Page 57 of Daddy Issues

The only person I could rely on was me. David had proved that—it just took him longer than most.

“Good night, Adam.” I used his name, because at that moment it felt right. “Thank you.”

He gave my hand a squeeze and let himself out, locking the door as he went. I stood in the same spot until I heard his bike leave. Then I shut out the lights, curled onto the middle of the queen size bed, and let the pain flow.

David had sat there, letting her accuse me of those things. Because he’d believed the worst of me. That I’d be anything like my mom broke me. The tears came hot, heavy, and my chest burned as I sobbed.

I fell asleep, thinking of Puck’s kindness instead of David’s betrayal. How the emotions had changed and shifted. From lust to something different.

Kenna

Waking up to a strange place alone was an eerily independent feeling. Being in a new place meant I woke early to the unfamiliar sounds of the downtown morning traffic. I sat in the bed Puck had made, glancing around a studio apartment he owned.

The past twenty-four hours made my head spin. I’d fucked Puck on his Harley, in a parking lot where anyone could have seen. The memory made me feel beautiful, sexy, alive.

Then I remembered what came after and sickness washed over me. My legs shook as I stumbled into the bathroom. No tub, but the walk-in shower was roomy. The bottles of shampoo and body wash on the little shelf smelled like Puck, so I turned the water on hot and high and ditched my dress in a pile on the floor.

That’s all I wore, because my panties were ripped to shreds and shoved in Puck’s cut pocket. Knowing that, thinking about it, chased away the pain of David’s betrayal and the sting of the nasty things Nadine had said.

Because he was so tall, the spray from the shower head was almost two feet above me and cascading down on me like a hot misting rain. The luxury of it made me stand there for a long time, letting the water run over me—wash away all the bullshit.

I didn’t step out until the water turned cold. I was clean and smelled of Puck, which was oddly soothing. I loved that smell, immersing myself in it did other things to me as well. It made me itchy to be near him, to touch him, to taste him.

Dressed in a pair of comfy jeans and cropped tank, I didn’t bother with makeup, since I didn’t have to work, and put my stuff away. There wasn’t a closet, but there was a chifforobe and a chest of drawers. In the second, the top drawer was filled with Puck’s things. A few changes of clothes.

I considered texting Dylan for a ride to my truck, but he’d said he’d pick me up. But an important thing for me to remember was I didn’t need him to.

And maybe I’d take Dylan up on the offer to stay at her place until I replaced the money I’d left on David’s floor.

Before I could call her, the bells on the front door of the shop chimed beneath me, and tiny feet pounded up the steps toward my door with the exuberance of a little kid.

“Kenna!” The door handle shook, then excited double knocking like he was playing the drums on the door. I couldn’t help but laugh and pulled the door open.

Instantly I felt underdressed and self-conscious. Puck wore fitted jeans and a light gray t-shirt, his hair was down, and his body relaxed. Were it not for the chain at his hip and the flash of silver rings on his fingers…I wouldn’t know the big guy was a biker at all.

Inconspicuous family man suited him.

Eli tossed himself at me, little arms wrapping around my thighs and squeezing tight. Then he spun back to Puck. “Ask her, Dad,ask her.”

Puck chuckled that soft, sexy rumbling sound I couldn’t get enough of. He was gentler with Eli, and his rough edges softened. And damn if I didn’t want to eat him up. “Want to grab some lunch and—”

“Go to the fair? Dad promised that if I learned how to write my whole name by myself that we’d go to the Fall Fest and I could ride every ride I wanted.” His excitement was so large that he couldn’t even let his dad get it all out.

An unexpected eagerness tightened my stomach. I hadn’t been to the Dry Valley Fall Fest in years. The lights, sounds, and janky carnival rides were one of my favorite things. Once, my mom had banged a carny just so she could take me.

I flinched at the thought, deciding I needed new memories of that place. Going with these two would be perfect.

They aren’t yours.

What was so wrong with wanting them to be?

I dropped to my knees, taking Eli’s hands in mine. At barely four, his fingers were already almost as long as mine. He’d end up as big as his dad. “I would love to go with you.”

His little face and blue-gray eyes lit up. “Yay!”

“On one condition.” I glanced up at Puck, who only raised a questioning eyebrow.

Eli went stone cold serious, waiting for me to explain myself.

---