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He inched closer, staring me in the eyes. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, or what transpired between the two of you, but while I trust you with my life, she is still my flesh and blood. Need I remind you that she is my daughter? If you touch her, I will kill you myself.”
No, he didn’t need to remind me. As of right now, the beautiful girl I’d touched, tasted, kissed, and fucked was completely off limits.
“I have no intention of doing so. As long as she listens.”
He laughed. “I have no idea how her mother handled her. I missed out on so many final years of her growing up. She is quite remarkable, but she’s more like her mother.”
“I think you might be surprised. She’s very much you, a woman with confidence and self-respect.”
Brandon exhaled, the sound more rattled than I’d heard in a long time. “I think I’m going to indulge in a Bloody Mary. Join me.”
I didn’t bother answering him, heading to the set of doors leading to the patio, the lagoon pool not without viewing pleasure.
She’d hurried out onto the pool deck, constantly darting looks over her shoulder. I had managed to put the fear of God into her. For now. But the reason she was searching behind her had nothing to do with terror or anxiety.
The lovely woman I’d called a beautiful doll was searching for the man who’d awakened the darkness inside of her. I’d manhandled Pandora’s Box, smashing not only the lock but also the lid.
There was no method of putting the pieces back together.
We’d both sinned. We’d both fallen into the wickedness of desire.
And in my mind, the creature who’d enticed the beast was already mine.
CHAPTER 10
Delaney
The fact I had a Jimmy Buffett song running through my mind was ridiculous, especially at this moment. There was nothing festive about what was happening, and this certainly wasn’t about a party. However, there were fruitcakes involved.
Me being one of them.
How had my life become a dumpster fire in such a short period of time?
I was skating on thin ice with my agent, photographers, and my father. Now, with Francois being my bodyguard, I’d shifted into tempting the gods. And not in a good way.
I’d never done anything so impetuous in my life when I’d allowed him to… I shivered even though the day was warm and humid, doing everything I could to rid myself of the filthy visions running through my mind. It was almost comical to try. The man looked hotter than the two nights before, if that was possible, thegorgeous cobalt blue shirt matching his shimmering eyes. Plus, I’d seen the way he’d looked at me moments before.
As if I was a piece of chocolate cake ready to be devoured.
And God help me, I wanted him to. How many times had I envisioned writhing under him? As soon as my mother had mentioned his name the year before when she’d taken me to lunch for my birthday, he’d become an every once in a while fantasy.
Dark.
Dangerous.
Forbidden. I had to remind myself of that or I’d lose my mind.
The only reason I’d allowed myself to let go was that I’d believed I’d never be forced into a difficult situation like this. I’d been a fool. And yes, I’d just acted like some reckless child instead of a grown woman. Francois had that immediate effect on me, as if I was transported back in time, a giddy schoolgirl swooning over a boy.
And I had been.
He’d been so larger-than-life, the few times he’d laughed sending shockwaves through me. I’d learned then about the power of a man’s voice, the aura that could squeeze an entire room of air the moment he walked inside. When both he and my father entered a space together, watch out.
In all the years of spewing hatred about my father, my mother had done the same about Francois. Her venom and nasty words had often surprised me. Now I was beginning to wonder whether she’d been mesmerized by the man like I obviously was.
But the man terrified me as well. And what influence did he have over my father? What business? Maybe I didn’t want to know. There. The anger mixed with increasing hatred, shoving some of the desire aside.
Here I was sitting by my father’s pool as if nothing was wrong.
