On Her Daddy's Bed (Adeline and Luciano) novel Chapter 68

Author’s POV.

The door to the living room opened, interrupting Alex’s words. Axel fell silent, keeping his focus sharp as he waited. The entrance revealed an unexpected visitor: Hazel’s father.

“Oh my goodness, Mr. Marco…” Axel exclaimed, pulling his hands from his pockets and walking toward Mr. Marco with a beaming expression of happiness.

They exchanged a warm hug, and Axel stepped back to ask, “Such a long time without a visit, what brings you here?”

Mr. Marco flashed him a soft smile. “I saw the news.”

Axel sighed, fully aware of what Mr. Marco meant by that.

“Is it real?” Mr. Marco pressed, and Axel nodded, guiding him into the living room.

“It’s real,” Axel replied succinctly.

“Good day, Mr. Marco,” Alex greeted, extending his hand, which Mr. Marco shook firmly.

They held the handshake for a moment before releasing.

“What can I offer you?” Axel asked, his tone friendly.

“You seem to be forgetting we’re family,” Mr. Marco replied, gesturing for Axel to sit. “Sit down, Axel. We need to talk.”

Axel nodded, taking a seat.

“Father…” Hazel’s voice called from the stairs. Axel’s attention shifted immediately in the direction of her voice.

“My little angel,” Mr. Marco chimed, standing quickly.

“Do not fall,” he cautioned as Hazel rushed down the stairs and into his arms.

“Father, I’ve missed you.” Her tiny hands wrapped around him, and he welcomed the embrace with open arms.

It had been so long since he last saw her, and the whole situation had been complicated by her failure to return his calls or messages when he tried to reach her.

Axel swallowed hard, the bond between Hazel and her father so powerful that he feared it might make him uncomfortable. He wished he could stop her from being around any man, but her father and brother were exceptions. They genuinely loved her, but the jealousy he felt was unnecessary.

Mr. Marco pulled Hazel out of the hug.

“I’ve missed you too, Father.”

“But you never call,” he teased, pulling her cheek gently. “How has everything been here?”

“It’s been fun, lots of fun, Father… Axel has been taking care of me,” Hazel responded.

“That’s why you fell in love with him?” Her father’s words caught Hazel off guard, and the room fell into an awkward silence.

Hazel sighed softly, unsure of how to respond.

“What would you like to eat, Father?” she asked, breaking the tension.

Axel knew the moment he started to have feelings for Hazel that her father would eventually show up at his doorstep, no longer wearing a smile.

“You seem to be forgetting that this house is mine, and I’m a registered family member,” Mr. Marco said with a gentle but firm tone.

“I know, Father, but you should eat,” Hazel replied.

“Does he ask you to cook? Is that why you’re so eager to feed me?” Mr. Marco teased.

“Not at all, Father… he treats me like a princess. He barely lets me do anything, and his love for me feels genuine,” Hazel answered.

Her father sighed, looking at his daughter with a soft gaze. He had never seen her this happy before. He knew Hazel kept her emotions close to her heart, but he also knew that if something hurt her, she wouldn’t hide it.

“As he should… I trust Axel.”

A few moments passed in silence, and Hazel sat down, waiting for her father to continue.

“Do you realize how detrimental it is to date a celebrity?” Mr. Marco’s question was directed at Hazel.

The room went still, each person staring at the other. Hazel fidgeted with her hands nervously.

“Some people are worth melting for, you know…” Axel responded, his voice softer, his eyes warm as he met Mr. Marco’s gaze.

Mr. Marco smiled back, standing to his feet. “I’ll be on my way in a couple of minutes. My flight is almost due.”

“Father…” Hazel’s voice broke through, and she stood up, walking over to him with a soft pout. Her eyes were filled with a mix of longing and sadness.

“Why are you leaving so early?” she asked, her voice carrying a quiet plea.

He moved closer to her, his large hands gently cupping her cheeks, his expression tender. “Mr. Axel will explain better to you. I have so many things to attend to…”

Hazel’s gaze flicked toward Axel, a hint of frustration crossing her face as she silently implored him to stop her father from leaving. Axel simply smiled, his eyes filled with understanding. He beckoned her toward him.

She sighed softly, resigned, and walked toward Axel. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and planted a soft, reassuring kiss on her forehead.

“Your father needs to attend to things, Momma. He’ll be back in a few days,” Axel whispered, his voice comforting, his lips lingering on her skin. He smiled, his expression warm and sincere.

Hazel nodded, but the sadness was still evident in her eyes. Axel kissed her forehead again, gently. She stepped back, walking back toward her father, her heart heavy with the impending separation.

She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “Come back soon, Father. And bring Big Brother with you.”

“Definitely,” Mr. Marco said, his voice warm, as he pulled her away from the hug. He ran his fingers through her hair, a soft smile on his face. “Take care of yourself, my little angel.”

Before he could turn to leave, his expression softened, as though something important had just come to mind. “Before I forget,” Mr. Marco said, reaching into his back pocket. “I picked this up from my house and made a mental note to return it to you… That three-star medallion you’ve always cherished so much.”

He handed it over to Axel, who accepted it with a smile, his grip firm but gentle.

Alex’s eyes narrowed as he watched the medallion, a flicker of recognition flashing in his gaze. He stepped forward, curiosity mounting.

“Can I see that?” he asked, his voice steady yet filled with a quiet intensity. He took the medallion from Axel and studied it closely, turning it over in his hands. It was the same design—the three layered stars with two boys and a girl, a symbol Axel had seen before. Tracy had the same one.

The room fell into a deep silence. Every eye in the room was trained on Alex, waiting for him to piece everything together. Axel’s heart raced in his chest, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. His thoughts swirled in a chaotic storm.

“I’ve seen this with Tracy before,” Alex said softly, his words hitting Axel like a ton of bricks. “She has the same medallion.”

The words hung in the air, suffocating the room. Axel’s eyes snapped to Alex, his body stiff with disbelief. The medallion. Tracy. Could this be the connection he had been dreading? Was this proof of something much bigger than he had realized? The truth, perhaps, was far more complex than he had ever imagined.