Page 77 of Promiscuous Lies

“Bobbi Harley?” Dutton asks, and I realize my mistake.

“Please don’t do anything, Dutton. Promise me.”

“What if Bentley isn’t safe with him around?” he presses.

“Then I’ll kill him myself. It’s my fight, not yours,” I say, trying to fill myself with all the bravado I can. Because deep down, I know I’m still that scared little girl. I wasn’t raised as a fighter, and although I have a fiery temper, I’m half the size of most men. But if I had to fight for my son’s safety, I’d take down a whole army before I let them touch him.

“Let me know when you need me,Mostriciattola. It’s okay to ask for help.”

It goes without saying that Dutton has already helped us more than he knows.

“What does that word mean?” I ask.

“Mostriciattola?” he repeats as he begins to remove his shoes. I follow his lead and do the same. He takes off his suit jacket, and when he stands and offers me his hand, he says, “It means ‘little monster.’”

My eyes widen. “That’s what you’ve been calling me this whole time? Why can’t it be something sweet?!” I demand.

He chuckles, and when his father looks in our direction, I still place my hand in Dutton’s as he helps me up from the chair.

“You’ve destroyed my office more than once. Do you think asweetwoman would do that?”

Ihmphat him, walking ahead of him to the inflatable castle. “You’re not interested in sweet, Mr. Taylor.”

“No. The only sweet thing I like is between your legs.”

Heat rises up my neck as we stop outside the bouncy house. I stare at Dutton for a moment before turning away and crawling inside.

Bentley screams with joy when we join them, and Dawson declares he is taking a water break, laughing as he leaves. Bentley starts bouncing around Dutton, who pretends to chase after him. For a moment, I see the man he truly is—the cold-hearted man who says he admires his father and is good with children. He gives himself too little credit.

I notice Dawson watching us again with a smile.

I know why he’s smiling, and it feels as comforting as it is terrifying because this thing between me and Dutton is morphing into something more than just sex. And I don’t know how to get myself out of the situation without getting hurt.

Dutton isn’t ready for something like this—a family of his own.

And how arrogant of me to think that he could ever be.

CHAPTER 38

Dutton

Idecide to give Posie and Bentley some time to bounce together, and I can’t help but admire how she glows around him. He really is her entire world.

My father offers me a bottle of water, and I take it scanning the interior of the building.

“It’ll be a warehouse. Figured we could expand our reach with a subscription-based service running out of here.” I raise my eyebrows. “It was Posie who gave me the idea with her subscription of the photos from Pearl.”

I can’t help but feel smug and proud that she’s inspired even my father. Although I run most of the companies and am now the face of Taylor Enterprises, my father still dabbles and expands as he pleases.

“What happened at Billie’s party between Striker and Posie?” he asks, and I’m surprised he waited this long to question me about it.

We both turn to look where she’s joyfully chasing Bentley around as he squeals excitedly. She reminds me a little of my mother and Billie. My mother is one of the most nurturing women I know, yet she’s a total badass in her own right. I watched her choke a man out when he attempted to pluck Billieout of her stroller. He was some dickhead trying for a ransom or some shit. That’s the day I realized my mother was just as dangerous as my father, and she’s made a point to put both me and Billie in self-defense classes at a young age. I’m certain that Posie has the same tenacity as my mother. That she would do anything for her son. I hope she never has to be put in that situation.

“Bentley’s father is from that motorcycle club in Boston. When she found out she was pregnant, he told her to get rid of the kid, so she fled. She’s terrified that if Striker tells him she’s here, he’ll come looking for her.”

“Do you think that’s likely?” he asks, and I can tell by the change in his stance that he’s ready to fight the unseen threat.

“I don’t know, but with how frightened she is, it’s likely.”

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