Page 58 of A Temporary Forever

“Merde.” I sink into the armchair behind me, spent. Fuck, how do I go back to my vibrators after this? But that’s a problem for later.

Caleb stands and yanks me up with him. Holding me around my waist, he pinches my chin between his finger and thumb. “I said to scream my name.”

“I can’t give you everything.” I try to sound casual, sassy, but the deep truth behind my words comes across loudly.

His face hardens for a moment, as he stares me down with an intensity that makes my heart try to escape from my chest. I fully expect him to drop me here and leave, but then a crooked smile tugs at his lips.

He shakes his head and drops hismouth to mine in a punishing, bruising kiss, sealing the deal. Accepting the challenge.

I didn’t mean it like one, but clearly there are no boundaries to his cockiness. I’m not going to complain. My vibrators will get a well-deserved rest while he’s trying.

He slides the silky fabric from my shoulder, and I moan into his mouth. The elevator ding penetrates through my dazed mind, and before I can make sense of what’s happening, Caleb jumps away from me like I just burned him.

“Fuck, I’ll have to bleach my eyes now.” A young woman—no, a girl—at the elevator covers her eyes, dropping her backpack to her feet.

“Mia, what did I tell you about swearing?” Caleb reprimands her.

She snorts, rolling her eyes. “Fuck is literally the first word you ever said to me.”

I pull the two sides of my robe together as if I can scrape together some decency here. What the hell is going on?

Dressed in a simple black T-shirt and ripped jeans, the girl’s makeup might be an attempt at a goth style or just a case of absolute lack of experience in making herself look pretty.

“Who are you?” Instinctively, I step away from Caleb, almost toppling onto the sofa behind me.

The girl jumps down the step and assesses me with distrust. “Who areyou?”

Caleb’s eyes dart toward the elevator, and then to the hallway that leads to his office. Is he looking for a fast exit?

I put my hands on my hips. “What the fuck, Caleb? She’s too young, even for you!”

“Ew, gross.” The girl scrunches her nose.

“Celeste, this is Mia, my daughter. Mia, this is Celeste, my wife.” Caleb recites through his teeth, like uttering the words is the last thing he’s ever planned to do. Or like one of us got him into this situation.

“Daughter?” I ask incredulously.

“Wife?” Mia asks at the same time.

“Mia, why don’t you go to your room and order pizza? I’ll come talk to you in a minute.” Caleb goes to pick up her backpack while Mia stares at me.

My mind fires in so many directions that I can’t settle on one. He has a daughter. A teenage daughter. How did I not know that?

Goosebumps sprout on my skin, and I sigh. Because out of all the ways I could have met this girl, I’m half-naked.

She snatches her backpack and dashes upstairs.

“Sorry about that.” Caleb rakes his hand through his hair.

I belatedly grab a blanket from the chair and wrap myself in it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Only Finn and Saar know about her.”

“How can you hide a daughter?” I hiss my words.

I don’t know the girl upstairs, but I don’t need to traumatize her with my tantrum, and I sure as hell feel like throwing one. Especially since her father isn’t offering an explanation.

“I only found out about her three months ago.” Caleb sits on the coffee table across from me again.

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