Shit.

  “Grant,” I said trying to not look guilty of staying the night with his daughter

  “Not here for bullshit, boy.”

  I didn’t assume he was. “No, sir. Don’t imagine you are.”

  He dropped his hands to his sides and looked up at the windows to Lila Kate’s loft. “That girl in there is the other half of my world. She and her momma have been every dream, every wish, every damn thing that means anything to me from the moment I held her in my arms.”

  “I understand that,” I began and he took a step toward me his scowl deepening. “No. you don’t. You don’t understand a goddamn thing boy. You’ve never had a woman you loved more than life itself nor have you held a precious baby girl in your arms that is a miracle and knew that your life would be to protect her. You do not know what that is.”

  He was right there. I nodded afraid if I said anything until he was ready for me to he’d break one of the bones in my face. I liked my face the way it was.

  “She is just like her mother. Kind, sweet, smart, and when she loves, she loves with everything she has. That’s a lot for a man to handle. A lot for him to cherish. I didn’t realize it with her momma right away and nearly lost the only thing I had worth living for. Her dad wanted me dead. I don’t blame him.”

  I nodded, still not speaking.

  Grant got in my face his shoulders wider and his arms thicker than my own. “If you fuck with my baby girl’s heart I won’t give one rat’s ass who your parents are. All I’ve seen you do is fuck around. Play games. Enjoy women. But that girl up there,” he said pointing for emphasis. “She’s not the kind you do that with. Because I will tell you right now,” he then pointed his finger in my face. “She has to love you, or you wouldn’t be here. She would have never climbed on your bike and rode off like she did. That was not Lila Kate. She was acting on feelings for you. So either you have the same feelings for her, or you make a clean break and get the hell out of town before I can find you. Do I make myself clear?”

  This was my turn to speak. “Yes sir,” I said. “I know all those things about her. It’s why I kept my distance for so long. But when she left, I knew I was going to lose her or any chance with her. I had to make a decision and I went after her. I told myself it was to protect her, but I knew deep down what I was doing. I love Lila Kate. I don’t need anyone else.”

  Grant’s scowl eased some but he still didn’t look convinced. “I like you. I like your family. But I can’t just trust anyone with my baby girl. Don’t know if I ever will. I won’t stop watching. I won’t back off. You hurt her, expect me to come after you.”

  Jesus. It was a wonder Lila Kate had ever had a date in high school. I was expecting him to get his gun out of the truck and start waving it around any minute. “I will never hurt her.”

  He didn’t look like he believed that. “Your past ain’t pretty boy. It could come back to haunt you. If it were up to me, she’d leave you alone. Find a guy who didn’t make it his goal to fuck the entire female population in this town. But it’s not up to me. She’s a woman. It’s her choice. But I’m her daddy, and if you fuck this up there will be no place safe for you. I’ll find you.”

  “Daddy!” Lila Kate’s voice called out, and I glanced over my shoulder to see her standing at the front door in her pink fluffy heart robe with a very unhappy frown on her face. Luckily, it was directed at her father. Not me.

  “Hey, baby,” he replied.

  She took long strides toward us. “This had better not be what I think it is,” she said.

  He shrugged like it was no big deal. “I’m your father. I was just coming to visit and found Cruz leaving your apartment. Making sure he was clear on some things.”

  Like the fact he was going to murder me if I hurt his daughter. I didn’t mention that though.

  “I don’t need you to threaten the men in my life daddy,” she told him.

  “Men?” Grant and I both said in unison. There were no other men.

  She rolled her eyes at both of us. “Oh, good grief. The ‘man’ in my life. I am an adult. I can have whoever I want sleep over. I can date whoever I want. And I can love whoever I want. You have to trust me to take care of myself.”

  “I do,” he said giving her a charming smile that I sure as hell hadn’t been given. “Just making sure Cruz was on the same page as you. That’s all.”

  Lila Kate put her hands on her hips. “And what page is that?”

  “That he was as serious about this as you are.”

  “And that is what I am saying. It isn’t your business.”

  “You’re my daughter, and that will never change. I’ll make shit my business when it comes to protecting you for as long as I am alive.”

  Lila Kate sighed and gave me an apologetic look. “Are you having a change of heart now?” she asked me.

  I smirked. As if Grant Carter could make me stop wanting her. “No. Not even close.”

  Her eyes went soft, and for a moment I forgot her father was even out there with us ruining a perfectly good morning. Our quiet breakfast was not going as planned.

  “Jesus,” Grant muttered. Then he walked over and hugged Lila Kate. “I can’t help it you know,” he whispered.

  “I love him,” she said her gaze shifting to me.

  “And that makes him the luckiest man other than myself that I know.”

  Lila Kate grinned up at her father then.

  I had been expecting this. I was glad it was over. Now I just had to make sure the Kelsey shit was done. That was one time bomb that threatened everything. If I lost Lila Kate over her, I would gladly let Grant put me out of my misery.

  Lila Kate

  MOM HAD CALLED me to meet her for lunch at the club today. I’d been so busy I hadn’t seen much of her. Between getting the studio ready and spending time with Cruz, my days were packed. I was just about to walk inside the main building at the club when my phone vibrated. When I checked, it was a text from Eli.

  He was good about checking on me once a week if not more. Cruz wasn’t crazy about our friendship, but he allowed it. If he knew I’d had drunken sex with Eli, I doubted he’d be okay with it. That was before us so I figured it wasn’t important to discuss.

  I didn’t ask about all the girls he’d slept with before me.

  Studio almost ready? Eli’s text asked.

  I stopped walking and replied. Another two weeks and it will be open for business. About to have lunch with my mom. Text back later. I dropped my phone back into my purse and looked up to see Kelsey standing a few feet in front of me.

  Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. It was so unlike her. She was always so businesslike, I couldn’t imagine her as emotional. Her gaze was locked on me. Almost as if I were the source of her pain. I glanced around me to see if there was anyone else around but it was just me.

  “I need to speak with you,” she said her voice hoarse with emotion.

  She was upset so it wasn’t like I could say, “No thanks. I have a lunch date with my mom.”

  Instead, I just nodded.

  “Can you come in my office?” she asked.

  I nodded again, and she turned and headed in that direction. I glanced around one more time. I didn’t want to go to this woman’s office but I also didn’t see a way out of accepting her request unless I was rude.

  The door was open as she walked inside. Reluctantly, I followed.

  She stood at the door and closed it after I entered. I wished she’d left it open. Something about her made me nervous.

  “I’ll be brief. There is just something you need to know. I tried handing it with Cruz but he isn’t cooperating. He’s,” she paused and teared up again. “I’m sure you know how cruel and selfish he can be.”

  That got my attention. “Cruz isn’t either of those things,” I said in defense of him. This woman’s issues with his position at the club needed to be dealt with by Woods.

  Her tear-stained face looked less defeated and more like the haughty woman I’d seen when she had spoken to Cruz last week when we had been eating.

  “You’re so young and naïve,” she said with a disgusted look in her eyes. “You aren’t in a fairy tale. Cruz isn’t your prince charming, and he’s not the kind of guy that will settle down and marry you. He needs sex with different women. A variety,” she paused and then grinned as if she was amused with me.

  “When he was sixteen I taught him all about sex. I started his addiction. We fucked on this very table so many times I can’t count. I’ve stood right here with my legs spread while he licked my pussy until I couldn’t stand up. I let him be with other girls to get his taste. But I knew he’d always come back here. He wanted me. Needed what I gave him. He’s good at sex because I showed him what a woman wants. What she aches for. That mouth you’ve kissed has been all over this body,” she cupped her breast as she said it.

  I couldn’t find words. The things she was saying sounded like rantings from a crazy woman. She wanted me to believe he’d been having sex with a forty-year-old married woman when he was sixteen?

  “You are trying to sink your claws into what is mine.”

  “You’re married,” I said still in shock that she’d even think I could believe her.

  She laughed at me then. “That doesn’t matter. Not to us. Cruz and I crave each other. He was mine until you came along. Now I’m pregnant with his child and he wants nothing to do with me or the baby. You’re taking our child’s father away.” She touched her stomach gently.

  “You’re lying,” I said shaking my head and backing up toward the door. I knew Cruz had been a little wild. That wasn’t a secret. But he hadn’t done this. I was sure of it.

  “I knew you wouldn’t believe me,” she said and picked up a remote from her desk. The sounds of sex filled the room, and I turned to see the flat screen behind me.

  There would be no denying what I watched. Kelsey was naked, her legs wide open and her head thrown back as Cruz screwed her on her desk. Just like she’d said.

  “We liked to video our sex and watch it later. It got us hot and bothered. We often fucked while watching us fuck on the screen. That’s the kind of thing Cruz needs to make him truly happy. I also watched him. He would fuck some girl while I hid and watched. He liked knowing I was there while he did it. Seeing them. He’d get so worked up we’d both be crazy for it. I have videos of that too if you need to see.”

  “Fuck yes, Kelsey. Open wide you dirty whore. Give me what I want,” Cruz’s words came from the screen and I cringed. “Such a nasty bitch. My nasty little bitch, give me that ass.” Cruz then flipped her over. Pulling her hips up so her ass was stuck in the air. He spit on her bottom then stuck his fingers inside. “Tight asshole. You want my dick up that ass, don’t you?” She screamed, “Yes, fuck my ass. Fuck it hard!” She turned her head around to look back at him and he covered her mouth with his—that was all I could take. I ran. I ran out the door. I ran to my car. I ran from it all. I drove. I didn’t stop. I didn’t know where I was going but my soul had been destroyed.

  My phone kept ringing but I couldn’t answer it. I turned my phone off. If it was my mother I wouldn’t be able to speak. She’d be worried. All I could do was drive. Run away from it all. Until my chest didn’t feel as if it were crushed.

  The words he had said to Kelsey and the image of them together replayed over and over. Nausea clawed at my throat. Disbelief that I had actually trusted him. Thought what we had was real. But he . . . he was darker than I knew. When the tears finally began to fall, I pulled off at an exit and parked in a hotel parking lot. I cried for all I had dreamed of. All the happiness I thought I had found. And all that would forever mark me. I would never be the same. My fantasy had been just that. Nothing had been real. There would be no fond memories. Only one nightmare.

  I’m sorry. But I’m okay. I just needed some space. I sent that one text to my mother to keep her from being worried. There were twenty-eight missed texts and fifty missed calls when I turned my phone back on. I ignored them all, turned the phone off again and went to pay for a room for the night.

  Cruz Kerrington

  IT HAD BEEN sex. That was it. How had I known my affair with Kelsey would lead to this? I kept my head buried in my hands as my father paced in front of me. The room was silent now. His ranting and yelling had ended.

  “She’s okay. That was Harlow on the phone. Lila Kate sent her a simple text saying she was fine but needed space.” My mother announced as she entered the living room.

  I looked up for the first time in a while. Relief that Lila Kate was safe helped ease my fears. The pain still tore through my chest. I’d called her and texted her numerous times begging for her to listen to me. She hadn’t replied to any of them.

  “Did she say where she was?” I asked already knowing the chance of the Carters telling me was slim to none.

  Mom shook her head. “No. I think Grant is trying to track her cell phone though.”

  He was busy worrying about Lila Kate’s safety. I knew once she was back here safely he’d come for me. Right now, I hoped he did. I should have dealt with Kelsey. Thinking it would just go away was stupid.

  “She is threatening a lawsuit,” Dad said. “I’ve confiscated all the items in her office. The videos were found. There are some when you were underage. Those will protect the club. She will be the one facing charges if she pushes this.”

  Mom sank to sit on the edge of the chair in front of me. “You were just a baby. She was my age. I just don’t understand how she could do that?”

  “He was a willing partner, Della,” Dad reminded her. “And if she is pregnant then we have that to deal with.”

  I shook my head. “That baby won’t be mine. If there is one.”

  “But if it is, you aren’t a teenage boy anymore being taken advantage of. You’re a grown ass man who knew better than to screw around with a married woman.”

  Mom paled at his words. I’d hurt so many people. How did I think I deserved someone like Lila Kate? After all the shit I’d done.

  “I know that,” I told him lifting my eyes to meet his. “I should have stopped it. Hell, I shouldn’t have started it. But I am paying for it. I love Lila and now I’ve lost her. She’s hurting and it’s all my fault. That’s killing me.”

  Dad scowled. “Yes, it is. In life, you’re gonna make mistakes but this one is beyond a mistake. It’s selfish, irresponsible, and straight up dishonest. That woman is married. I get you were a teenage boy with raging hormones, but she is a married woman. That,” he said pointing at me. “That right there was where you messed up. No, Lila Kate won’t forgive you. How could she?”

  I stood up unable to sit here and listen to my mistakes anymore. I knew I had fucked up. I didn’t need my dad reminding me over and over. What I needed to do was find a way to fix this. Which seemed impossible.

  “Where are you going?” Dad’s anger hadn’t dissipated any during the hour he’d been yelling at me.

  “Are we not done here?” I shot back.

  He closed the space between us and glared at me. “You slept with a married employee of a business that will be yours one day. You made sex videos with her. She’s claiming to be pregnant with your child. No, we’re not fucking done here. I’ve spoken with the lawyers. I’ve spoken with Kelsey’s husband. We are meeting in one hour in the club’s boardroom. You’re not going anywhere.”

  Lila Kate was out there and I had no idea where or how to find her or where to even look. I’d called Nate but he swore she hadn’t come to Sea Breeze. She needed to hear my side of this story. I had to explain it to her. Maybe she’d understand after I had a chance to explain how it all got started and how until I ran after her when she left town I had seen no issue with what I’d done. I did now. If I could just be the man she wanted me to be and erase all the past shit I’d done. I was a fuckup. Now I would pay for it.

  “She needs her space. You can’t find her anyway. You don’t know where she went,” my mother’s voice was calm and understanding.

  “I did this. I hurt her.” My voice cracked with emotion as I said it.

  My mom nodded. “Yes. And you’ll be the only one who can fix it. But for now, you have something else to fix.”

  “Goddamn right he does,” Dad’s tone was angry and annoyed.

  “Woods, calm down. I know you’re angry. But this started when he was a kid. She took advantage of him. Remember that.”

  Dad threw up his hands in frustration. “She is married, Della. Married. I’d like to think my son has more morals than that.”

  Mom nodded. “Me too. But what is done is done. We thought his wild streak was just that and he’d outgrow it. We should have been paying closer attention.”

  Dad pointed at me. “He should have used his damn brain and not his dick!”

  Mom winced. “Seriously, honey. Are those words necessary?”

  He shook his head. “This is just. Fuck it. I wasn’t perfect at his age but I didn’t do this. I didn’t put the club into legal question. And I didn’t screw around with married employees.”

  But I had.

  “When do we leave for the club?” I asked.

  “We should leave now. I need to make sure the room is ready. And our lawyers need to go over some things with you. What you can and can’t say.”

  Mom stood up. “I’m going.”

  “No,” Dad and I said at the same time.

  Mom frowned. “Why not?”

  I looked at Dad, and he sighed. “Because Della, I’m afraid we will be dealing with more legal issues when you see Kelsey. The videos will be discussed and I don’t trust you not to attack the woman.”

  He had a better reason than I did. I’d just been worried it would upset her.

  “She’s pregnant. It may not be Cruz’s child but I’d never hurt a pregnant woman,” Mom argued.

  Dad raised his eyebrow. “You haven’t seen the videos.”