Isla looks to me, searches my face as if trying to get the truth there. I can practically see the cogs spinning as she, too, tries to fathom the likelihood of that happening.
Very unlikely.
While I love Piper Falls and have all my friends and family here, my home is with Dom in New York. Period. I entertain holidays here and keep in touch the best I can, but I will not move back.
Macie skips over the tension collecting through the room and waves her daughter over. “Isn’t it great? Sit.”
I can see the hesitation, the urge to run. Isla is a champion runner. I wouldn’t be surprised if she isn’t already making plans to escape the moment our backs are turned.
I hope not.
I may be upset with her but seeing her is the only reason we even bother putting Dad’s house on the list. She’s the only reason we stay as long as we do. If she leaves, we’re leaving.
But that right there is another reason why this can never work. I’m not having a baby with someone who still bolts into the night at the first hint of discomfort. Do I care about her? Absolutely. Probably more than I’ve cared about anyone in a long time — Dom excluded. But she never stays put long enough for me to know her, to understand her logic. What I do know, the parts of her that I’ve come to deeply care about, aren’t enough. I need to know her better. Need assurance that she won’t run the first chance she gets.
And that’s just not in her nature.
Carefully, she heads towards me and I’m drawn to the long lines of her legs. The plump muscles of her thighs where I can still just make out the outline of Dom’s fingers where he’d forced her open.
“Is your cunt leaking my Daddy’s cum?” I want to ask.
I want to nuzzle the sweet curve of her neck and smell him on her. I want to shove my fingers between her legs, find her pussy and…
She sits and I inch away.
I press into Macie. The last place I want to be but if her daughter touches me right now, I’m going to fuck her. I’m going to wrestle her to the carpet right at their feet and rail her just like she begged for in the video.
But my attempt at restraint has Isla glancing at me. Her big eyes hold hurt that cuts me, but I can’t explain myself.
I can’t tell her how badly I want to drag her to the edge of the sofa, throw her knees over my shoulders and taste her pussy straight from the source. What little I got from Dom’s mouth hadn’t been enough.
“That’s a cute little outfit,” Jacob remarks, interrupting my thoughts. “Like one of those adult cheerleaders.”
I abhor the way he’s eyeing her chest. The way he’s seated low like he’s trying to catch a glimpse of my… her pussy. I never liked the man, but this behavior has my fingers curling into my palms.
“Is that something appropriate to say about your brother’s daughter?” I counter sharply.
My uncle blinks, his grin melting off his puckered face. “I didn’t tell her to dress like a fluffer.”
My fury is interrupted by Macie falling into the conversation with a hurried change of topic. She plunges into an excited babble about fluffy pillows she’d seen at the home décorshop. I vaguely realize she has no idea what a fluffer is or she’s so out of touch that such behavior is acceptable.
Regardless, I’m not accepting it.
I’m already pissed off. My temper is at a simmer and I’m fully prepared to toss this fucker out on his ass for disrespecting Isla.
“I think you owe Isla an apology,” I cut Macie off mid chatter. “That is a disgusting way to talk about your niece.”
“Nick, it’s okay,” Isla whispers, but I stay locked in with the man meeting my glower with his own.
“It’s not,” I correct her. “He’s a grown man. There’s no excuse for him to be looking at you like that.”
“Listen here, boy—”
I don’t get to hear whatever he’s about to say when Dom steps into the room. I don’t know how much he’s heard, but judging from the thunderstorm darkening his eyes, he’s heard enough that this is about to get out of hand.
“Go on. We’re listening,” he answers for me, powerful body moving to take the armrest at Isla’s shoulder. “Explain why we shouldn’t take this outside.”
“Oh my, this really isn’t necessary,” Macie titters nervously, casting glances between Jacob and Dom. “Isla is fine. Aren’t you, Isla?”
