Page 124 of Wicked Sins

I shudder at that touch. I know that feeling; it’s not the first time he’s held me like this. My lungs contract, and my breath comes fast and shallow, and panic builds.

“Is there something I need to know?” I’m sure he’s looking at me now, perhaps staring at the top of my head.

Joah’s glaring up at his father, but then his eyes flicker to me.

No. Joah, no!

Joah’s face softens a little. “We were worried about Candy’s mom.”

“That again? Christ, I said I’d take you to her,” Wayne says, his hands tightening on the back of my neck. I keep my gaze forward, refusing to look up at him; I’ll piddle myself if I see how angry he looks.

“So, coffee?” Quinten asks.

“Reschedule the interview,” Wayne says, his voice no longer aimed toward me. “I need to talk to my kids.”

My stomach shrivels.

Oh my God, he knows.

Chapter Fifty-One

Josiah

“Leave your car. You’re coming with me.”

I stop walking, glaring at the back of my father’s head until he turns to look at me. He led us out of the station, as silent as we were, and now he’s holding up the back door of his Merc like he’s got an actual chance of convincing me that he’s a fucking gentleman.

“Josiah, get in.”

“I’m not driving with you.”

Candy is by my side, and she’s not moving either. Someone walks past on their way to the station, and they turn to look at us as if even they—a random fucking stranger—can sense the tension between us.

“Candace.” Dad’s eyes shift to Candy, and she literally flinches as if he’s slapped her.

“I’ll drive with Joah.”

“You’ll both drive with me,” Dad says through his teeth. Then his eyes flicker to Candy again. “Do you want to see your mother or not?”

I turn to her just in time. Her lips part, and her chest puffs out as she takes a big breath. “Where is she?”

Judging from the tightness around my father’s eyes, he’s about to manhandle us into the car if we don’t get in. “Only one way to find out.”

I don’t know what’s going on in Candy’s head, but a second later she’s climbing into the back of my dad’s car.

“I can’t just leave my car here,” I tell him.

He closes Candy’s door, shrugs, and heads for the driver’s door. “Do whatever the hell you want son.”

Shit, I can’t let him take Candy. I still don’t know why she said what she did back there, that she’d been lying, but I’m sure she had her reasons.

I snarl at him and spring forward, grabbing the passenger side door.

It’s locked.

Christ, is he going to drive off with her?

Big blue eyes stare at me through the window. Then she reaches beside her and pulls at the handle.

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