Page 71 of Serpent King's Prisoner

“You should’ve told me, kiddo. You had us all worried sick.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” I replied, the apology genuine despite the deceit.

“Promise me—“

“Promise,” I interjected before he could finish, knowing the weight of promises in our family. “I’m sorry, I–”

“I’m down here in San Francisco looking for you, sprout, and I was so desperate, so sure something had happened.”

“Nothing happened,” I said. “But since you’re here, maybe we could get a meal or something? So your trip won’t be for nothing.”

“Yes,” my dad immediately answered. “When?”

“Soon,” I replied. “I’ll text you the details, okay? Just hang tight and don’t go home yet.”

My dad thought for a second. I could tell he wasn’t fully convinced, but he knew better than to question me right then and there. “I love you, sprout. Take care of yourself.”

“I will, Dad,” I whispered. “I love you.”

And then he hung up.

I cleared my screen, missed calls and unanswered texts cluttering the newsfeed on my home screen. Nathan looked at the phone from behind me, taking a step closer to my body.

“Who’s Tyler?” Nathan’s question shattered the quiet as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me back against him. His grip tightened when his gaze landed on a text from the one name I hoped he wouldn’t see.

Fuck.

I barely managed to hold my composure, but I needed to pull something out of the bag quick.

“An ex,” I muttered, quick to dismiss, my thumb hovering over the delete button.

“An ex, huh?” His skepticism crawled up my spine, though his touch remained deceptively gentle.

“Tyler Matthews,” I clarified, reading the label below the number: ‘Asshole’. A small detail, but one that might sell my story. I saw Nathan’s jaw clench from the corner of my eye.

“Why is he an asshole?” Nathan asked, his breath tickling my air.

“Wouldn’t leave me alone,” I continued, hoping to steer his thoughts away from any further probing.

“Should I kill him?” he whispered into my ear.

I thought he was joking but I couldn’t be sure. His words sent a shiver down my spine. “Maybe not. Aren’t you busy?”

“I am. You shouldn’t have made plans to see your father,” he grumbled, his hold unyielding.

“Would’ve been weirder if I didn’t,” I countered, leaning into his embrace, trying to soften him. “You heard how worried he was.”

“Fine,” Nathan conceded after a tense pause, but not without reluctance.

I reached up, sliding my phone into his pocket because I knew he would never let me keep it and doing this would buy me more of his trust, my fingers grazing his chest. Then, acting on impulse or maybe something more calculated, I turned my head and kissed him. His lips were hard and unyielding, but I sensed the shift, the momentary break in his armor.

“Remember what I promised you,” I whispered against his mouth. “I’m your toy, and I won’t do anything to put you in danger.”

His grip on my arm was sudden and firm as he pulled me towards the door. “Got you something,” he said, his voice a low growl that stirred a dangerous thrill within me.

“You did?” I asked, genuinely surprised. “If it’s anything like this shithole apartment, you might want to keep it for yourself.”

He laughed hard again. “Maybe I will. I’d prefer to have you naked anyway.”

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