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Oh shit.
I freeze and Leo stiffens, pulling back slowly and collectively as our gazes swing towards my father’s angry, fuming face.
“I’m waiting for answers.”
Leo turns to me with an apologetic look as he sets me on my feet, putting his body in between me and my father. “Sophie, I need to talk to Ryan. Alone.”
I shake my head. “No, we should do this together. A team, remember?” My body is trembling because it knows something I don’t know.
“Not this time.” Leo looks upset. But that’s doing nothing to help cool my anger.
“So your words and your promises were just bullshit?” I step back and he yanks me forward, flush against his broad chest.
“It wasn’tbullshit. But you need to go so I can handle this. Please.”
Fine. I shake my head and skirt around the disappointed look on Dad’s face before running up to my room and slamming my door as tears roll down my cheeks.
Now what?
8
LEO
My oldest andbest friend is staring at me like I’m some kind of fuck up now. It’s clear I broke the unspoken rule of brotherhood but hell, Sophie is mine and she’s always been mine.
“I trusted you, Leo,” Ryan says bitterly. “Trusted you with my daughter and this is how you repay me—by fucking her? No wonder you wanted to stay back tokeep aneyeon her.” His gaze veers right in disgust.
I step forward and get in his face, making sure the bastard remembers who I am. “Take it back, Ryan.”
“Fuck you, Leo.”
In seconds, my hand wraps around my best friend’s throat as his back shoves up against the kitchen wall. “Don’t you fucking dare diminish what’s happening between me and Sophie.”
“She’s my daughter,” he chokes out.
I laugh bitterly and apply a hint of pressure to his throat. “Good of you to fucking remember now that she’s a woman. Where have you been for the past eighteen years, huh? If not for me, the poor girl would’ve starved to death or worse, been taken by our enemies. Remember that, fool.”
Ryan struggles against my hold but I’m stronger by far and apply a bit more pressure instead, reminding him of that fact alone. “Okay, okay, yeah I was a shit father. Doesn’t mean what you’re doin’ is okay, asshole.”
“Maybe not,” I grit with a shrug. “She might be yours biologically but she was always mine to protect. Period.”
“She’s too damn young. What the fuck does she know about love?”
“Enough,” I growl. “This is happening, Ryan. You’re my oldest friend in the fucking world and I love you like a brother, but this? Me and Sophie? It’s happening. It’s done. You can either get on board and can get the fuck out.”
His eyes widen. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I told you I love the girl. You think I’d risk this, risk a lifetime of friendship for anything less?”
“I can’t let you do this.”
My grip loosens and I step back. “You can’t stop me.”
I see what happening before it unfolds. Ryan’s hand squeezes into a fist and his upper body torques as his hand lands on my left jaw. It’s not much of a hit but I damn well earned it.
“Fuck!” he shouts, practically cowering in anticipation of my response.
“I deserved that,” I snarl, holding still before I do something I’ll regret. “I should’ve talked to you before things went too far and for that, I’m sorry.”
