Page 12 of Savage

“Yeah. It’s embarrassing, but I thought you should know before we went any further.” My face heats as I speak, and I regret saying anything. Before I told him I was a virgin, I felt like a seductress. Now, I feel like a child. I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t. Too bad that doesn’t change anything. “Anyway, you should go. I’m just… it’s late—”

His sandpaper hand lands on the side of my face, his gaze on mine softly as he says, “We’ll go slow. I’m sorry if I—”

“No. I’m not telling you because I want to slow down. I just thought you should know.” I swallow hard and turn away, sliding the key into the lock on the door before stepping inside. “You should get home. Don’t worry about driving me in tomorrow morning. I have another car in the garage. Besides, I should probably get there early for my dad.”

Sliding his hand under my chin, he redirects my wandering gaze to his. “You’re a good girl, princess. I’m coming back for you in the morning. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The thing happens again. The thing where my panties soak and my heart rate rockets. The thing where I want to jump all over him, drag him into my house, and be naughty until he spanks me. The thing where I can’t speak and the only thing running through my head is what he’d feel like inside of me.

The thing where I need to get myself in check.

Chapter Six

Clyde

The night is long and torturous, with tossing, turning, jerking off, and wishing I was sinking into Scarlett.

What the fuck is wrong with me? She’s half my age, she’s technically my boss, and she’s a virgin. A tight, innocent, sweet little virgin. It should turn me off. It should remind me that she’s too young and inexperienced to be messing around with. Instead, it wakes me up, invigorates me, and sends a primal signal to my brain that I can’t seem to shake.

I have to make her mine.

The morning sun is barely up and I’m already in the truck, though I’m not on my way to her house like I’d planned. If I had a brain in my head, I would be, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how her father mistreats her. Sure, he was an asshole yesterday, but I have a feeling that was a mild representation of what the man is capable of. Besides that, there’s no way in hell I’m letting him bring some piece of shit onto Scarlett’s property to talk about a takeover. She’s worked hard on this place. The thought alone is an insulting battle she shouldn’t have to fight.

I turn left up the back road toward Mail Order Ranch, as the sun casts a golden hue across the sky. It’s going to be a beautiful day for the guys today. I see now why she offered them the money to rush their project. She wanted the cabins done soher father would see all the work she’s put in. She wanted him to be proud of her.

For a second, the sentiment softens me. Then, it makes me angry all over again. This bastard has been riding her since she was a child. He’s been diminishing her value and cutting her down. He’s the one making her build all those walls, and I’m going to put a stop to it.

Parking the truck in my normal spot, I head into the main lodge where Scarlett and I had been kissing when we first saw him. This morning the space is buzzing with more energy than I’ve ever seen it. I’m guessing it has to do with the elk grazing in the meadows again.

I expect to bribe the man at the front desk for her father’s room number, but he’s already dressed, studying the beams again.What the fuck?

“Mr. Navarro.” I approach him from the side but avoid the handshake again. This time, it’s out of principle and not because I’m covered in his daughter’s come, though I wish I were.

“Clyde… the boyfriend.” He clears his throat. “You’re up early. Is my daughter with you. The investor should be here within the hour. I want to show him around and get some papers signed.” He leans in as he says, “This place is cute, but she’s going to run it into the ground with this ill-brained matchmaking idea.”

Blood boils under my skin. If he were anyone else, I’d have punched him square in the jaw for talking like that. “That’s what I’m here about. You’re not selling to that investor. In fact, you’re going to tell him he’s not allowed on the property, or I’ll have my team escort him away.”

Her father laughs and strokes his hand down over his gray beard. “You’re funny.”

“I’m not joking.” I land my hand on my gun casually.

The man narrows his thick brows. “Is this a joke? Are you posturing?”

“This is a warning. Call your lawyers and have them write up the papers to transfer full ownership to Scarlett.”

He laughs. “Or what? I’m not transferring shit. I don’t know what kind of spell my daughter has your redneck ass under, but I own this place. She just manages it. My name is on the deed. So, if someone’s ass is getting dragged off this property, it’s going to be yours.”

I’m an act now, think later kind of guy, which gets me into a lot of trouble. So much trouble, that I’m close friends with every officer in this county and the next. I’d rather it not come to me calling in a favor, but if it does… it does. I’m not dropping this.

“Do you love your daughter?”

“Business isn’t about love, son. It’s about money.”

“How much money are we talking?”

He laughs again, this time harder. “She’s really got you, doesn’t she? Gotta say, I didn’t see her as the type that would be into ruffians. I know you want to help her keep this place, but you’re out of your league. You’d need about three million dollars to buy me out, and ten to beat what the investor is paying me.”

Shit, that’s a lot of money.

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