The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress
[Book 2] Chapter 107

lan POV

"Oof" I fell against Dawn, causing her to stagger slightly before she quickly righted herself and let me slip down onto the sofa. "Sorry," I muttered sheepishly.

"You're trying to do too much lan. Stop trying to stand up on your own. What if you had hit your head or something?" she chided, hands on her hips and giving me a feigned look of outrage.

I grimaced "I just wanted to see if I could do it."

She breathed and exhaled. "I understand your desire to move, but please, don't hinder your progress by trying to do too much at once" she pleaded "I don't want you to hurt yourself.".

I nodded and she sat next to me, touching my knee. I could now feel sensations on my legs, where I could feel nothing before. I felt the warmth of her hand and the softness of her skin touching me, even through the fabric.

"Oh, Dawnie" came a sing-song voice that made my lower lip twitch in amusement while Dawn looked up towards the heavens, no doubt praying for sanity or for her patience to continue.

It was her mother, coming up to the flat, looking chipper in a pair of jeans and shirt, barefoot and relaxed. She had settled into the main house in a way that not even I could have hoped for, although I suspected that my father might have a lot to do with that fact. "Mother," said Dawn, even as Faith came running up to hug her, letting go of Carina's hand and nestling it against Dawn's chest "How has it gone?" she asked narrowing her eyes at her mother and eyeing her suspiciously.

"I'm all settled in," Carina said shrugging nonchalantly "The men did most of the work. Barely had to lift a finger. Mind you, those bodyguards are strong" she murmured, while Dawn looked on the verge of laughter "Faith helped me delegate." Faith nodded seriously while I chuckled feeling pity for the bodyguards forced to help move Carina into her new room. "lan" Carina said, hugging me, before joining us, crossing her legs casually on the couch "Nice to see you again. That ring you got Faith is just darling" she cooed. I smiled, even as Faith rushed over to hug me, the little ring shining on her finger. She hadn't taken it off since Dawn and I had given it to her. She refused to. Faith would now be sleeping in the flat with us, in the spare room and she was excited about it. I had every intention of changing the furniture to princess ones and painting it pink but wanted Faith to choose what she wanted. She was excited by the prospect of it.

"I love it" Faith chirped, looking at her finger with satisfaction.

"You haven't been getting in the way have you Faith?" Dawn asked nervously.

"Of course not," My father said from the doorway, smiling as he stepped inside.

He gave Dawn a warm hug and Faith one too, before sitting and looking at Carina who gave him a warm smile. I shot Dawn a meaningful glance. Carina and my father were becoming close, as was evident by the casual way she leaned against him and put her hand on his thigh. They looked like a couple, but I wisely chose not to comment on it.

"So what's the plan?" Father asked, glancing around "What's the deal with dinner? I was thinking we could have some sort of barbeque. Knox and Lorelai are back from the hospital. We could have it in the backyard" he suggested smoothly "Like a big family."

He sounded eager. My father was fond of barbeques. Even as a wealthy man, he claimed nothing beat the good old grill and steak. Even if we used a cook to do it. It had been awhile since we had done something so normal, I thought with surprise, feeling excited by the idea of it.

"That sounds fun," Faith said, clapping her hands before anybody could say anything.

I chuckled "I think Faith just agreed for all of us," I said, glancing at Dawn who was smiling.

God, she was beautiful. Like a ray of sunshine. Her daughter was the same. They made every day seem so much brighter with their joyfulness. "I think that's a great idea" Carina agreed as well, nodding her hand and subtly moving her hand up and down my father's thigh while we pretended not to see "It's nice out today and the weather is particularly fine."

"Will there be kids?" Faith asked enthusiastically.

Oh oh. I saw Dawn give Faith a pitying look "I'm sorry honey but there'll be Lorelai's newborn and Flair's baby boy but I think that might be it."

Faith sighed "That's okay. I can still play with them" but her voice was sad.

"Come on little one," my father said, "you can help with Patches. He needs a bath," he said as Faith lit back up "You can help with that and then take him outside for a run."

He was great at distracting Faith when she was sad, but my father had never been good at watching children cry or become upset in his presence.

"What about Midnight?" Faith asked coyly "Does he need a bath too?"

My father wrinkled his nose "That ferret could damn well use one" he agreed with a chuckle while the rest of us laughed "But I'm not about to tussle with him and lose. We'll leave that little miscreant to Knox" he said while Faith giggled and stared adoringly up at him "which reminds me, I'll have to get Knox to keep an eye out. He stole some of my cufflinks the other day and I haven't been able to replace them" he frowned "I checked all the usual spots as well. I guess he found some better ones" he muttered, getting up and taking Faith's hand, Carina standing up hastily to join them "We'll see you in a little while" he added.

I waved. Faith giggled and began to skip ahead, no doubt eager to go see Patches. Dawn smiled. "Your father is really good with her" she commented dryly.

"He's always adored children," I told her honestly "It's what makes him a good father and a grandfather. He'll treat Dawn as if she's his granddaughter regardless of blood."

I chose not to tell her that there was a different side to father, a violent one when it came to somebody harming his family. She would replace that out if somebody tried to harm a hair on Faith's head or ours.

"I know," she said putting her head on my shoulder and trailing a finger down my chest "and I appreciate that so much. She's not had many male figures in her life until now."

"She's adorable," I said trying not to wince "I can't see why her father wouldn't want to be part of her life."

She sighs "It's complicated. Dexter is just, well Dexter. He's always just been a little irresponsible but then there was the drugs and then the lying and then losing contact with him. It's bad but honestly, Faith is better off without him, than having him come and go all the time."

She sighed and snuggled against me. "I'm still thankful to him though, because otherwise, I wouldn't have Faith."

"Exactly, something good came out of it. Faith is incredible and a credit to you" I told her.

The sound of her phone ringing came out of nowhere. Dawn frowned. "I wonder who is trying to contact me? I mean, Mother is already here and I told the agency that I was no longer working right now" she said, mulling it over as she began to disengage from me, "I don't have anybody else that would need to get through to me, unless maybe it's Flair?" she asked.

I had a strong suspicion that it wasn't my sister though. There was no reason for Flair to logically be calling my fiancee unless there was something she was trying to organize without my knowledge. Dawn was about to get up when the phone stopped mid-ring. She sighed.

"Well it can't be that important if they stopped ringing" I began as she began to straighten back up.

"I'll just check and see if they left a message" she insisted "in case it's important."

She glanced around for her handbag. Dawn had a penchant for putting it down wherever an available surface was and then having to search for it later. I pointed wordlessly at the kitchen counter and she smiled sheepishly at me before heading over to it and beginning to rifle through what felt like a never-ending bag of items. How did she fit that much stuff in it? It was something all women seemed able to do I marveled, watching her.

She fished her cell phone out, looking triumphant. I heard the sound of a ding, indicating that there had been a voicemail left. She came back over, sitting cross-legged on the couch, and clicked on the missed phone. There was a missed number but no saved contact. She frowned. "I don't recognize the number," she said disappointed "It's probably a scam phone call or something."

"They left a voicemail" My tone was mild as I pointed it out "You could check that. Maybe somebody got a new phone number?" I suggested nonchlantly.

"Yeah maybe" she muttered doubtfully.

She began to dial her voicemail, putting it on speaker with a nonchalant shrug.

"You have one new voicemail, press 3 to hear it."

She rolled her eyes and pressed the number 3. We waited for a slow pause.

“Dawn it's me, Dexter. I had to get a new phone because.,..,.well, it's a long story. Anyway, I'm back in town and I want to come see you and Faith. I know it's been a while but she's my kid too and I have a right to see her. I swung by your place but you weren't there and your mother wasn't home either" his voice drops "Call me back so I can arrange visitation. You have no right to refuse me. I'm clean now and have been for over three months. I want to see my baby girl"

Silence. For a moment we say nothing. Dawn stares down at the phone, her hand trembling. I quietly reached over and hit the end call button. She blinks, looking shell-shocked. Out of everything that could have happened, this was the least we could have expected. I struggle to replace the right words to say, her lips parting as she glances at me.

"Ian, I swear I didn't know he would come back" she began, before she burst into tears, opening the floodgates as I reached over to embrace her, my shirt getting soaking wet "What are we going to do? What am I going to do? I thought he was staying away for good this time" she wept, and for the first time in a long time, I had no answers. Not right then. I was just as much at a loss as she was.

But there was one thing I knew, if Dexter wanted to see Dawn and Faith, he was going to have to see them here. I wasn't about to let either of these girls out of my sights and I couldn't help but begin to wonder what had brought him out of the woodwork now, of all times.