Page 152 of A Little Tempting

I haven’t seen him since the restaurant. Since I tattled to his partner about his shitty parenting. Since I offended him and embarrassed him in front of his friends. Since I called him out for his lies and threw him under the bus without giving a shit about the repercussions.

And clearly, he isn’t over it.

Hiding my shaking hands in the paper towel as I wipe them dry, I tell him, “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“I’m a police officer, little girl.” He smiles and spreads his legs wide as if he’s untouchable. “I can go wherever I want.”

“Good for you.” With a flick of my wrist, I toss the paper towel into the garbage and start to slip past him, but he blocks the exit. My nerves kick into overdrive, and I glare up at him. “What do you want?”

“Just wanted to check up on my son’s girl.”

Nausea burns up my throat, but I swallow it back.

“Nothing to say, Thorne?” he demands.

I can feel his annoyance. It sticks to my skin and makes me feel like I’m walking on eggshells. Like if I don’t play this carefully, the consequences could be dire. Wetting my lips, I reply, “Not sure what you want me to say.”

“You’re right. You said enough at the restaurant.”

“You mean when I called you out for being a liar and a shitty father? Or for exposing the truth to your friends?”

“You should be careful who you piss off,” he warns.

“I’ll keep it in mind.” My head held high, I meet his gaze. “If that’s all, I suggest you move so I don’t miss the second period.”

“Nah, I think I’ll stay,” he decides. He looks so cocky right now. Like he has me exactly where he wants me. Like he’s already won whatever sick, twisted game he decided to play as soon as he followed me into the bathroom.

“You're trying to piss off your son. To get under his skin by coming after me. Cornering me in a girls’ bathroom and intimidating me.”

“Just trying to keep you safe, Dylan. Being alone, even in public, can be dangerous for a girl like you.”

“A girl like me?”

“Vulnerable,” he clarifies.

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m looking out for you. My son is… He’s a bad person, Dylan. He’s manipulating you, but?—”

“You perceive me as his weakness.” I force a laugh, and his eyes thin, but it doesn’t stop me. Instead, I lift my chin a little more. “You left him alone for the past couple of years because you realized you couldn’t hurt him anymore. You couldn’t isolate or control him anymore because you lost all your leverage.”

His eyes darken. “All the leverage I need is standing in front of me.”

“Is it?” I laugh again. I can see why Reeves ended up providing his G-rated gigolo services. Because he’s dealt with shit like this man his whole life. Might as well deal with it from strangers, too. And if he was willing to protect random women from this kind of bullshit, then I have no problem protecting him from it, too. “I have news for you, officer. I’m not your son’s weakness. I’m his greatest strength. And if you honestly think you can get to him by manipulating me or trying to mess with my head like you did at Rowdy’s, you’re wrong. I’m not stupid, Mr. Reeves. You want to use me against him. You want to control him. To keep him under your thumb. But it won’t work. I won’t let it work. You already took his childhood. Ruined it. And here he is, refusing to let you ruin his college experience or his future.”

He’s pissed. I can see it in the tight jaw. The flared nostrils. The veined, clenched fists resting on his hips. The bated breath.

When his silence stretches, I tilt my head, surprised. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s surprised, too. Like I caught him off guard. Like he expected this to go differently. Like he assumed I’d cower like the rest of the women he’s used to picking on, and now? Now, he doesn’t know what to do with me.

“Careful, Ms. Thorne. You’re walking a fine line,” he finally warns.

“Good, maybe it’ll knock you down a peg or two.” He takes a step toward me, but I stand my ground, tilting my head up so I can continue our little staring contest. “I won’t let you win, and neither will he. And if we’re talking about walking a fine line, I believe it’s you who should watch your step.”

A vein throbs in his forehead as he cocks his head. “Are you threatening me, little girl?”

“No, I’m explaining things to you. You might think you're untouchable, Mr. Reeves, but I have something you don't. I have a family who's loyal to me. They’re wealthy, well-connected, and not afraid to protect the ones they love. I hate to break it to you, but I’m just like them. Your son didn’t have me before, but he has me now. Every. Single. Piece. So you're going to stay away from both of us. Because if you don't, I'm not afraid to call in any favors with my family, and my family sure as shit isn't afraid of calling in favors with people so far above your pay grade you probably can't even pronounce their names, let alone fully comprehend exactly what they’re capable of.”

He grabs my arm and squeezes roughly, cutting off the blood to my hand, proving I pushed him too far. It’s scary and possessive and hurts like a bitch, but I don’t crumble or cower. I don’t even flinch.

---