Page 107 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

“Does it look like they walked in here announcing who they are to the world? No, so don’t use your crew as an excuse.”

Bennett let out a sound of frustration. I knew exactly where Ari got her blunt nature from. Her father. He might not have displayed it now, but he’d made no bones about telling me how it was when we did business together.

“Ari—”

“No, Dad. This is how it is. I’m with him. Deal with it.”

Bennett pursed his lips in annoyance at her cutting him off. Ari’s eyes, which matched her father’s, dared him to say another word. The two of them had a standoff, neither speaking, just glaring at each other, waiting to see who would break first.

Arlo moved around them and came over to me. I didn’t blame him for not wanting to get in between father and daughter. I wasn’t going to fight Ari’s battles for her. She was perfectly capable of doing that herself. It was one of the things I admired about her. She certainly fought me enough. It made it so much sweeter when she finally submitted.

“You do realise loud noises carry in this house,” Arlo hissed.

I gave him a smile.

“You insisted on me seeing her. Did you think I wasn’t going to play with my little pet after three days apart?”

He shook his head, giving me side-eyes. I didn’t give a shit if he heard me fucking Ari. I’d missed her. The moment I saw her face earlier, I had to have her against me. It was like I could finally breathe again and the only way I could feel alive was if I was inside her, reminding Ari of who she belonged to. Of what I was fighting for. Her. I would always fight for her because that fucking girl had gone and made me care about her. Made me want a life with her. I wanted to be her future. She was the most precious thing in the world to me. So no, I wasn’t going to apologise for it.

“Shame is not a word in your vocabulary.”

“Why would it be? Knowing how to satisfy a woman is my pleasure.” I raised an eyebrow. “Why isn’t it yours?”

“I’d tell you to shut up if I thought it would make a difference.”

“And I’d tell you to go find some female company instead of pining for someone you think you can’t have if I thought you’d listen.”

Arlo glared at me. I merely shrugged. I knew about his little lovesick puppy shit. As if he could ever hide it from me. As quiet and deadly as he may be, didn’t mean he could stop me from seeing right through him. We’d known each other since we were children. There were no secrets between us.

“He can stay,” Bennett finally said to Ari, even though he did not look happy about giving in to his daughter.

You and me both, Bennett. She’s a force to be reckoned with.

“Thank you,” Ari replied, looking relieved things hadn’t escalated further.

She looked over at me. I gave her a nod. She didn’t need my approval, but I had a feeling Ari needed reassurance from me. I would have her back. She didn’t need to worry about that.

“As I’m here, Bennett, we should talk,” I said, walking over to his dining table and taking a seat in a chair like I wasn’t an interloper in his house.

Turning my head, I watched Bennett’s expression sour and Ari give him a sharp look. He schooled his features and came around to sit across from me. Their house wasn’t big. He’d inherited it from his aunt when she died. Bennett had got into the drug trade at twenty-one when she got sick so he could keep a roof over their heads. His aunt had custody of him and Justin because of their parent’s neglect. I was aware of his circumstances because my father had checked into his background before agreeing to be his investor.

I looked back at Ari before patting my leg. Her eyes widened slightly and her cheeks went pink. She walked over and took a seat next to me, but not before leaning down and whispering in my ear, “I’m not sitting on your lap in front of my father. I would never hear the end of it.”

I kept a straight face, even though I wanted to smile. Bennett wouldn’t be impressed to discover his daughter called me daddy nor that I treated her like my little pet.

“Ari ain’t involved in man’s business,” Bennett said, giving his daughter a pointed stare.

I took a hold of Ari’s hand under the table, tugging it into my lap and lacing our fingers together.

“Let’s get one thing straight. Your daughter ismypartner and if I want her here for this conversation, she’s going to be here.”

Ari’s hand tightened in mine. I didn’t look at her, instead stared down her father who sat back and waved at me to continue.

“Give it to me then.”

I stroked my thumb down the back of Ari’s.

“Your deal with my father ends today.”

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