Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
My arm slips around Carina’s waist as I tug her closer. It would be impossible not to notice just how stiff she’s become.
I straighten to my full height, my tone turning clipped. “Is that really necessary?”
Dad grimaces. “Unfortunately, it is.”
I huff out an aggravated sigh and glance at Carina from the corner of my eye. The color staining her cheeks has leeched away, leaving her normally vibrant complexion ashen.
“Fine,” I say through tightly gritted teeth. “Lead the way.”
After my father stalks from the room, I glance at Carina. “I’ll be right back.”
The only response I get is the tight jerking of her head. Misery fills her eyes as she lowers them to the floor as if she can’t bear the sight of me.
“Oh, don’t you worry about Carina.” Pamela taps the couch next to her. “We’ll have ourselves a nice, little mother daughter chat.”
I glance at my former stepmother, trying to figure out what her thoughts are on the matter. She doesn’t look nearly as upset as Dad. Instead of responding, my gaze fastens onto Carina. In this moment, she’s the only one I care about. I don’t want her hurt in the fallout. And I sure as shit don’t want it to affect our relationship.
She’ll see—this is nothing more than a hiccup. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter.
Even though Pamela continues to look on, I slip my fingers beneath Carina’s chin and angle her face toward mine until she has no other choice but to meet my steady gaze.
“Everything will be fine,” I murmur just loud enough for her to hear.
“We’ll see.”
I hate the doubt that floods her eyes.
Only wanting to banish it, I brush my lips across hers. Then I pull back just enough to search her gaze before swinging away and following my father to his office. Or command central, as I like to call it.
By the time I reach the spacious room, he’s already settled behind the massive mahogany desk. He stabs a finger at the handcrafted antique leather armchair on the other side. I drop down, just wanting to get this convo over with and put it behind us.
“What the hell were you doing in the studio with Carina?” my father growls as soon as my ass hits the seat.
“I would have thought that was obvious.” The words shoot out of my mouth before I can think better of it.
He glares as his expression turns stony. “Don’t get cute with me. We’ve talked about this. Frankly, I’m a little surprised that we have to do it again. I don’t want you toying with that girl.”
The accusation pisses me off. “Is that what you think I’m doing? Toying with her?”
He rolls his eyes. “Come on, Ford. You have to know there isn’t a future for the two of you.”
“And why is that?”
“Because you’re about to be stepsiblings again,” he says deliberately as if I’m slow on the uptake. “Pamela and I have just set the date for the wedding. We’re going to have a quiet ceremony this spring at the house.”
There’s a beat of silence as I digest this information. “Don’t you think this is moving a bit fast? You two just got back together a couple weeks ago. Shouldn’t you make sure that she’s actually going to stick around this time?”
Dull color crawls up his neck and cheeks.
Fuck. That was probably the wrong thing to say, even though it’s a hundred percent true. And we both know it. This isn’t the first time his ex-wife has come back to bewitch him. For whatever reason, he has a real weakness for the woman. She can waltz in and out of his life whenever she wants and he’s grateful for whatever scraps of attention she tosses him.
Everyone around my father is able to see what’s going on.
Except him.
It’s frustrating.
I’ve kept my mouth shut because I never wanted to do anything that would hurt Carina.
“Watch yourself,” he snaps.
We stare at each other before I slump onto the chair. “Sorry. It’s just that she shows up and then disappears before popping up again months later. She never sticks around for long.”
His shoulders stiffen as a muscle ticks in his cheek. “It’s different this time.”
Laughter rises in my throat. It takes every ounce of willpower to bite it back.
How is he this naïve?
The man wheels and deals in Congress for a living, negotiating with both sides of the aisle, making it possible for legislation to get passed. Political adversaries have attempted to pull the wool over his eyes, but they can’t.
He’s sharp as a tack and savvy.
But when it comes to Pamela?
The opposite is true.
And nothing I say will change his mind. It would be a pointless exercise and a complete waste of breath to even try.
“If you say so,” I mutter.
“I do.” He leans forward and folds his hands against the polished surface. “And we’re not here to discuss my relationship with Pamela. We’re here to talk about your lapse in judgment regarding her daughter.” There’s a pause and his voice dips. “My stepdaughter.”