Chapter 127 I Saw My Stepdaughter With Another Man

Chapter 127 I Saw My Stepdaughter With Another Man
Knox
I stand on the porch this morning, arms crossed tight over my chest, trying to keep my heart from slamming out of my chest. 
The wooden boards beneath my feet are cold, even though the sun’s already climbing higher. Thank God it’s Saturday. If I had to sit through another round of meetings or fake my way through another day of spreadsheets, I might just lose it. Emma was supposed to be home last night after the party. She never showed. No call, no text, nothing.
My phone’s become an extension of my hand. I’ve dialed her number so many times that the screen feels warm against my palm. Every time it goes straight to voicemail. No ringing, no indication that she’s ignoring me, just the same robotic voice telling me the number’s unavailable. 
I try again, because stopping feels like giving up, and I’m not ready for that. The line stays silent. I run my fingers through my hair, tugging until my scalp stings, hoping the pain will bring me back.
Emma’s never stayed out all night. Not once, not in all the times we’ve lived together.  
My mind keeps spinning back to last night at the party. I left before her.
Where did she go after that? Did someone give her a ride? Did she crash somewhere else? The questions pile up, and each one feels heavier than the last.
And then there’s Gina. My wife didn’t come home either. I know I should be more worried about her. I know I should. A good husband would be asking her friends if they’ve heard from her. But the worry I feel for Gina is thin, almost polite. It’s surface-level, while something darker churns beneath it. I dial her number next, because maybe, just maybe, she knows where Emma is.
It rings longer than it should. I almost hang up. But then, her voice comes through, thick with sleep.
“Darling.”
The word tastes like metal in my mouth. I hate how easily it comes out, like we’re still the couple we pretended to be two years ago. I force my voice to stay steady.
“Morning, my love,” I say. “You didn’t come home last night. Where are you?”
She exhales, long and irritated. “Why do you suddenly care, Knox? You barely spoke to me at the launch. You made me look like some stranger standing next to you.”
I close my eyes, counting to three. The memory of yesterday flashes through my mind.
I was distracted. 
“I know I was short with you,” I say. “I’m sorry. I just want to know you’re safe.”
Another lie, wrapped in half-truth. Honestly, if Gina stayed away a few more days, it might make everything easier. No more pretending, no more tiptoeing around the house, no more acting like I still want her in my bed. But I can’t say that.
“Safe?” she repeats, voice rising. “You humiliated me in front of all those people. You acted like I wasn’t even there. Like I’m some accessory you forgot to return. I’ll come home when I’m ready. Not before.”
“Gina, wait—”
She hangs up. The silence that follows feels louder than her words.
I stand there, staring at the dark screen, my chest burning. Guilt used to hit me harder when I thought about what I was doing to Gina. These days, it’s more like a dull ache I’ve learned to live with. The only person I can’t stop thinking about is Emma. Not knowing where she is, not knowing if she’s okay, it’s tearing me apart.
She’s everything I shouldn’t want and everything I can’t stop craving. If she had come home last night, I would’ve kissed her until she forgot the rest of the world existed. The thought alone makes my blood heat up. My body reacts instantly, tightening painfully. I shift, cursing under my breath. Not now. She’s not even here.
I think about going inside, locking myself in the bathroom, and taking care of it myself just to get some relief. 
Then I hear tires screeching on gravel. A car speeds into the driveway, brakes squealing. My stomach drops when I recognize it. The passenger door opens. Emma steps out, her hair a mess, strands falling across her face. The dress she wore to the party is wrinkled, clinging to her in a way that makes my throat tighten. Behind her, Ethan climbs out of the driver’s seat, flashing her that silly smile before getting back in the car and speeding off.
Rage explodes in my chest so fast I can barely breathe. My hands curl into fists. I watch him drive away, taillights disappearing around the bend, and all I can think about is chasing him down and dragging him out of that car.
Emma hurries toward the porch, eyes fixed on the ground like she’s trying to avoid me. But I’m already moving, stepping in her path, blocking her way.
“Where the hell have you been?” My voice comes out rougher than I intended.
She stops short, throwing her hands up. “Knox, please. I’m exhausted. I just want to lie down.”
“No,” I shake my head. “You don’t get to walk past me like I didn’t spend the entire night losing my mind. I was here, alone, while you were out with God-knows-where with him.”
“Stop,” she snaps. “Move out of my way.”
“Not until you tell me.” I take a step closer. “Where were you all night? And don’t give me some half-assed story. It better not be what I’m already thinking.”
She lifts her chin, her eyes flashing with that stubborn fire I both love and hate. “What are you now? My father?”
The words hit like a slap. I feel something crack open inside me. I close the gap between us, until I can feel the warmth of her skin.
“We’re lovers, Emma,” I say, voice low. “I don’t share. I don’t want another man’s hands on you. I don’t want him driving you home, smiling at you like he has any right.”
She stares at me for a long moment, and then her lips curl into a smirk. “That’s funny coming from you. You still climb into bed with my mother whenever it’s convenient. But I can’t even accept a ride from a friend?”
The reminder stings, but it only feeds the fire burning inside me. I reach out, grabbing her upper arm and pulling her closer, our bodies pressed together. I can smell her perfume, but there’s something else mixed in with it, maybe the night air, maybe him.
“That body,” I growl, “belongs to me. Only me. Don’t test me, Emma. If I see Ethan near you again, if he looks at you the wrong way, I’ll make sure he regrets it. And you won’t like what happens after that.”