Page 17 of Big Bad Wolf

“We can stay here as long as you want.”

ChapterTwelve

“Little girl, it is 3:00 a.m. Where have you been?” My father’s voice greets me in the foyer. Next to him, Donna looks out of her mind with worry. Besides her, a pajama-clad Sybil eats a bowl of cereal with a guilty look on her face. I guess I don’t have to ask who let my parents into my apartment.

I quickly look behind me and see Vasily pull away from the curb, satisfied that I’ve made it inside. Part of me wants to run after his car and beg him to take me back to Brooklyn, but the other part needs to face the music. There’s no way my father dropped by my apartment in the middle of the night over a curfew I don’t have.

He’s here because he knows.

“I had a date. Why are you here so late?” I hiss, then turn to Sybil, my brows furrowing with curiosity. She has a key for emergency purposes, but I’m not sure this counts. “And what are you doing here?”

“I told you I was coming over tonight. Tasha had a date, and I didn’t want to hang around in case they decided to get busy,” Sybil explains, then shrinks, embarrassed she’s said too much in front of my father. Her cheeks pinken, and she mouths the wordsorry. Nothing she says sounds familiar, but I’ll admit my head has been in the clouds for the past week.

Frustrated by the interruption and eager to hit the sack, I march past my parents and stomp toward the kitchen for a glass of water. Spending hours kissing a devastatingly handsome man has left me parched, and I’ll need to hydrate if I’m going to get through this sneak attack.

“You haven’t answered me, Scarlett. Where were you, and who were you with?” My father follows me into the kitchen, shouting at the top of his lungs. I hold a finger to my lips to shush him, afraid his bellowing might wake the sweet elderly woman who lives next door.

“For heaven’s sake, Lorenzo. She just told you she was on a date. I don’t know why you’re so angry. She’s a young woman who needs a social life,” Donna scolds my father, tightening her robe and obviously pissed he dragged her out of bed.

She approaches me and uses her finger to brush the hair off my face. “Did you meet a nice boy, sweetheart? Is this the same one you were texting with last night?”

“What boy? Why are you holding out on me?” Sybil shouts from the other room, curious enough to listen but still far enough away not to get caught up in my father’s inquisition.

I don’t need an audience or a future lecture from Sybil after I confess I spent the last five hours doing things I’ve only seen in dirty movies. Although some of it was pure improvisation.

“If you already know where I was, why are you asking me?” I meet my father’s glare and keep my head up, refusing to back down so soon.

He expects me to play the good daughter, and until now, I’ve always done what was expected. Not that he ever noticed. If it hadn’t been for Donna, I might have lived every day of the year at boarding school. She was the one who drove upstate to pick me up before Christmas, during Spring Break, and at the start of summer vacation. My father could never be bothered.

“Have you lost your mind, Scarlett? My men saw you leave tonight with Vasily Volkov. Do you have any idea who his father is? Do you have the tiniest inkling of how much you’ve jeopardized my reputation and campaign? There are two weeks until election day, and the ballots are already open. What if someone else saw you?” My father unleashes a tirade, his arms flailing, and casting spittle left and right as he loses his mind.

I’m not surprised he wasn’t concerned for my safety. He only cares about maintaining his power and reaping the financial benefits.

“Sweetheart, Vasily is a dangerous man. What are you doing with him? Where on earth did you meet him?” Donna rushes back to my side and holds my hand in hers, her eyes shifting up and down, scanning my exposed skin for any possible injuries. “Is he nice to you?”

“Donna! Don’t encourage her. Vasily is just like his father. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They’re killers. Criminals. And the only reason he’s pursuing Scarlett is to get to me. Why else would he chase her? Those men date supermodels, not political aides,” my father casually insults me, ignoring Donna’s gasp and the shocked expression on my face.

“Lorenzo Antonio Rossi, you apologize this instant!” Donna charges at my father, her finger wagging a mile a minute. “Scarlett is the most beautiful woman in Manhattan. No, strike that. She’s the most beautiful woman in all five boroughs. Any man would slay a dragon for my girl. She’s smart, sophisticated, educated, and absolutely gorgeous. I wish I’d looked half as good as her at her age, and I had to beat men off with a stick. Of course, this Russian is crazy about her. Who in their right mind wouldn’t be?” Donna yells in my father’s face and stabs her finger so hard into his chest that he nearly tumbles to the ground.

Embarrassed, my dad backs up and tries to explain. “I didn’t mean she’s unattractive. I just meant she doesn’t present herself in a sexy fashion. Which is the way she was brought up. Mobsters like bad girls, and my Scarlett is a good girl.”

Good girl? I close my eyes and picture Vasily’s massive cock sliding in and out of my mouth, my attempts to take it all, choking and gagging until he practically drowned me in cum.What kind of good girl is that?

“Save it, mister. You’re in a world of trouble right now. The only thing you need to concern yourself with is her safety. Not your damn reputation.” Donna continues to lay into my dad while Sybil and I share a glass of ice-cold water, waiting with wide eyes to see who will win.

My money is on Donna.

My father turns to me with a sober expression. “I don’t mean to make you feel bad, Scarlett. You know you’re lovely. And no doubt, this man finds you very attractive. But Boris Volkov spent years trying to sway my allegiance away from La Cosa Nostra to his bratva. He discontinued all attempts when he and Dante made peace, but Boris is retiring, and Vasily will take over. I have a feeling he wants to finish what his father started.” My father’s words leave me speechless, and they slowly sink into my heart. Maybe he’s right. When something feels too good to be true, it typically turns out to be a sham.

Are Vas and I just a sham? Did I almost hand my V-card to a man who is only using me to acquire my father’s favor?

“Can you please leave? I’d like to sleep now.” I bite my quivering lip and drop my gaze to the floor, hoping to keep my tears from making an awkward appearance.

Everything makes sense now.

Men don’t fall in love overnight. He can have any woman he wants. He’s beautiful, ripped, and rich. I’m a short political aide with red hair, a big behind, and too many freckles. Once he learns my father isn’t interested in joining forces with him, I doubt I’ll ever see him again.

“You can’t stay here, Scarlett. Who knows how many people saw you with Vasily. I can’t take any chances that you’ll be photographed together or that someone will catch him coming in and out of your apartment. I’d like you to go to Rye for the next few weeks. At least until after the election.” My father always thinks of himself first. “I mean for your safety.”

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