Page 59 of Protecting Addison
“Oh no. He isn’t going to hurt him, is he?” Ellory asked.
“No,” Addison said…but honestly? She wasn’t surewhatRicky was going to do.
* * *
MacGyver was pissed. Angrier than he could remember being in a very long time. HowdareVogel be so condescending to his own daughter. Constantly commenting on her height and weight. And when he’d found out she had Crohn’s, he’d been incredibly insensitive. If the man ever wanted to spend another second with his daughter, he needed an attitude adjustment.
Jogging to catch up to Addison’s ex, MacGyver called out, “Vogel,” as he approached from behind.
Turning, Brady seemed surprised to see MacGyver coming up on him fast. “What do you want?” he asked belligerently.
Yeah, this was the man MacGyver had sensed was under the fake interest he’d shown in Ellory.
“I want to know what your deal is,” MacGyver said. “Why you’re showing any interest in your daughter now when you haven’t cared for the last twelve years. Hell, you’ve been in Riverton for a year, by your own admission. Why haven’t you tried to look up Addison and Ellory during that time?”
“It’s none of your business,” Vogel told him.
“Wrong. It’s one hundred percent my business. Ellory and Addison are living under my roof. They’re my stepdaughter and wife. And I protect what’s mine.”
“Do they know you’re talking about them as if they’re property? Or slaves?”
MacGyver couldn’t help it. He laughed. “I know it’s been over a decade since you’ve seen your ex, but I’m sure you remember enough to know that Addison is no one’s property. She has a mind of her own, and I love it. And her.”
Vogel rolled his eyes. “Whatever, man. I don’t answer to you.”
“Again—wrong. If you truly want to get to know your daughter, you absolutely answer to me. And when you get defensive and angry about a simple question regarding what you’ve been doing for the last twelve years, that makes me suspicious. Makes me wonder what you’ve been up to. I know people, Vogel. People who are all too happy to do an in-depth background check to protect those they care about.”
“Are you threatening me?” Vogel asked.
“No. I’m telling you what’s going to happen. If you’ve got skeletons in your closet that’ll hurt Ellory, I’ll find them.”
“Fuck you!”
MacGyver simply raised a brow. He really didn’t like this guy. It sucked that he was Ellory’s father, but he’d do whatever it took to protect his stepdaughter. Even if it made her angry. Even if she hated him for it. He’d gladly accept her ire if it meant keeping her out of danger.
“Fine. You want to know what I’ve done in the last twelve years? The same thing I do now. I’ve been a janitor. I didn’t want my daughter to know because I wanted her to admire me. To look up to me. No one wants a janitor for a dad. Yes, I’m still a janitor here in Riverton, but working at the medical center on base is a step up for me. I earn a decent salary and benefits for the first time in years. That’s why I didn’t want to say what I’ve been doing. Happy now?”
MacGyver stared at the man in front of him. He sounded genuine. But he still had his doubts. “Ellory doesn’t care what you do for a living. All she wants is to get to know her dad. Don’t lie to her. She’s smart. She’ll figure it out, and then you’ll lose her before you’ve even had a chance to get to know her. And stop commenting on her size. She’s sensitive about it, and you constantly harping on it isn’t helping endear her to you.”
“Fine.”
“And if I can give you more advice, do some research on Crohn’s. It’s something she’s going to have for the rest of her life. She’ll never grow out of it, there’s no cure. You’ll need to understand the ins and outs of the disease so you can help her if she needs it.”
Vogel nodded. Then said, “Are we done here?”
“Yeah. We’re done,” MacGyver said.
“Am I going to get to see my daughter again?”
“That’s up to her, not me.”
“Bullshit. We both know you and Addison can keep her from me if you want. Don’t make me get a lawyer.”
MacGyver snorted. “Right. That’s not happening. If you wanted to see Ellory that bad, you would’ve seen a lawyer long before now—andyou would’ve been giving Addison child support. Prove that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to spend time with your daughter, and we’ll see what happens.”
With that, MacGyver turned and headed back to the café. To his wife and Ellory, who were both probably freaking out.
Vogel said the right things…well, no. He said a bunch of not-so-right things, but his explanation of why he’d sidestepped telling them what he’d done for a living before moving back to Riverton rang true. MacGyver still didn’t like the man, though for now, he had no reason to keep Ellory from talking to him. But time would tell.
