Page 57 of Seeds of Malice

I love everything about it.

Glass shatters, and a rock lands near my foot. Dax muffles my cry and then releases me.

I roll off him.

Dax shouts, "What the hell, John!"

I dive off the bed and scramble for my bikini, ready to run out but can't.

From the corner of the bed, I see my father's silhouette. My excitement disappears, and fear overpowers everything else.

He seethes, "My daughter's in here. I know she is."

I stay quiet, squeezing my eyes shut, wishing my heart would stop beating so hard.

Dax accuses, "You just broke my window. Are you crazy?"

My father's anger intensifies. "I want my daughter, now. Where is she?"

"She's not with me," Dax lies, and I'm thankful for it. I know he doesn't want to hide us from my father, but I do not want my father to know I'm here in Dax's bed.

He steps closer to my father, fully nude. The tension in the air builds.

My father busts out another pane of glass, and it falls toward Dax's feet.

I'm more scared than I've ever been. I've never seen my father so angry. I don't know why he hates Dax so much. He doesn't even know what our fight was about earlier yesterday, but he has it out for him.

"You're crazy," Dax repeats.

"I want my daughter," my father snarls.

"I told you she's not here. You just broke my window. That's coming out of your wage, old man."

"I know my daughter's in here," my father declares.

Dax puts his hand on his hip. "She's not, and you just interrupted me from my nap."

Dad barks, "Nap my ass. I know Ivy's here. The other kids on the boat told me she was with you."

"Yeah, I dropped her off at your house," Dax lies again.

"She's not at my house," my father states.

"Well, that's not my problem. Is it? I was sleeping, and you woke me up by throwing a rock through my window. I should fire you now."

My pulse races faster. I put my hand over my belly, feeling ill.

Dax promised he would never fire my dad.

That was before Dad threw a rock through his window.

This is all my fault.

"How dare you bring my daughter here! I told you to stay away from her."

"Look around the room, John. Ivy's not here. Now, get off my property. If you don't stay at least 500 feet away from my house, I'm firing you. Do you understand?" Dax threatens.

My fears escalate.

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