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“Bill,” I warned. “Calm down.”
“Don’t you dare tell me to calm down.” He took a step forward and snarled in my face. “Get your fucking hand off my daughter!”
I released her and held my hands at my side, straining to keep my composure. I didn’t want to have this altercation with Bill, but it looked like there was no way to avoid it. “Let’s be civil about this.”
“You want civil?” He sneered at me. “Tell me I’m imagining this. Tell me this little scenario”—he swirled his finger between us—“is an innocent misunderstanding. Tell me you aren’t a selfish asshole who would flush a twenty-year friendship down the toilet over a hot, young piece of ass.”
My eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth. That’s your daughter you are talking about. She deserves to be treated with respect.”
“Respect? You’re going to talk to me about respect?” His face grew redder.
“She’s an adult. If you will just calm down, I’ll explain.”
“That’s right. She’s my daughter.” He gripped the lapels of my jacket, and his eyes bulged. “Did you fuck my daughter?”
“I love her!” I roared back.
“You son of a bitch.” He reared his arm back and drove his fist into my face. I stumbled back, hearing Amber cry out. “You took advantage of my daughter?” He dove at me, tackling me to the ground. “I will kill you!” He threw another punch, and I instinctively raised my arm, blocking it.
“Dad. Stop it! I love him.”
Getting some leverage, I pushed him off me and swiped at my mouth.
“Amber,” Bill hissed between clenched teeth, balancing in a crouched position. “He’s old enough to be your father. He knows fucking better than to take advantage of you. You’re barely an adult.” He lunged at me again, and I was ready, gripping him by the shoulders and taking him down to the floor.
Bill and I were about the same size, but he’d slacked off on workouts for the past few years. Gotten too comfortable in his lifestyle. Physically, I could take him down if I wanted, but I didn’t want to hurt him. I knew he was already struggling to come to terms with this news. And probably wouldn’t come around on the notion any time soon. Perhaps he would never come around this. On us.
“Bill, I don’t want to hurt you. If you’ll just listen…”
“Fuck you, you piece of shit.” He kicked me in the knee, and my leg buckled, causing me to lose my footing. Then he slammed his knuckles into my jaw and shoved me onto my back. He closed in on me and drew his arm back.
“No, Dad. No!” Amber threw her arms around his, hanging on for dear life.
“This doesn’t concern you,” he said in an ugly voice with nostrils flared. “Now, get the hell out of the way.”
“No. You listen to me, please. You can’t discount my feelings. It’s not completely his fault. I wanted him, too. I’m a grown woman, and I love him. Can’t you please, for once, try to understand what I want?”
“Whatyouwant? You have no idea what you want. You’ve never made a sound decision in your life.”
My fist clenched, and Amber looked like she was about to cry. Her chin wavered, and her eyes were glassy. “At least I’m finally seeing who you really are, Father.”
His face twisted in rage. I’d never seen my friend like this, and I knew something awful was about to happen. “Bill, think before you do something you’ll regret,” I warned softly.
“You’re the one who did this. You!” He leveled his fury at me and slung his arm back, sending Amber sprawling across the floor.
A red mist formed over my eyes, and I tackled him, sending us both crashing against the wall. I laid into him. Left hook. Right jab. Getting in punches and deflecting the ones he threw at me. Releasing my rage until Bill wasn’t really fighting back. He half-heartedly tried to shove me off.
“Boss, enough.” Ben was hovering over me, trying to pull me away. Breathing heavily, I fell back on my knees and dropped my arms.
“Amber.” I stumbled over to her. She was sitting on the floor with her hands wrapped around her knees and tears running down cheeks. Her makeup was smeared, and her hair fell in tangles around her face.
She reached her arms out to me, and I sank down, crushing her in my embrace. I ran my hands over her head and arms, praying she wasn’t hurt. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” She flashed a shaky smile and burrowed her face in my chest. “I am now.”
“Don’t you dare fucking touch her.” Bill’s warning was weak as he was exhaling like he couldn’t catch his breath, while Ben stood in front of him as if he were protecting me. If this situation wasn’t so serious, I would’ve laughed. Although I didn’t need the protection, I probably should give him another fifty thousand tonight for having my back.
Not that I wasn’t concerned. I understood Bill’s anger—except for the words he said to his own daughter in a fit of rage. In my eyes, he’d crossed a line.
