Chapter 83

She licked her lips as tears flowed freely, biting the bottom one to keep from blubbering on the phone.

“Don’t bite,” he warned in that threatening tone that made everyone but her take off running. “I can see them from here. I’ll knock the door down and march upstairs to spank your perfect ass, then I’ll remind you who those pink lips belong to.”

She stopped biting and pressed the sexiest kiss she could manage to the glass.

“Are you trying to keep me here or tempting me to say, ‘fuck it’ and come take you right there in front of your mom and stepdad?” He sounded moody, but she loved it.

“Just showing you some love because you’re the sweetest boy I’ll ever know.”

“Sweet?” He chuckled, and damn it all if she didn’t love his laugh more each time she heard it. “How’s this for sweet?” Before she could blink, he’d tugged off his shirt, even flexing for her as he dragged a hand down his sculpted-by-the-gods abs. Then he snapped the button on his jeans. And smirked up at her. “That’s it.”

“Huh?” Jane kept staring at the ‘v’ carved into his waist that dipped below his jeans.

“This is all you get.” He gestured to himself. “Now call me sweet again.”

Her senses somewhat restored, she narrowed her eyes at him. “I can’t believe you just teased me to prove you’re not sweet.”

“I’m a monster, babe.” He chuckled again, now standing with a hand on his waist. It was a casual stance, but he managed to look like he was doing a photoshoot. “Our birthdays are coming up.”

“I know.” She didn’t want to have her first birthday with a boyfriend and not even get to see him. “Are you upset about dating a younger guy?”

“You’re a day younger.”

“I’ll be a minor for one whole day.” He walked to a chair and sat. “Want to do some kinky cougar shit with me?”

“We might not even see each other.” She pushed her window open to feel closer to him. The cool air rushed past her heated cheeks, making her realize how worked up she really was. “I’m seeing you on your birthday.” There was total confidence in his statement.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He leaned back, giving her an even better view. “It still feels like a dream, doesn’t it?” “I don’t want to wake up if it is.”

“It’s real. It sucks right now, but it’ll be over soon.”

“What if it’s not?” She didn’t know what she would do if this went on longer than her birthday “I mean, I should be able to do what I want after my birthday, right?”

“Not while you’re living under their roof, babe.” He glanced toward his house as he continued, “I’d love to have you here with me, but we just got together. You need to stay at home. You’ll regret leaving like this. I don’t want to be the reason you lose what’s left of your family. It’s bad enough David got thrown out.”

The way he said that made her feel like he was saying it was her fault—that he didn’t want her around him—and she didn’t know how to respond.

He returned his focus to her. “Hey, don’t let your mind fuck with you. I’m just saying your mom has shit to make up for, and Kingston is the only dad you have left. He’s being a dick, but he’s not a bad guy. Your dad liked him, and he couldn’t have picked a better man to raise you besides himself. So, I’m not going to make you my teenage wife just yet.”

She didn’t mean to say it or sound so whiny, but she still blurted out, “But you’re blaming me for David getting kicked out, and you don’t want me.”

“The fuck, Jane? I am not saying any of that.” He sighed but not the annoyed sound she was expecting. “David knew the risks of being with you, and he chose you. That’s not your fault. And I’ve told you repeatedly, like I’m some kind of fucking stalker psycho, that I want to marry you and knock you up. I want you, but we need to finish school, babe.”

“Jane!” Her doorknob rattled as Kingston called louder. “Open this door, young lady.” Ryder stood quickly. “Hide your phone. Don’t bring it up and maybe he’ll forget.” She breathed faster, her eyes pricking with tears when Kingston banged on the door.

“I love you, angel,” Ryder said softly. “It’ll be okay. I’m here. I’ll stay here all night. Okay?” “You don’t have to,” she cried, but she wanted him to.

“I’ll stay,” he promised. “Hide the phone now. Call me after he leaves. If he finds it, it changes nothing. I’m still here. I’m still so fucking in love with you, and I have a house full of the other fuckers who’ve got it bad for you. We’re not forgetting you or walking away.” “Okay,” she said, flinching with every bang on the door.

“Just in case,” Ryder said, “good night, my moon.”

That agonizing pain in that happened when she really had to cry but was trying so hard to hold in flared in her jaw and ears. “Good night, Ryder.”

He kissed his fingers and touched his chest, then ended the call.

Tears broke free, and she rushed away from the window to hide her phone as well as all of David’s letters. Then she opened the door, tears and all, and she glared up at the man who had such a similar face to David’s.

Kingston took in her appearance quickly before scanning the room. When he noticed the window open, he marched over to it. Jane waited for him to yell at Ryder, but he didn’t react other than shutting her window and tugging her curtain closed. “You’re grounded,” he said with his back to her. “No phone, no internet unless it’s for school, no going out for anything other than school. And absolutely no boyfriends.”

Jane tried to focus on everything Ryder had told her, that he didn’t want her mouthing off and getting into more trouble. All she wanted to do was scream at Kingston, but she closed her eyes and saw her boys in her mind.

Ryder and David stood side by side, serious expressions on their faces until they both smiled the way they did just for her. Her breathing slowed, and she calmed at the sight of Tercero. He wasn’t standing behind the others, just to the side of Ryder. Not pushing his presence in her face, but there. When she needed him, he was already there. And that left Luc. He was standing in the distance. Watching. Just watching. He wasn’t going to help her anymore, but she had a feeling that if she truly needed him, he would come for her.

“Look at me,” Kingston said, his tone a lot calmer than it had been.

Not wanting to but because she swore Ryder nodded at her to listen and do as she was told, she opened her eyes and met Kingston’s stare.

He sighed, taking in her tear-stained cheeks. “I always wanted a daughter, Jane. I thought I had one, and it was the worst thing to hear you didn’t think of me as your father. It was even worse to know you and David have been lying to my face all this time.”

She dropped her gaze to the floor. “It was only the last few days,” she mumbled, wondering why she said anything at all.

“Don’t lie to me. Sarah told me you’ve been hiding this from me for years.”

Jane jerked her head up, her breathing coming faster again. “No, she knew I loved David ever since I was a little girl. So did my dad. And she even knew about David loving me before he said anything. I had thought he stopped caring about me altogether, but she knew he was in love with me. She’s just been waiting for me to notice Ryder so I’d forget David. So, go be mad at her. I didn’t do anything wrong. You both did, and I hate you for hitting David and for throwing him out. All he did was love me and try to make you proud, and you destroyed him.”

His nostrils flared, and his jaw ticked, but he didn’t blow up like she had hoped he would. “I’m sorry for hitting him in front of you.”

“It’s not me you should apologize to. And you should feel bad for hitting him, period. And Luc. I hope you apologize to him. He was only trying to help.”

Now those blue eyes lit with rage. “Help? He was helping himself to a foolish, underage girl.”

“I’m foolish?” she shouted, slapping her hands down at her sides. “You’re the one who didn’t understand a boy grabbing a girl’s ass meant he liked her! You’re the one who has a wife who keeps secrets from him, and you’re the one who got knocked the fuck out by my amazing boyfriend.” Well, so much for keeping her cool.

Eyes still ablaze, Kingston held out his hand and barked, “Phone and laptop. Then you can pack a bag because I’m taking you to live with your grandmother. You’ll be enrolled at Helldonna. Happy? I’ve learned I can’t trust my wife, son, or daughter, and I can’t protect her in my own home. So, I’ll send you where you’ll be safe.”

Jane’s eyes welled with tears, but he only looked at her colder.

“Phone,” he repeated. “I know you have it. I heard you talking to one of them before I knocked. You’re not seeing those boys, and that’s final.”

Unable to keep her emotions in check, she cried, grabbing her phone and smashing it on the floor along with her laptop. “I hate you,” she screamed with all the venom she could.

He stared at the mess she’d just made in silent rage. His chest rose just as fast as hers was, and his fury filled the room like a crippling fog. “Then I’m finally doing something right,” he said with thin control over his voice. “As long as my daughter hates me, I’m keeping her safe from assholes and from herself. Now pack. You won’t return home until you graduate.”