Page 61 of Ruin Me, Daddy

“So I’ve heard. As it happens, you assumed correctly. But, no. He’s at home. Working.”

Now when his brow raised, it was with pure disbelief. “And he sent you here, looking like a delicious morsel just waiting to be devoured, without the benefit of a collar to stake his claim?”

Instinctively, she brushed at the bare skin of her neck. She’d always worn a collar when she’d gone to clubs with Ace. But Ice had never even offered her a temporary one. Then again, she’d never seen him put a collar on anyone.

So maybe she was just like all the others after all.

“It’s… complicated,” she offered, her voice sounding strained even to her own ears.

“Does he know you’re here?”

“Yes, Sir.” The honorific slipped out, a natural response to the slight censure in his tone. “I’m just not sure he actually cares.”

Fuck. She hadn’t meant to say that, not to a complete stranger. “Sorry.” She forced a smile she didn’t feel to cover the sickness coating her stomach. “I’m just having a day.”

“If you need an ear, I have two.”

The simple, goofy joke surprised a laugh out of her. “You don’t want to listen to my silly problems.”

“Anything that could put that sadness in your eyes is far from silly, love.”

“Ah, fuck.” Tears welled in her eyes, slipping free before she could will them back. “You don’t have to be so nice to me. You don’t even know me.”

“If people can be assholes to people they don’t know, I see no reason I can’t be nice to a beautiful stranger with sad eyes,” he returned, an understanding smile curving his lips. “But if you’re not ready to talk, perhaps I could interest you in a stroll around the pit. As friends, of course.”

Ice wouldn’t be happy to find out she’d been spending time with another man instead of hanging out with Lottie like she’d said she would be. But it would serve him right if word got back to him that she was here with someone else. After all, if he was going to ignore her and shut her out, why shouldn’t she enjoy the company of someone who clearly wanted her around? “I’d love that.”

Killian joined her as she rose to her feet, holding out his elbow with a little bow that made her laugh. Linking her arm with his, she let herself be led downstairs. Within no time at all, her worries over Ice and his—haha—‘icy’ demeanor had slipped to the back of her mind as Killian regaled her with hilarious stories and tidbits of gossip about each member they spotted during their tour.

She was so caught up in Killian, she didn’t notice the man in the shadows watching their every move.

CHAPTER 22

ICE

He’d forgotten how brutal a solo songwriting session could be. Several hours after he’d sat down with his guitar, he had the music down, but the lyrics still eluded him. They were there, on the periphery of his mind, but they stubbornly refused to come into focus.

Ace would have found them almost instantly. It was a gift, not one every musician had, to be able to pull the words from a song the way he could.

But this one wasn’t for Ace. He wasn’t even sure it would be for the band when it was done. It was too different, musically, from their usual fare.

And something about it felt too personal, even without the words. Too raw to share, even with his closest friends.

Forcing himself to stand, he winced at the stiffness in his muscles as he stretched. Jesus, how long had he been sitting here?

A quick glance at his phone told him he’d been working a hell of a lot longer than he’d intended to. Which meant Silver had been gone for god knew how long, without him bothering to check in on her.

Some Daddy he was.

Annoyed with himself for not paying more attention, he swiped open his texts and shot off a quick message.

Ice

Having fun with your friends, baby?

He wasn’t even sure where they’d gone. Drinks and dinner, but he couldn’t remember where. Had she actually told him where they were going?

Again, on him for not stopping to actually talk to her before she’d left. Which made him an asshole who owed his babygirl a very big apology when she got home. Between the song and his very complicated emotions about returning home, he’d shut her out without really meaning to.

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