Page 64 of The Tangle of Awful

“She’s your daughter. How can you be so fucking callous?”

“She ruined my life,” he snarls, the humor long gone. “I barely make ends meet as it is, but she had to go and fuck with my job. You want to know who is harassing her? Could be anyone. Anyone, man. The girl couldn’t keep her legs closed since she came back home.”

“Don’t talk about her like that.” I grit my teeth together, swallowing down the rage. “Regardless of her sex life, she doesn’t deserve to be tormented. Think, Tony. Were there any disgruntled exes? Anyone who would travel all the way up here and seek revenge on her?”

“Like I said, it could be anyone. Maybe it’s my boss’s wife. Maybe she wants Aubrey to know she ruined her life too.” He huffs. “I don’t know, but I’ve got to get back to work. Have fun keeping a leash on her. She’s wild and it’ll only be a matter of time before she’s wrecking your life too.”

He hangs up without another word.

Asshole.

I rise from my desk and toss the phone on top of it before striding toward my closed door. Opening it, I dart my attention to Karla’s desk where Aubrey is. There’s no indication that she was crying and upset like she was yesterday afternoon. No, today she’s perfectly put together in a black knee-length pencil skirt and tucked in white top. Her blond hair is in shiny waves, catching each glint of light and illuminating like spun gold.

How that motherfucker can be so cruel is beyond me.

“Aubrey,” I bark out. “My office, please.”

She jerks her head my way, a frown tugging at her pink glossy lips. Karla’s brow lifts at my abrupt tone and she smirks.

I want to tell her she’s not in trouble, but that’s not true. Her life is messy just like mine is right now. We’re all in trouble.

Aubrey stands up and smooths out her skirt with her palms. I dart my gaze down the silky material that clings to her pert breasts. I’ve seen those breasts naked and jiggling as she sucked my cock down her tight throat.

My dick thickens uncomfortably in my slacks. Since I don’t want Karla to see my raging erection, I pivot on my heels and stride back into my office. A few seconds later, I can sense Aubrey’s presence by the way the hair on my arms prickles up and then her sweet perfumed scent finds its way to me, flooding my nostrils and filling my lungs.

The door clicks shut, sealing us inside. I’m not sure why I’ve called her in here, only that I needed to see her. To offer the comfort I’m craving to give her. To show her fatherly love since her own goddamned father won’t.

When I turn back around, she’s standing in front of the closed door, frowning at me. Fear glints in her eyes. Is she afraid I’ll kick her out and turn on her too? People have a habit of doing that to her.

“Lock the door.” My order is gruff and laced with the need thrumming through me. “Please, Love.”

She visibly relaxes at the endearment and nods. The click of the lock is like a gift of permission. Permission of what?

“We’ll find who did this to you,” I assure her, taking several long strides toward her. “I’ll ruin them.”

Her long lashes bat against her cheeks as she stares up at me. I’ve invaded her space, so near to her that I can feel the brush of her breasts against my suit jacket. My dick has fully awoken, straining against my pants, desperate for more of her lovely mouth.

To keep from putting my mouth on her slender, soft neck, I lift my hand and grip it instead. Firm but gentle. It feels as though I’m claiming her as mine. She is mine. My stepdaughter.

Her tongue flicks out and she runs it along her bottom lip, heat flaring in her gaze. “What are you doing?”

“Comforting you,” I rumble, stroking my thumb along her flesh. “Apologizing.”

“Apologizing for what?” she murmurs.

“For leading you on and then avoiding you. Had I acted like a real man and taken you home myself, you wouldn’t have had to deal with that shit on your own.”

Her eyebrows furl together. “I had Spencer.”

My son’s name on her lips chases off the rest of my sanity. I don’t think or obsess or analyze. All I do is lean forward and take. I take a kiss that doesn’t belong to me. I steal it.

She tastes minty like she’s been sucking on a peppermint. I want to nibble on her tongue and lips for hours, discovering new ways to make her whimper. As though tuned into my thoughts, she groans against my mouth. The sound is fucking beautiful and gasoline to the fire raging inside me. I slide a palm to her ass, squeezing it hard.

“Ow,” she yelps. “Fuck.”

I pull back so I can look her in the eyes. “Did I hurt you?”

Her face burns bright red. “Uh, no. It’s nothing.”

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