Dark Abyss by Kaitlyn O'Connor (classic novels for teens .txt) 📕

“Oh! He died when I was a baby. I don’t remember him. Mom never talked about him.”

“So … it was just the two of you … growing up?”

Anna shrugged. “I always hoped Mom would find someone else, but she never did. I guess it was because we moved so much. She really didn’t have much chance of forming any sort of relationship. She did date a couple of men that I was hopeful would become my father, but … we moved on.”

“Umm,” he murmured noncommittally. “Your mother liked to move?”

“I guess.” Anna thought it over. “She was always searching for a better life for the two of us, a better job, a better place to live.”

“Where does she live now?”

Anna felt the smile freeze on her lips. “She doesn’t. She was killed by a hit and run driver when I was in college.”

He frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Anna felt discomfort waft through her. He sounded sincere enough and yet she had the sense that he was secretly … pleased?

She studied him uneasily, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on why she’d gotten that impression.

“Are you finished?”

Anna stared at him blankly until she realized he was talking about her food.

Embarrassed when she saw she’d barely eaten enough to tell the food had been touched, she glanced at him uncomfortably. “It was really good. I guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I hate to see it go to waste, though. Maybe I could take it home?”

“I’ll tell the server. Why don’t we take a walk?”

Anna glanced around a little uncomfortably, wondering where Paul had gotten off to. “I should probably find Paul. I completely abandoned him and he brought me.”

“He’ll survive,” Cavendish said coolly, rising from his seat and helping her from hers. “Don’t look so guilty! He brought you because I told him I wanted to meet you.”

Anna looked at him in surprise. “He did?”

So much for thinking Paul had an interest in her!

“He did,” Cavendish responded, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm once more and guiding her along the balcony, which she discovered had emptied while the two of them had dined.

“Why?” she asked a little blankly.

He looked amused. “Why did he? Or why was I interested?”

She thought it over. “Both, I guess.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” he countered. “You’re a lovely, fascinating young woman and a brilliant scientist.”

Anna felt a little thrill at the comment … and a good bit of doubt. “I am?”

He chuckled. “If you didn’t know that, it gives me grave doubts about the young men out there.”

“I haven’t found many hiding among my plants,” Anna said wryly.

He threw back his head and laughed heartily at that. “You have a quirky sense of humor. I like that. Don’t tell me you’ve no interest at all in the male of the species?”

Not a great deal, actually. “My research is important,” she said a little stiffly. “I consider myself extremely fortunate that I found a patron before I’d even graduated— who has given me the opportunity to pursue my research. I certainly don’t want to disappoint him. I really haven’t had the time to spare for … other pursuits.”

“Somehow, I don’t think your patron expected you to devote your entire life to research,” he said dryly. “You want children, at least?”

“Heavens! I certainly can’t consider that! I’d never get anything done if I had a child to take care of! Besides, people are starving and the world is … well, it’s a disaster! It’s unthinkable to consider bringing children into a world like this!”

“And yet life goes on.”

Anna glanced around and discovered he’d led her into what appeared to be a home office or maybe a library. The important thing was that they were completely alone.

She eyed the couch a little uneasily, considering the topic under discussion as he’d directed her to it and wondered a little wildly if that was his idea of seduction. “Uh … I guess so.”

He settled on the couch and patted the seat beside him invitingly.

Anna glanced toward the door he’d shut.

“Sit down, Anna. We need to talk.”

She frowned at the tone of his voice. “About what?”

“About our relationship.”

“We don’t have one.”

“But I’d like for us to.”

Anna gaped at him. “We just met!”

He stared at her blankly for a moment and grimaced. “This isn’t what you apparently think, Anna. Please! Sit down.”

Embarrassed to think she might have jumped to the wrong conclusion, Anna reddened, but she wasn’t convinced enough to sit down on the couch with him. “I’m fine. I’m a little tired of sitting, actually.”

He released an irritated breath. “I’m your patron, Anna. I also happen to be your father.”

* * * *

The unthinkable had happened. Miles Cavendish had dropped a bombshell on Anna that had totally disrupted her focus. He’d torn apart the very fabric of her life by telling her that her entire life had been a lie. She wasn’t certain an actual bomb could have so completely traumatized her.

The shock itself was almost as debilitating. She’d never in her life had trouble concentrating. If anything, she’d been accused of too much focus, tunnel vision that blocked everything out except whatever it was she was centered on. To find herself suddenly without the ability to concentrate threw her even more off-kilter, as if she’d lost a vital part of her body and was trying to learn to cope with it. Try though she might to find