Page 46 of Since Day One

“We slept, man.”

“Until one in the afternoon?” Ruger asked, and I shot up, dropping the covers.

“It’s one in the afternoon? As in not morning?” I shrieked.

Ruger grinned once more. “As in not morning,” he answered, trying to look past his brother. I quickly tugged the collar of the shirt back over my shoulders and shrunk into the sheets again.

“And I didn’t come alone, so you might want to get dressed before my companion joins us,” Ruger added.

“Who came with you?” Gunnar asked as another pair of footsteps entered the cabin.

Ruger stepped quickly aside, and his eyes met mine for half a second as a shadow darkened the doorway fully. And there stood a tall, wiry man with eyes like a hawk.

“Dad?” I squeaked.

His nose appeared around Ruger’s shoulder, and I watched as Gunnar tensed, his massive frame swamping my father’s, unintimidated by him.

“Get. Out,” he snarled at my dad, whose intense gaze locked with Gunnar’s. But Gunnar didn’t back down or shrink away as Ruger shifted sideways and my dad stepped to the front.

“What are you doing in here with my daughter?” my dad asked.

“None of your damn business. Now, leave,” Gunnar growled, his fists clenching, and every muscle across his body rippling with protective strength. Inappropriate timing, I knew, but I was absolutely drooling over Gunnar at the moment.

“Willow is my daughter, so it is my business,” my father said, while Ruger watched the interaction seemingly confused.

“Nah, you lost that privilege about ten years ago,” Gunnar sharply replied, making my father visibly flinch.

His eyes slid from Gunnar’s to me, shame bluntly evident. “I agree. I failed to protect her ten years ago, and I’m not going to make the same mistake again,” he said, his voice softer now.

Gunnar glared at my dad and continued to block his entrance into the room. And I finally spoke. “Gunnar’s not him.”

Dad shook his head and looked down at the floor. “I don’t know that.”

“But I do!” I snapped and shot out of the bed. Stomping around the foot of the mattress, I placed myself halfway behind Gunnar, letting him shield me as I finished speaking. “And for the record, nothing happened, because he won’t do anything unless I let him. Unlike Alex.”

“Alex didn’t do anything,” my dad hissed, and Gunnar slammed his fist into the wall, stepping closer to my father, red hot anger steaming from his ears.

“You’re not fucking serious, are you?” he snarled.

My dad winced, stumbling back. “Her mother said—“

“Did you ever ask Willow what happened?“ Gunnar cut him off and dropped his arms from the door frame and wall and stalked menacingly toward my dad. “Or did you only care about the money that he gave you?”

My father fumbled a few more steps backward into the living room as Gunnar continued to ferociously march in his direction. “What kind of man lets a grown-ass adult put his hands on his teenage daughter?” Gunnar roared, stalking toward the door as my dad backpedaled quickly away.

Finally, as my dad took a backward step out of the cabin, Gunnar stopped moving. “She’s made a life for herself despite you. I don’t think you can even comprehend the type of woman she is and how incredible she is, you half-wit dipshit. Everyone’s always telling her she should be more like Marissa or whatever that whore’s name is. But she should be more like your daughter.“ And he slammed the door shut in my father’s face.

Gunnar pressed his palms against either side of the door and leaned forward, his back rising and falling deeply, indicating how truly angry he was as he fought for control.

I hesitantly padded quietly across the floor and around the couches, placing one hand lightly against his back. He reacted savagely, jerking his head sideways, an animalistic rage in his eyes. Almost instantly, he registered that it was me, and his shoulders dropped with relief before he pushed himself off the doorframe.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know—“ Gunnar started, but I shook my head and cut him off.

“Thank you,” I whispered, and he furrowed his brows, standing a little straighter and faced me.

“Thank you?” he questioned. I nodded, offering him a small smile and keeping my hand against his waist.

“No one has ever stood up for me like that before,” I softly replied.

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