Page 76 of More, Daddy
Her behavior nearly throws me off my axis, the juxtaposition of her soft grip in this fiery moment.
I saidnearly.
“Why?” I shout, asking again as Briar bends one of her legs, placing her heeled foot flush against the wall, using her knee to nudge my groin. I step back, extending my arm so as to not lose my grip on her throat.
I give her a warning glance as she attempts a wobbly smile. “Because I’m in love with you, and I have been since last year and I knew you’d never look at me as an option because you don’t like dating younger women and–”
“How do you know that?” I press, and yes, Briar just told me she’s in love with me, and trust me, I’ll get to that. But one goddamn crisis at a time. Briar has no reason for knowing my dating criteria. No reasonable explanation, at least.
She rolls her lips together, giving me another smile, this time one that falters a little. In my periphery, I notice the white lingerie covering what Iknowis a fucking gorgeous body. Young, supple, soft, and sweet—I’ve got no doubt that Briar would blow me away in her lingerie.
Not the fucking point.
I amnotattracted to younger women.
Ignoring the lingerie and the disarming look storming her eyes, I sink my fingertips into her throat just a bit deeper, my cock thickening as her pulse grows ragged against my grip.
She nods, and I release weight from my hold, allowing her to speak.
“I just needed you to fall in love with me,” she finally says, her tone hoarse, but not from my hand. I can see for the first time as she blinks up at me that Briar believed in her plan, and wasn’t prepared to face me this way. “I thought… once you fell in love with me, it wouldn’t matter who I am physically, because love is love.”
“Love is love?” I repeat with a lilt to my lips. “You cannot be that fucking naive, Briar. Honestly.”
She looks up at me, lips parted, eyes wide as she tips her shoulders back, letting her coat fall to the floor. I still don’t look, but I make mention of her outfit.
“Trying to seduce me?” I deserve an award, because if her body is even half as seductive as her eyes… “What was your plan? Once I saw it was you?” I bend down and collect her coat, letting it hang from my pointer finger. “Did you think you were gonna drop this coat and melt my brain?” I step closer, ignoring the cherry and vanilla scent radiating off her in heated, tantalizing waves. “You think I’ve never seen a gorgeous woman in lingerie before? What was the plan? Keep the lights off, seduce me, then what, blackmail me?” I toss the coat behind me because she refuses to take it. Her eyes follow her garment, then come back to me, this time a rumple of confusion between her manicured brows.
I shouldn’t know her brows are manicured, because I shouldn’t be this fucking close to a goddamn teenager.
“Blackmail you? I wouldn’t blackmail you. Iloveyou.”
I ignore that sentiment for a second time, and release her throat, letting my hand slide around her neck to the back of her head. I fill my fist with her silken hair, and jerk her back, a simple reminder that this isn’t foreplay.
“What was your fucking plan?” As I ask, she reaches out, and tries to grab my chest, but I grab her by the wrist before she can.
“Please,” she whimpers, devoid of fight. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I lied. It’s just… I love you.” She hisses as I jerk her head further back, reacting to those ridiculous three words she keeps tossing at me.
I stay quiet, forcing her admission.
“I know you love me, West. I know you do. So I wanted you to have my body, and then you’d be so far gone that who I actually am wouldn’t matter.”
The shout rockets out of my belly, up my throat before I can stop myself. “It matters, Briar! It fucking matters!”
“Wh-why?” she whimpers, pulling her bottom lip under her teeth, wincing through the pain likely traveling around her hairline. I let go of her hair when I realize how angry I am. I want to hurt her, but not like this.
She reaches up, smoothing fingers over her head where I was holding her, rubbing at the base of her skull and back of her neck. I almost want to make sure she’s okay. To fall into my natural role of daddy taking care of his girl.
But all of that—it’s all been fake. A lie. A ruse she’s gone along with because she’s some crazy, obsessed teenager who gets off on messing with grown men.
DaddysGirlisn’t real, even if Briar is.
I step back, away from her, and don’t stop until I bump into my couch. There’s about ten feet between us, but it’s suddenly hard to breathe, and my vision threatens to close in around me. Gripping the back of the couch, I walk my way around it, and take a seat, focused on her the whole time.
I don’t know what to say, and I thank God in heaven that I never said those three words. I never told her that she’s right about me feeling it. I glance at my fireplace, empty but for ash, then look back at Briar.
I could ask her if any of it was real. I could. But what does it matter? Everything was built on a lie, and that feels all too fucking familiar.
“Delete the fake Cadence Caine Instagram profile. Tonight.” I swipe a hand down my face, trying desperately to calibrate to this new life. A few days ago, I was in love, and had met my kinky counterpart. Tonight, I’m a fool, and I have nothing.
