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I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "No shit," I say under my breath.
"What did you say?"
I cough. "I meant, you’re right...”Daddy.
His shoulders go solid. The planes of his chest seem to freeze. His dark eyes seem to darken even more, until they become black holes.
"What did you call me?"
My gaze widens. Good God I didn’t say that aloud. IknowI didn’t. But he must have heard what I implied. And he doesn’t seem upset about it. Disturbed, maybe. Turned on, definitely. But he seems more surprised by it than anything else.
"Lena." He lowers his voice to a hush and little slivers of delight pierce my skin. This is so wrong. So very wrong.
"Tread carefully, little girl, you are in dangerous territory," he says in that same thick voice.
My core clenches and I glance away. "I’m sorry," I mutter. And I am.
I don’t understand why I feel the need to constantly provoke him. Must have something to do with that tightly held control of his. It tempts me to chip away at it and expose the emotions that bubble underneath. I brush past him, and to my relief, he doesn’t stop me. Andy gets restive and I bring him up against my chest. "I’ll get you in there, little buddy. Are you missing your little play partner, hmm?"
I step onto the deck and past the men engaged in discussion. I walk inside the house, and the warmth instantly envelops me. I hurry over to the couch where the little girl bawls in her mother’s arms. "Here you are."
Andy jumps out of my arms and onto the couch. He brushes up against the girl who instantly stops crying. "A… Andy," she sniffles.
"Oh, I’m glad you found him." Her mother sighs in relief. "I thought, for sure, I’d have to send her father in search of the cat."
"I saw him wander off into the undergrowth from upstairs, so I went after him." I smile down at the girl who’s rubbing her palm over the cat’s forehead.
“I appreciate that.” She holds out her hand. "I’m Elsa, by the way."
"Lena." I grip her slender fingers.
"And I’m Sebastian," the man towering over the two of them says.
"Pleased to meet both of you." I release Elsa’s hand and take a step back. "I guess I’ll leave you to it."
"What nonsense." Elsa rises to her feet. "You should stay and enjoy the rest of the party."
"Ah, no. I mean, thank you, but no. I mean, it’s a work day tomorrow, and my boss insists on an early start."
"Your boss also insists that you stay for a while longer," JJ drawls from somewhere above and behind me.
I stiffen. "Thank you, but no thank you," I say politely. "This is your party."
"And I invited the two of you." He steps closer. "Isaac already broke his word and left the party." He lowers his voice so no one else except me can hear it, "I trust you won’t do the same."
I swallow. "And if I do, I’m sure you’ll say that our deal is off."
"You said it, not me."
I shoot him a sideways glance. "Don’t worry, it won’t come to that. I’m here now, aren’t I? Also, for the record, you don’t have to resort to threats every time. If this is how you brought up your son, then it’s no wonder he hates you."
He draws in a sharp breath. Anger vibrates off of him. His already tense muscles seem to coil further. Shit, I guess I hurt him. Shit, shit, shit. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—"
"You did, and I deserve it."
"Eh?" I glance up at him.
"I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have someone else at home. Forgotten that when you have friends and family, you can ask them for things you wouldn’t normally ask of another, so I ask you now, girl, will you stay and have a drink with me?"
