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I choke on my goddamn tongue.

“I’d thank you for delivering me here safely but then you might think I want to suck your dick. And the only dick I suck—”

“Is a pussy?”

“—can actually last longer than thirty seconds of dry humping.”

“You came just as fast,” I point out, even though her stimulation wasn’t dry at all.

She holds up a hand to stop me. “Let’s get this shitshow over with, shall we?”

With that, Kota heads into the dining room.

Well, that was a headfuck. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy at least some of it. Kota’s fun to rile up. It gets the blood pumping…everywhere.

I release a long, choppy breath before joining the fam.

At the head of the table sits Sera, with my dad on her right, the two of them too busy gazing into each other’s eyes to notice our entrance.

Kota settles into the chair on her mom’s left, and I take the one next to my dad.

Finally, the parents acknowledge our presence, one more than the other.

Sera gives her daughter’s appearance a long inspection.

“Where’s the rest of your dress?”

Out of the corner of my eye, my dad looks Kota over, his gaze lingering on her chest. There’s no way that girl’s wearing a bra. None.

I ram my elbow into his, earning myself a glower.

While I’m busy complaining to him about the ridiculous amount of utensils at each setting, drawing his attention to those instead, I miss Kota’s response. If I had to guess, I’d say it was another apology.

“When you kept us waiting, I assumed it was because you were putting on a whole dress.”

Damn. This really is a shitshow. And it’s only just begun.

Unfolding her napkin, Kota tells her mom, “I would’ve been here sooner had I not gotten lost looking for the dining room.” She stops to scan the room. “Is this new?”

That was bitchy. Personally, I’m a fan.

But Sera? She narrows her eyes at her daughter like she’s a bug she’d like to squish. It’s only for a moment before she recovers enough to say, “Well, then I guess it’s a good thing you had an escort.”

“Mm,” my dad agrees with a single nod like a dog mesmerized by a steak.

The fuck is this? Did he give Sera his balls in exchange for her last name?

“Yes, assigning a total stranger to guide me around my own house was a very good thing. Very normal, too.”

Stepmom’s laugh is as forced as this get-together. “Khaos is not a stranger. He’s family.”

“I don’t know him, therefore he is a stranger.”

“And how do you expect to get to know him if you keep up that attitude, young lady?”

“I don’t expect to.”

A little rude to say that in front of me but I don’t react since I feel the same way. Mostly.