Page 47 of The Scandal You Started
With one final press of her thumb, Rayna stretched over and placed the device on the bedside cabinet. She returned to her position on her back with a rustling wriggle.
“What is it?” she said, her bottomless eyes illuminated by the lamplight to his back. “Why have you been staring at me like I kicked your puppy?”
“Is there something you wish to tell me?”
Her eyes darted away before crinkling in confusion. “No? Is there something I was supposed to tell you?”
He untangled his crossed arms in a burst of outrage. “Victor Johnson,” he accused. “I have asked you on many occasions who he was to you, yet every time you brushed me off. I had to discover from George that he was your adoptive father.Your father. Why did you fail to inform me of this?”
Her brows eased up, casting a wary blankness over her features. “Why does it matter that I didn’t tell you?”
Why…does it matter?Why does it matter? Had this damned woman just asked him why it mattered? Was she bloody serious?
Had she forgotten how he’d strangled her then rutted like a shameless animal with the hopes of bedding her, while her father watched from the other side of a glass screen?
Her father!
To make matters worse, Dominic had then proceeded to insult Victor when he’d only been worried about his daughter, having assumed they were lovers. Then he’d cornered Rayna into being his Guardian against Victor’s wishes. Oh, and he’d insulted George—his son—too.
Had another man done to one of his sisters what he had done to Rayna, Dominic would have severed the man’s head from his body in the slowest, most painful way possible.
“Of course it matters,” he rumbled. “Have you forgotten how atrociously I behaved in that room? Had I known he was your father, I would never have offended him in nearly every way humanly possible, and then neglected to apologise profusely.”
“You shouldn’t have offended him anyway, whether you knew he was my father or not. You can’t treat someone better or worse based on what their relationship to someone else is.”
The line of frustration between his brows deepened. “You are being purposely obtuse to what I am saying, Rayna.” Her own frown pinched tighter, but he stormed on ahead. “Yes, my behaviour to him regardless was inexcusable. But no father ought to be forced to watch his daughter being harassed only to then himself battle with the same man. Had I known sooner who he was, I would have earnestly apologised for what I subjected you to.”
Rayna lifted her head higher on her pillow with an angry jerk. “ConsideringI’mthe one who you actually harassed, Dominic, I don’t see why you think it’s more important to apologise to V just because he’s my dad. Apologise to him for how you treated him. But to apologise to him because of something you did tomemakes no fucking sense.”
Guilt wormed its way through his stomach, causing him to fumble over his words. “That is not—I would not dare apologise to him without apologising to you. Ihaveapologised to you.Neither am I saying he deserves an apologymorethan you, Rayna, but he is your father—”
“Dominic,” she interrupted, but her glare had waned. “I understand that to you insulting a woman is the same as insulting her male relatives—”
“That is not the reason I wish to apologise.”
“Then wha—”
“Dammit, woman, would you just listen?”
Rayna clapped her lips together, but a storm of insults rolled around in her narrowed stare.
Dominic let out a calming exhale and tried again. “I made a terrible first impression on Victor. I wish to rectify that, because I do not want him to think that I could ever truly bring you harm.”
She sighed and shook her head. “He doesn’t. You wouldn’t be here with me if he did.”
Dominic nearly threw himself onto his back and yanked at his hair with a frustrated growl.
Damn it, why didn’t she understand that it wasn’t about that?
Victor was her father. Dominic had to make amends with him immediately so that Victor didn’t think badly of him. Because if Victor didn’t like Dominic being around Rayna, if herfatherdidn’t approve of him, how was he—how could he—what if Rayna decided she didn’t wish to be around him either as a result?
Having Victor’s favour was crucial if Dominic wanted to...to…to…
To what?
To court her? And for what? Marriage?
A woman he hadn’t even known for more than a week? Who, as beautiful and delightful as she was, was also maddening and so unlike him in her thoughts. Not that it could be deemed afault, but it showed how different of a world she’d grown up in from his.
