Once he's done talking, she rises a bit and stares at him, her chin quavering."Yes, sir."
But I see the pain there.I hear the defiance in her voice, even if he can't.Robert is too stupid and too blind with his own anger to understand the standoff happening between them.
There's something in her tone, something I don't trust.What is she planning?I may not know her all that well, but I sure as hell know her enough to know she doesn't give up easily.Then again, with her dream school in the balance, it's wise she doesn’t put up a fight.
As she leaves the room to race upstairs, I watch her ass bounce with each determined step, unable to look away.The fabric of her pajamas clings to those perfect curves, outlining every inch of her.I want to follow her up those stairs, pin her to her bed, and take out all this frustration on her willing body, or probably not so willing body.
Even now, when she's so distraught that the air becomes nearly thick with the stench, all I can think about is sliding between her thighs and taking the pain away in a different manner.I simply want to fuck her until she forgets why she was upset, until all she can do is scream my name.What the fuck is wrong with me?
I should be comforting her, coming to her like a brother would a sister, being that source of companionship when things go to shit.Granted, I'll never be that to her.At the end of the day, I'll be able to leave with no questions asked.
No one ever demands anything of me.As an Alpha male, I'll always do as I please.She's still so young that she hasn't a hope of getting out from under Robert's thumb until she's mated or he lets her go.I can't see any other options.
A low hum vibrates through my throat as I continue to watch the steps where she just disappeared.Something has to give.I can't keep staying here when the very air is tainted, driving me feral.Her scent everywhere, sweet and tempting, making my mouth water and my cock ache.
Between my constant arousal and barely-leashed rage, I'm torn between going to a fight club to blow off some steam and finding a willing omega to take my violent affections.Someone I can fuck rough and hard, someone I can use to purge this obsession with my stepsister from my system.Maybe that will help with all of this.If I can just get off, I might be able to think straight.
With rough jerks, I yank the wrapping paper off the floor and shove it into a bag, doing my best to take out what frustration I can.Next to me, Robert does the same until finally the floor is back to pristine.Mom shuffles away to work on Christmas lunch, sniffling every so often.
Robert watches her leave, and to his credit, he actually softens as he looks in her direction.The only reason I'm not lashing out is because I truly believe he loves my mom.Lila is the only one truly suffering in this house.
"It's for the best, you know," Robert finally mutters next to me as he kicks his toe at an errant piece of carpet sticking up.
Stupid, misguided man.
"It's not what she wants.You can't keep her here forever."
Wrong.Fucking.Response.
"To hell with what she wants," he seethes as he looks me dead in the eyes.
His gaze is hollow, haunted, distant.Wherever Robert is, it's not here.It's not with us.PTSD.He may not want a label for it, but it's clearly etched in his pinched expression.Marrying Linda and binding them together only satisfied part of the issue.He still needs to deal with the impotency he feels from losing his first wife in the first place.
I don't have firsthand knowledge, but I've seen enough battle scars and wounds from colleagues and companions to know he's not okay.As an Alpha, he probably thinks he's untouchable, unable to be brought low by something as pesky as emotions.Only, the way he treats Lila, the way he keeps her so small and infantilized… he just doesn't get it.
Gentling my approach, I temper my touch and do my best to exude calm and stillness—grounding, as Lila so aptly put it.I'll just have to treat Robert the same way I'd deal with any other member of my squad dealing with these things.
"She'll be miserable."
"But she'll be safe."
"There's no guarantee of that."
When he looks at me again, there's a slight crack in his armor.His eyes shine with unshed tears as he tries desperately to blink them away.
"It's the best I can do.The only other option is to keep her home with me.I've lost—" His voice cracks as emotion does its best to come through."When I lost her mother, part of me died."My mom slides up next to him and wraps her arm around his waist, shoring him up."I can't lose Lila too.I just can't."
"But think of the responsibility you're putting on me.Be reasonable, Robert."
"I am being reasonable," he roars, yanking away from my mom, making her flinch and shrink back again.
For a moment, I see red.The only thing keeping me from knocking him to the ground is that coin Lila gave me.It’s a touchstone, something to remind me I’m not the only one in this demented game.The harder I push, the more I might cause harm to her future.
Robert paces as he raves."Do you want her locked away in this house until I can find a man suitable enough to marry her?"
"You can't do that.She's an ad?—"
"She's my fucking little girl."The room rattles with the force of his words.
