Forbidden Temptation My Mafia Fiance's Alpha Father (Brooklyn and Aden) novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28
Brooklyn

“Kenwood,” the shifter says, not smiling. Aden accepts the hand, shaking it.

“So glad you could come, Remington,” is all Aden says, before resting his hands at his sides again. He’s clearly making space for Remington to take the lead.

But for such a powerful Alpha, Remington seems unsure of what exactly to do. He doesn’t make eye contact with me, merely nodding his head in my direction. “So. Is this her?”

Aden nods, putting a hand between my shoulder blades.

There. I can feel it. That connection, that power between us. Whereas until now I’ve found it unsettling, in this moment, it gives me strength.

Encouraged, I raise my chin and shift my shoulders back, willing my father to look at me. I am not here to be ignored. I am not a horse at auction. Though from the way he is behaving, I all but expect him to pull money out of his pocket and start examining my hooves.

“Remington,” Aden says, his voice strong and clear, “this is Brooklyn Knox. Your daughter.”

My biological father.

After all these years, here he is, standing right in front of me. And none of this is making any sense.

Not just because he is one of the most powerful Alphas in the underworld and beyond, but because he doesn’t seem in the least bit happy to see me.

Remington narrows his eyes at me before looking back at Aden. Every moment that he fails to address me directly, I lose more of my nerve. I stand awkwardly in front of him, and Hudson quietly takes my hand, giving it a squeeze of support.

“Is this for real, Kenwood?” Remington asks, a threat behind his glare.

Aden nods slowly. “We did a test. It’s a 99% genetic match for paternity. I can show you the paperwork upstairs, and you can have it verified by whoever you want. But, with that kind of proof…” He spread his hands out, hoping Remington takes him at his word. “Why would I lie about this?”

Remington nods and returns his gaze to me, staring for a moment. Then, he shocks me again by breathing out a huge breath of air and rubbing a hand down his face.

“Dammit, but you look like your mother,” he mutters.

My mouth falls open when I see the glimmer of tears in his eyes. My heart goes out to him then. He’s a solid rock of a man, but I can see that deep feelings run beneath.

“Where is she?” he demands.

Surprised at the question, I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind.

“She died,” I say, grimacing inwardly at my bluntness.

Remington’s face falls minutely. Surely, after all these years, he knew it would be unlikely that she would be alive, but still—he’s clearly bowled over by the news.

Remington works hard to arrange his face in the impassive mask he had when he entered the room, but I see the wolf flashing in his eyes, howling in pain. I bite my lip, knowing that the news has hurt him.