AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He recoils. “I’m fine. I got a bit lightheaded, but I’m feeling great now.”
“And you conveniently came to the rescue?” I glare at my neighbor.
“I was coming back from the gym. Just happened to be there.” Dominic raises his arms in surrender.
Gym? Sure.Warren wouldn’t like you calling her a workout. Why do I care?
“That must have been a strenuous day for you.” My snarl falls flat as neither of them understand I know Patagonia is not a researcher, and that I saw Dominic at Gio’s club.
Morning sex, mid-morning sex and the gym. Maybe I’m a little jealous he’s getting laid while I’ve been burning up the batteries of my vibrator.
“Lo, darling, what’s up?” Dad squeezes my hand as I glare across the table. “It’s not like I let a stranger into your house.”
“You don’t know him.” Not sure why I’m arguing that point, but the last person I want polluting my personal space is my neighbor. It’s enough that my privacy is currently non-existent.
“You danced with him at the fundraiser.” Dad looks at me like I’ve just insisted the Earth is flat. He’s not wrong, wondering about my absurdly irritated reaction. I should be concerned, but I’m too busy trying to shoot lasers at Dominic with my eyes.
“I can go. I don’t want to intrude.” Dominic’s words might sound like an innocent suggestion, but the challenge is written all over his face. He’s taunting me. Not a chance.
“Nonsense.” I give him a smile worth a medal for the best performance in pretending. “I’m sure Dad is winning.” I pat my father’s shoulder and he chuckles.
“Not by any stretch, but that can change.” Dad frowns at the chess pieces in front of him.
Dominic gives me that cocky grin, and while my father’s attention is on the chessboard, he continues attacking me with his gaze. Languidly, his eyes burn a trail down my skin, and to my dismay my core clenches. I fuckingclench. Involuntarily, but still.
I’m a hundred percent sure his interest isn’t sexual. He gets off on riling me up. And God help me, he’s succeeding. As my body tingles with the need for his attention, my mind is on the opposite side of the spectrum.
Dominic returns his focus to the game, and my father leans back and winces. He should be in bed, resting.
Madeleine’s emaciated face on the large pillow flashes in my mind’s eye. When she could still speak, she told me how much she missed dancing. She had stopped to hopefully recover some of her body’s ability, but in the end, she’d have preferred losing her battle while dancing.
I need to give my dad all the joys he can still experience. Even if one of them is a chess game with my neighbor.
I storm out of the kitchen and shut my bedroom door with a bang. I hear muffled voices, but I can’t make out what the two of them are saying. The hushed conversation is followed by laughter.
I’m not a sensitive person, but at this moment I feel like a complete outsider. In. My. Own. Home.
Channeling my frustration into work, I call Finn van den Linden. He avoided me successfully at the fundraiser and I’m prepared to leave him yet another message, but he shocks me when he answers.
“London Lowe, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Really, Finn? I’ve been trying to reschedule our meeting for weeks now.” I pace my room, half of my attention outside the walls where my dad is betraying me.
“Look, London, I admire your dedication to the research and care for those who need it and I support it, but the research project isn’t an investment I want to pursue. It’s too risky. Really a donation I’m not ready to make.”
“Finn, they have government support already. A public-private partnership could see the research progress faster.”
“Now, while the government involvement may suggest the risk is lower, faster doesn’t mean there will be something to bring to market.”
“New treatment,” I snap.
“Or not. Decades of research could easily come to nothing. That’s not where my business interests lie, but good luck.” He hangs up.
If I had known how today would go, I would have never gotten out of bed this morning. Before I can try another desperate begging mission—because my fundraising efforts sometimes feel like that—another round of laughter rings out from the kitchen.
I march out to see what’s so damn funny. Dominic is at the door to the guest room.Myguest room. Okay, technically, it’s Dad’s room now, but still.Make yourself at home, asshole.
“Are you leaving?” Finally.
