Page 117 of Beneficial Misfortune

On his lap. He wants me to sit on his lap, in front of everyone.

It shouldn’t be a big deal. Not after our conversation, and definitely not considering the fact that I’ve been naked or fucked by most of them. Yet somehow, this seems almost more intimate, for reasons I can’t put my finger on.

Finally, I make myself move, looking down at my feet as I move across the office to drop down onto his lap. The second my ass touches his leg, his fingers close around my chin, forcing my head up so that he can press his lips to mine, oh so gently.

It’s one thing when Desmond or Alex do something like this. PDA doesn’t seem to be a big deal to them, but I would have taken Nathan as more reserved, especially because, for the last few weeks, he hadn’t really touched me outside of our time together away or in his bedroom.

“Rub it in, old man, real mature.” I chuckle against Nathan’s lips, hearing the sass in Desmond’s voice and his growl.

“How’s Addison?” I ask once Nathan’s pulled back. I’d almost gone and checked on her before I came to find them, but if she’s still asleep, I didn’t want to wake her.

A gentle smile turns Nathan’s lips up, and he shakes his head. His hand moves from my chin up my cheek, his thumb ghosting over my cheekbone, and I can’t help but flinch back.

That’s fucking tender.

“How about you take a second to worry about how you are? I assure you Addison is fine, and I can only assume that is in large part thanks to you.”

He sounds so sure of himself, but he’s wrong, and I’m shaking my head before he’s finished speaking, making his brows furrow in confusion.

“They were only there because of me. They knew Addison meant something to me and planned to use her against me. She was in danger because of me.”

The room is silent around us, and I realize too late I’d been yelling. Embarrassed, I look down, wringing my hands in my lap, but I can feel all eyes on me. I wasn’t trying to yell, but my emotions seem to have gotten the better of me, and they continue to get the better of me as tears gather in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall.

“Katherine.”

Nathan’s voice is stern but not unkind, but still, I kind of feel like I’d rather run than meet his gaze right now. How could he possibly want to keep me around when I’m a danger to Addison, to all of them, honestly? No, I should have left after my run-in with Trevor. They already had to pull Addison from her school with all of her friends because of me.

Slowly, I lift my head until I can look up at him through my lashes.

He raises a brow at me, and I lift my head the rest of the way, meeting his gaze.

“Carter is a sick man, one you’re in no way responsible for. His being there wasn’t something you could have known was going to happen, and when faced with him, you still chose to keep Addison safe. I know he left his marks on you. Not everyone could have made the choice to put their fear aside, even for the safety of an innocent child.”

His words hit me hard, and I lose the fight against my tears, one rolling down my cheek before it’s quickly joined by another.

“You care about Addison just as much as we do, as much as any mother would love their own child. Believe me when I tellyou, there isn’t anyone I could have chosen that would have been a better nanny for her.”

The tears roll a little more freely now, and I quickly move to wipe them away, only to instantly regret it.

“Ouch!”

Fuck, that hurt. My eye throbs and Nathan quickly pulls the handkerchief from his breast pocket before gently dabbing at my eye.

“The doctor will be here soon to check you over,” he says, folding the handkerchief and dabbing at my lip. I dart my tongue out and taste the blood on it before I remember Carter backhanding me.

As if the memory unlocks something, I feel sore and tired, like I’d just gotten over being sick and done a major workout.

I also remember Carter got away.

Shit.

“What about Carter?” I ask, my voice high-pitched, my panic leaking through.

“That’s actually what we were here to discuss.” Gently, Nathan’s arm snakes around my waist before he turns me on his lap to face the others and moves his chair back in toward his desk. Feeling their eyes on me, I take a deep breath and steel myself to meet their gazes.

Desmond is to the far left, his eyes intense and almost angry, but the second our eyes meet, they soften. His eyes jump around my face, no doubt seeing the damage Carter did. His brows pull together before he huffs and looks away. I try to tell myself it’s not me, it’s him, he’s upset with Carter, but I’d be lying if I said it still didn’t sting. I’m not sure how he knows or if he can just sense my change in mood, but Nathan’s arm tightens around me for a moment in almost a backward hug. It makes me feel much better than it has any right to, but it also gives me the strength to look to Alex.

Alex’s eyes look sad as he looks me over, but I can see the anger in them too, same with Nathan and Desmond. I have a feeling that’s something they all share right now, but it’s nice to know they aren’t mad at me, at least.

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