Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 144

Chapter 144

“Papa.”

She turned to face Luca when she heard his voice.

She had expected to see Luca with his father, sort of bracing herself to meet the man who hadn’t wanted her in his son’s life. What she hadn’t expected was that he’d be alone and staring directly at the man beside her.

The man with the cane.

The man she’d just spent the last few minutes chatting with.

Her breath caught as realization finally settled in.

“Oh, you’re Luca’s father.”

Nick arched one amused brow at her. “You didn’t know? Does my son not take after his old man?”

Sutton’s face flushed.

“No. I didn’t know.”

She turned fully toward him now, awkwardly rising from the bench. “I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

Nick waved a hand easily, still seated. “Don’t be silly. You were kind, and you should never be embarrassed about being kind.”

He reached for his cane and used it to leverage himself upright. Luca stepped forward quickly, automatically steadying him with a light touch, one hand on his father’s elbow.

Nick shook his head but allowed it.

“I told her I’d had surgery. Didn’t say who I was,” Nick said, glancing toward his son. “Your woman is bossy, Luca. I would watch that.”

“She scolded you,” Luca said, shooting Sutton a teasing glance.

Nick chuckled. “She did. Little fire in her, this one.”

Sutton tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You were reaching for your cane. I wasn’t going to just stand around and let you fall on your face.” She hadn’t even known Luca’s father was in the hospital. When the hell had that happened? Wait until she got Luca alone.

held back a smile. “That does sound like

tone more serious now. “You care about people, and it didn’t matter to you that you

reached for her hand and

good to people,” he

at the unexpected

I judged you without knowing. Or rather, I judged what I thought you were. And caused both you and Luca a great

hadn’t expected this first meeting to go

after a heartbeat, That means

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Chapter 144

watching the moment unfold between them. She could see he was happy with the outcome

just tolerated Sutton. He respected her. He saw her kindness without pedigree or titles, without her last

more than

for one day. only cleared for short walks, and

take you back,” Luca offered

raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re acting like

in shock,” Luca muttered

helped his father begin making his way down the hall. She walked with them slowly, lingering as they turned toward the wing that housed

spotted them and came around the

let us know, Mr.

party.”

grumbled something in Italian under

around on your own. I was just about

of the week,” Luca muttered as he crouched slightly to adjust the footrest beneath the older man’s

a step. “I was not alone… My future daughter–in–law had me under control,” Nick murmured jokingly. “I was worried she was going to crack the whip. A formidable one

Sutton chuckled. “Behave yourself.”

meet my

was settled back in his room and under the nurse’s watchful eye, Luca

to her room and helped her lower onto the bed. He set her

chair close, turned it toward

whispered into the

“He’s lucky.

tugging at her again. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but today had taken

realized.