Page 89 of Devious Temptation
“Lucy!” I pound on the wood, partially hoping her parents aren’t home, while also not giving a fuck because they should know what their daughter has been up to.
My fucking dad.
“Lucy!” I shout again, even as I hear heavy footsteps approaching.
The door swings open, and Liam steps onto the porch, clearly angry with me. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I want to talk to Lucy.” I point behind him, sniffling from the remnants of my pitiful meltdown.
“Well, that’s too fucking bad. You probably shouldn’t have left her a voicemail calling her a fucking slut then.” He crosses his arms with a glare, forcing me to retreat a few steps.
“Lucy!” I try to move around Liam, but he pushes me back.
“Are you fucking serious, Rhys? Go home.”
Lucy’s red-rimmed eyes appear around her brother, and seeing her breaks my heart all over again. It’s like she personally reaches into my chest cavity and tears the still-beating organ straight from my body.
“How could you?” My voice cracks like I just hit puberty while my fucking traitorous eyes fill with tears again.
Her brows draw together with empathy as she comes toward me. “Rhys—” Her voice is soft and pleading.
For forgiveness? Acceptance? My fucking blessing? I don’t know.
“Don’t.” I begin to pace on her lawn. “It didn’t matterthat you were seeing someone, Lucy. I was happy to have you back in my life as a friend, but this?” I stop and face her again, stepping into her space. Liam tenses, ready to step between us if he needs to. “How could you do this? He’s myfather!”
“I know!” Tears line her thick lashes before they stream down her cheeks. “Rhys, I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that we hurt you, but I love?—”
“Don’t. You. Dare. Fucking say it.” My voice drops to a growl as my fists clench.
This time, Liam does move between us, as if he actually believes I’d ever lay a hand on her.
“Okay, that’s enough. Rhys, go home. If Lucy wants to talk to you later when you’ve calmed down?—”
“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down!” I shout in his face, pushing him away from me. “How would you feel if you found outyourex, someone you still had feelings for, was fuckingyourdad?”
Liam doesn’t say anything as Lucy’s sobbing increases. “Rhys, I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want your fucking apologies!” I try to get around her brother, to get in her face and rage against her with my words until I feel like she truly understands the depths of what I’m feeling.
Liam’s hand shoots out to block me, and I blindly swing at him, missing as he rears back before slamming his fist across my face, just like I did to my dad earlier.
“Liam!” Lucy shouts as I stagger back from the force of his blow.
She rushes toward me, but I hold up a hand to stop heras the other massages my jaw. I muster up as much disgust as possible so she hears the depth of my ire.
“I’m so fucking done with you. You and my dad deserve each other.”
Neither of them says anything as I get back into my truck and leave, headed toward town for the nearest bar to get as shitfaced as possible.
Welcome the fuck home.
Staggering into the house,drunker than I should be considering I drove, I’m relieved to see it’s dark and no one else is here.
No River for me to make a bad impression on.
And no fuckingDad.
I stand silently in the foyer, peering around at my childhood home and thinking of all the places he probably fucked Lucy.
