Mick Sinatra 3: His Lady, His Children, and Sal by Mallory Monroe Read Free Book Online Page A

parked his car, made his way into the building
with the assistance of the Doorman, and then made his way up to her
apartment.    He didn’t know a lot about
Gloria’s habits, or any of his other children’s if he were to be truthful, but
he knew she was an early bird.   Early to
bed, early to rise.   She was responsible
that way.   But if the report he received
was accurate, none of his children could be more irresponsible.
    She answered after only a few knocks, and although
she was still in her bathrobe, she was nonetheless bright-eyed and seemingly
ready to go.   And, to Mick, the most
beautiful young woman in the world.   She
was biracial (half black/half white), tall, slender, and gorgeous.   The spitting image of her mother.
    “Dad?”   She
was unable to suppress her surprise.   “Good morning.”
    “Good morning.   May I come in?”
    “Why, yes.   Of
course,” she said, and stepped aside to allow him passage in.  
       Gloria
Sinatra was still growing accustomed to her father’s presence in her life, when
he had shown so little interest up until a year ago, and that awkwardness she
felt around him was still there.   And the
idea that he was at her condo was downright unnerving.   He’d never come this far into her world
before.   She closed the door behind him.
    Mick was looking around at the beautifully
decorated, but small room.   “Very nice,”
he said to her.
    “Thanks.   Have
a seat.”
    The “seat” was a sofa that wasn’t that far away from
the front door.   It was one of those
condos with the living room/kitchen space, and then a wall that separated the
bedroom.   It was an expensive condo in a
great area, but it was tiny.
    Mick sat on the sofa and Gloria sat, with her bare
feet tucked beneath her butt, beside him.    “I didn’t expect to see you here,” she said, still curious as to why he
would be there.   “I didn’t think you knew
where I lived.”
    Mick knew more about his children than they would
ever imagine.   But that still wasn’t
nearly enough.   “I knew,” was all he
would say about it.
    “Did Mom tell you?” Gloria asked.
    Mick hadn’t spoken to his ex in years.   “No,” he said.
    Gloria still couldn’t understand how he could know,
but she also knew he wasn’t the kind of man who was just going to tell
her.   They didn’t have that kind of
relationship.
    Mick crossed his legs and turned toward her.   She was already turned toward him.   “Do you have class today?”
    Gloria hesitated.   “No,” she said.
    “You aren’t in school any more, are you?”
    Gloria continued to stare at him.   “No.”
    “Why?”
    “I’m taking a semester off.   I’m taking a break, that’s all.”
    “A break that just so happens to coincide with your
introduction to Marco Terranz?”
    Gloria’s heartbeat quickened.   How could he possible know about Marco?   “It wasn’t planned, Dad,” she said.
    “He’s an ATF agent,” Mick said, and stared at her.
    Gloria still didn’t understand where he was going
with this, but she was beginning to understand that her relationship with Marco
was the reason for this visit.   “I’m
aware of that,” she said.
    “Then I’ll be blunt,” he said.   “You are not going to have anything more to
do with him.”
    Gloria couldn’t believe he just said those
words.   “Why would you tell me something
like that?   My relationship with Marco
has nothing to do with you.”
    Mick didn’t respond to that because he knew her
relationship with that pig had everything to do with him.   Marco knew it.   Mick knew it.   She was the only one who didn’t.   “Stop seeing him,” he said.   “Or
I’ll put a stop to it.”
    Gloria used to idolize Mick.   When she was a kid she used to dream of the
day when they would sit around and shoot the breeze and have a real father and
daughter relationship.   That day never
came.   It broke her mother’s heart.   It broke Gloria’s heart.   Her