Sullivan box with Shamus?”
She nodded. “That’s why they let me off easy.”
She thinks that’s getting off easy?
“Patrick did it?” I asked.
“No, one of his goons.”
“Is he dead?”
If her piece-of-shit father had cared about anything other than himself and his vices, he’d have slaughtered the bastard responsible in a way that made it clear Juliet was off limits.
Her pretty eyes went wide at my question. “Not that I know of.”
“He will be.”
She shook her head, but it wasn’t an objection to the violence. “It wasn’t worth the headache.”
How badly did Shamus fuck her up that she thinks she’s not worth it?
I gripped her hip and stooped so my eyes were level with hers. When she tried to glance away, I ordered, “Look at me.” Once I had her eyes again, I spoke slow and clear so there was no misunderstanding. “No one hurts you. If they do, I’ll make sure they spend the limited time they have left on earth regretting it. It will not be a headache. I’ll enjoy making it clear what happens to anyone stupid enough to touch you.”
“This conversation is insane,” she whispered.
“No, what’s insane is you thinking a knife to the gut isn’t worth retaliation.”
“Dad said it would mean war with them.”
“Then I’ll start a fucking war ‘cause you’re sure as fuck worth it. You need someone to take care of you.”
Her spine straightened as she lifted that stubborn chin of hers. “I can take care of myself. I always have.”
“And that’s exactly the fucking problem.” My plans to ease her in shot right out the damn window. Seeing the residual pain, betrayal, and sadness that shadowed her eyes, I muttered, “Fuck, you need a Daddy bad.”
Juliet scoffed, rolling her eyes. “No, thanks. I had a dad and he caused more than enough problems.”
“I didn’t say a dad. I said a Daddy.”
Her eyes went big as her full lips parted. Chest rising and falling, she shook her head. “I know Shamus fucked me up, but I don’t have daddy issues. I’m not that damaged and dysf—”
“Watch your words carefully, Juliet. This has nothing to do with dysfunction and everything to do with letting someone take care of you for once. And based on the way your pulse is pounding, you know that.”
“I’m not interested in that kind of thing,” she claimed, despite her body’s reaction contradicting her words.
“Don’t lie to me. More importantly, don’t lie to yourself.”
I couldn’t stop myself.
I didn’t even try.
Giving in to the twisted need that’d haunted me for a whole fucking year, I pressed my mouth to her lie-filled one in a hard kiss.
She tasted like sunshine and Diet Coke, and I wanted to plunge my tongue in and memorize the flavor.
But I didn’t.
Pulling away, I stepped back. “We’ll talk more later.”
Dazed, she nodded before hurrying out the backdoor.
I’d done the honorable thing.
I’d waited for her birthday.
I’d been patient.
And I was done.
Juliet
A Daddy.
He kissed me.
A freaking Daddy.
What’d that mean?
He freaking kissed me.
What did that mean?
My thoughts whipped around as I sat in the hot tub. My muscles were so tight, it was a wonder my bones didn’t turn to dust. I was tense and confused and surprised and…
Needy.
I was needy and restless and the kind of hot that had nothing to do with the water temp and everything to do with the thrumming between my legs.
God, for such a quick kiss, it’d been amazing. Intense. Controlling. As dominating as his personality.
I couldn’t deny I wanted Maximo. Ever since the first night I’d thought of him while I’d touched myself, he’d turned into a secret fantasy.
An unattainable fantasy.
Or so I’d thought.
But thanks to his abrupt change—going from avoiding me to kissing me—I wasn’t so sure he was as cold and unattainable as I’d believed. Add in his Daddy comment, and I wasn’t even sure which way was up anymore.
Giving up on relaxing, I climbed out and wrapped a towel around myself. Maximo had said we’d talk more, and before that happened, I needed to get my racing thoughts together.
And that meant I needed to do some research.
I was relieved I didn’t run into him as I hurried to my room because there was no way I’d be able to hide how affected I was by our conversation or his kiss.
Grabbing my MacBook, I started by Googling the most important thing.
Daddy kink equals daddy issues?
I was relieved to see that, like Maximo had claimed, it had nothing to do with anything revolting. Therapists and experts agreed it was about the power dynamic of one