Night Air

Chapter 64

*Niall's POV*

"So, it's been brought to my attention that Alyssa is in love with you?" Jacob started and my breathing picked up. I looked from Jacob, to a pissed Ryan, to an indifferent Stan, then back to Jacob.

"I-"

"You know, you can raise these kids however the hell you want to," Jacob started his rant, "but they just sometimes don't know how to listen to their fathers. Daughters no longer know how to stay away from scum like you and be with perfectly fine gentlemen like Ryan here." He motioned towards Ryan who gave me a death glare. He wants her so bad, but I wouldn't let that happen. I let her end up with the wrong guy once already and I could have damn near lost her forever. It wasn't happening again. I wasn't going to put herself nor myself through that again.

"I told you he was a risky choice," Stan spoke up while eyeing me.

"Not now, Stan." Jacob closed in on me and squat down so he was eye level. "Did she tell you she loved you?"

I locked my eyes on his with a squint. "Yes. She did."

"And did you return it?"

I quickly stood up which brought him to his full height, making us eye level once more. "Not that I find it any of your damn business what your adult daughter has going on in her love life, but no. I didn't return it."

"You better not have. If you did I would have had to step in." I lowered my eyes at him hating how controlling he was. "So that means you don't have feelings for her, correct?" It seemed like he was taunting me now. Whether or not he knew I had an attraction towards her seemed irrelevant because everything this guy was saying just seemed to hit me in my weakest spots and put me in difficult situations. After I didn't answer, Jacob became frustrated. "Do you?!"

I stepped up to him. "And why the hell should I have to tell you how I feel about someone else?"

He stepped back up to me. "Because it's my daughter and I'm the one that's going to be signing that big, fat check for you at the end of this week. Now sit your ass down and answer me!"

"Jacob, I-"

"Sit down!" He yelled directly into my face and I scowled, but nonetheless listened to his command. "Now answer my God damn question! Do you have feelings for Alyssa!?"

"That's-"

"It's one... God damn simple question, Horan!" By this point, I was ready to blow my top because of all the yelling he was directing towards me. "Do you-"

"Jesus! Yes! I do! Whachya gonna do about it, Jacob!?" I quickly shot back up to my feet so I was eye-to-eye with him again as his face tightened. I could practically see the steam spewing out of either of Jacob's ears and his face was redder than a tomato.

"I'll tell you exactly what I'm going to do," he growled lowly. "There's only a week left of this thing. You do this right, and I'll fucking give you double of my original offer. I don't care what it takes at this point. I just want scum like you away from perfectly innocent ladies like my daughter." My fists tightened at my sides and I could feel the air blowing through my nose like a bull. "You're going to ignore her and not so much as even come within ten feet of her or else I will get involved and you're not going to like it very much when I expose your true self in front of her. I don't care if it hurts her and I don't give a fuck if it hurts you. You're going to stay away from her and let Ryan step in. You got that?"

I lowered my eyes and growled. "I don't want your fucking money anymore." Jacob's eyes widened. "You can try all you want, but Alyssa will never feel for Ryan what she feels for me and Ryan will never know Alyssa like I do. No amount of money that you pay me will change that. She doesn't even like Ryan."