Page 17 of Indebted

I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

Justin’s eyes narrowed.

My smile grew. Did I get a bit of satisfaction that he had to suffer while I suffered? Yes, yes I did. I never claimed to be a saint. And really, forcing me to use this software was just mean.

I lifted my hand to give him a cheeky finger wave when the reporter turned around.

Shit.

“Who’s this?”

I shrank back in my seat, but it did no good as he got up and stared down at me. Over his shoulder Justin had risen, arms crossed, a smirk firmly in place.

It was my turn to glower.

It only made his lips curl more.

“And you are?” the reporter extended his hand.

Reluctantly, I shook it. “Katie Malone.”

The reporter’s eyes widened. “Malone?” He whirled on Justin. “Joyce’s daughter?”

All light left Justin’s eyes, the playfulness that had been there moments ago, gone.

His nod was stiff, but before he could say anything, the reporter had latched his claws back into me. “The world-renowned surgeon hires his own daughter to work at his clinic? This is going to be perfect for evoking sympathy from the readers. It shows you’re a family man. That really draws a crowd.”

I bit my tongue. I didn’t appreciate being referred to as a PR stunt and by the murderous expression on Justin’s face, he didn’t either.

“That’s not what this article is about,” Justin’s voice had gone flat.

The reporter had no idea of the intimidating man behind him as he continued to badger me. “Is this a dream come true? Are you going to follow in your father’s footsteps like he followed in his father’s? Tell me, what’s it like working with your father?”

I should’ve been grateful to this reporter, he was shoving perspective back into my face. Justin was a father figure and should remain as such in my mind. Thinking of him as more was wrong. Taboo. Forbidden.

If this man knew half the things I thought of while being in the same room as Justin Kingston, he’d probably grow more famous than he already was.

“She’s not my daughter,” Justin beat me to the punchline.

“But you raised her.”

Now it was my turn. “No, he didn’t.”

The reporter frowned. “But you lived together.”

The words put inappropriate thoughts in my head.

“No, we didn’t.” Justin growled, our eyes meeting over the reporter’s shoulder.

I couldn’t imagine living with Justin, his presence saturating every room, lying awake at night to dark fantasies of him creeping into my room to do unspeakable acts…

Heat unfurled in my gut. “Didn’t you have questions for Dr. Kingston?” I needed the topic to change and a glass of cold water.

The reporter scrutinized me long enough to make me sweat.

I didn’t know if he was suspicious by nature, but I didn’t like the way he glanced between me and Justin.

I refrained from wringing my hands together nervously. I had nothing to hide, thoughts were not a crime and there was no way I’d act on these impulses.