to business this morning." Craig's voice came from the doorway as he entered the room with a plate of ricotta hotcakes that smelled heavenly.

Rich pulled out the chair at the foot of the table and motioned for me to sit. I slid into the seat easily, squaring my shoulders as the guys seemed to file into a semi-circle behindme. Craig placed the plate before me and stepped back to stand beside them. The butterflies in my chest were going insane.

My father's lips pinched together in distaste as he took in the men surrounding me before he turned his attention to me. His good eye softened in a way I hadn't seen since before my mother's death, and I could feel the ache in my chest building as it silently pled for my forgiveness.

"Honeybee," He started. "I know I've made an absolute mess of things, but you are the most important and precious thing in my life." His shoulders slumped as he collapsed inward on himself. I'd never seen my father look so small. "I know you're unhappy with the situation I've forced you into and maybe that's why you didn't call me when your office at the center was destroyed. I just… I don't know how to do this without her."

"Dad," I said softly.

"No," He interrupted, raising a hand to stop me. "I've been a shit father. I don't deserve your understanding. I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again, but I needed to come here and at least try to start making things right." He took a breath and straightened his posture. "There's a charity event for the Sacona Children's Hospital next week. That's part of why I wanted to know where their boss was. I've bought a table for you and your bodyguards so that you can attend and maybe you can start piecing your donor list for the center back together."

"I'm not really sure what to say, Dad. This is… It's very generous of you." I replied hesitantly.

"I understand if you would rather not accept the table." My father spoke. "I haven't had such a good track record lately, but I hope you will see this for what it is. An old man's attempt to make amends with his only daughter. Theo will be there as well, what with his niece on the board and all. If you don't want to go, I'm sure he'd be happy to gather some donor information for you. I just… I thought this was something you might want to doyourself, though. You were always like your mother in that way. Independent to a fault."