The Hillards reluctantly allow Ellie to leave with me after she grabs a light sweater. We walk in silence for a few minutes before reaching a small path that leads to a park with benches along the pathway.

As we sit, I grab her hand and pull it into both of mine. “I’m sorry about last weekend. Kyla coming over caught me off guard.”

“Because you have feelings for her?” Startled at her question, I shake my head vehemently.

“Not even close. I cannot stand the woman, but she’s Damon’s mom, so I have to be civil around her. It was a promise I made to him when he was too young to remember how terrible we were together.” Our eyes meet briefly, and I see hope there, so I forge on. “Everything I said to you was genuine and true, sweetheart. I’ll never say anything I don’t mean or make promises I can’t keep.”

“It’s okay. Damon explained what happened and how much you’ve been beating yourself up about it. He said you wanted to come see me, but you’ve barely been home to sleep all week. Is everything okay?” She holds my gaze now.

“Yeah, just a little more work than usual.” Blowing out a deep breath, I sit back on the bench and pull her closer, playing with the wispy loose curls from her ponytail before divulging the reason I’m here. “Your father requested to see me today.” She sucks in a sharp breath, and tension fills her body. “He wants to speak with you in exchange for confessing to killing the women he’s charged with.” Fuck, I hate dropping this last bomb on her. “And your mother.”

“My mother.” She exhales wearily.

Slipping her hand from mine, Ellie sits back. Closing her eyes, she lifts her face to the sky in silence. I give her as long as she needs because I think she’s conversing with the woman.

“Clara told me what happened. How everyone tried to protect me from the truth because the authorities knew there wasn’t enough evidence and that, eventually, he’d likely have custody of me.” Tears streak down her cheeks unheeded. “They didn’t want me to do or say anything that would anger him.”

“I’m sorry you heard it from anyone but me.” I hate that she found out, and I wasn’t there to comfort her.

“Clara is so much like my mom. I feel loved and safe with her.” I stroke her jaw with the pad of my thumb and allow her to continue. “It feels like a real home when I’m there. Cory ignores me. Carly thinks she’s tormenting me with her rumors and rude comments, but I don’t care what she says. She has no idea how lucky she is, and that one day, it could all be taken away from her.”

“They’re so lucky to have you,” I whisper in her ear, kissing just below it on her neck, inhaling deeply. “I’m lucky to have you.” Another kiss as I pull her closer. “I’ve missed you so damn much this week. Not seeing you has been killing me slowly.” I nip her skin this time, leaving a love bite.

“How can this work, Lars? Surely, you’ll be in trouble for being involved with me.” Her pleading eyes break my heart.

“Sweetheart, there’s nothing in the world that will stop me from claiming you. My job is secure, and I won’t keep us a secret. If you need that, then I’ll try to be okay with it until you’re ready to show me off as your man, but know, I’m ready now.”

Cupping her cheeks in my hands, I lower my face to hers until our lips meet. I keep it light and sweet until she lets out a needy moan, and then I’m lost in the feel of her soft lips against mine.

Dragging her into my lap so she straddles me, my dick jumps with joy when it feels the heat between her legs. Gripping her ass in both hands, I ride her body along my length until she squirms and moans uncontrollably.

When I hear the magic words, “Please, Daddy,” I slip a hand between our bodies, down her leggings, and two fingers dive into her soaked heat, massaging furiously until she comes apart for me. Screaming into my mouth as she explodes in my arms is the best thing I’ve felt all week, and it was worth the wait.

CHAPTER 10

Ellie

Seeing Lars had me in total panic mode at first. I didn’t know how to react. Was I supposed to act like we were strangers…lovers? He was my friend’s dad. Thankfully, he’d been in complete control, and then I became more concerned because he acted all professionally. It wasn’t until we sat on the bench and talked that I realized he was more worried about me than I ever would have believed.

“You don’t have to, you know. We have enough evidence to convict at a trial.” Lars’ calm tone and supportive nature are why I can even consider the meeting my father requests.

“You’ve said that.” I smile softly as we walk hand in hand back to my foster parents’ home. “I think I need to, nevertheless. I’ve lived in the dark for so long that I need to know what happened to my mother and why. You’ll tell him those are my conditions?” I’ve asked no less than three times already.

“Promise.” He stops about a block from my house to pull me into his arms, giving me a real goodbye before offering a formal one in front of the Hillards’ in a few minutes.

Lifting my face to his, I recognize the displeasure in his eyes at me not spending the night in his arms. I’m not ready for the world to know about us yet, for people to judge him for being with someone twenty years his junior. I’d hate to cause any harm to Lars or Damon’s lives.

Our lips touch, and the past week’s stress of studying for school exams, the thought of being rejected by this man, and learning my mom was murdered fade away. All that’s left is the feeling of Lars and the comfort he offers.

Touching his tongue with mine as he taught me, a vibrating groan escapes him, and I push up into his body, wrapping my arms around his neck as his capture me around my waist and back. We’re lost in the kiss until a horn blaring from a few streets over startles us apart.

Dragging his hands through my hair, he fists two chunks and pulls back. “You’ll come over tomorrow and spend the night with me.” Happiness fills me to completion.

“Yes, Daddy.” His grip tightens to the point of pain, but I ignore it. I like that I make him lose control.

“You can’t fucking say things like that when I can’t act on it, sweetheart.” His feral growl instantly dampens my panties.

“Sorry, Daddy,” I whisper with a giggle, jumping out of his reach before he can swat my ass.