Page 59 of Snared

“Ellie. I like it,” Cameron said, and we all burst out laughing.

“Fucking assholes,” Jax muttered, making his way through the crowd to the bar. Then he turned to face me. “Hey, CH, get me a scotch.”

“Fine. Anyone else?” I asked. I’d play tour bitch any time someone managed to surprise Jax. It’d been fucking glorious.

“I’ll grab your usual,” I said, pressing a kiss to Charlie’s neck. She shuddered under my touch. It was faint, but I didn’t miss it.

“How cute is that?” Cameron said with a smirk.

“I want a vodka soda—” she started.

“With two twists of orange,” I finished, enjoying her widening eyes. Yeah, I paid attention. For the ruse, of course.

Tristan quirked a brow at me, and I gave him a noncommittal shrug. There was nothing more for him to see. It was all for the ruse, plain and simple. But for Charlie’s sake and mine, I would be convincing until the very last minute of our marriage.

“Well, don’t you two look like wedded bliss,” a voice said from behind me as I stood at the bar.

What the fuck was my father doing here? He hadn’t been on the guest list the last time I’d checked. I turned to face him.

“Why are you here?” I asked, curling my fingers into a fist at my side.

“Is that any way to greet your dear old dad?” he said smugly.

“I didn’t see you on the guest list, and I should know since I approved it,” I said.

“My girlfriend is friends or something with Aiden, the lead singer, and I thought I’d surprise you since you won’t return my texts.”

“I know who Aiden is,Dad. I fucking manage the band. And I have nothing else to say to you, especially after that garbage you said about my marriage.” I did not want to get into it here—or anywhere, for that matter. No one set me on edge like my father. He was a prick to his core, and I hated that any part of him ran through my veins.

“I’d love to officially meet my daughter-in-law,” he said, ignoring my obvious animosity, like he always did. It was like my anger gave him power. And I hated that it did, but he got under my skin.

“Think I’ll pass on that. No need to subject her to you,” I sneered.

“So angry, Josh. So angry. Admit that the apple didn’t fall far. Look at you, married to a musician, a client, even. I played that role repeatedly. Just learned to stop marrying them.”

“And I’ve learned that I don’t have to listen to your trash. Leave Charlie alone or I will enjoy kicking you out,” I said.

“And add more drama? I doubt that.” He grabbed his drink from the bartender. “I’ll swing by before you head out to say hello. What kind of father-in-law would I be if I didn’t?”

“An appreciated one,” I bit out, turning my back on my chuckling father.

Fuck, I hated that man. And I’d subjected Charlie to enough. I didn’t need her to add him to the list of what she could hold against me.

Chapter 12

CHARLIE

“Whatthefuckishe doing here?” Bash asked when Josh brought over our drinks, including my perfect vodka soda. Dammit, how the hell had he known?

“Who?” I asked.

“My father,” Josh gritted out. “He wasn’t on the guest list, but his current flavor of the second is apparently friends with Aiden.”

“Oh yeah, that’s Aiden’s cousin. Want us to kick him out?” Cameron asked.

“Your father’s here?” I glanced around the room and saw an older man look over at us from the bar. He raised his glass and nodded at me, a smirk on his face. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him, and from this distance, I couldn’t see much of a resemblance. Josh had never mentioned his parents, but then again, I didn’t talk about mine either.

“No need to cause a scene. Leave it for now. Maybe he’ll schmooze a bit and then leave before I have to deal with him again,” Josh said.

---