“She will test your patience at every turn,” he says, looking at Charlie. “Are you sure you can handle her?”
“I’m right here,” I protest.
“Shut your face, Abigail.” His fists clench at his sides, and I know I’ve struck a nerve. I add it to my mental notepad to analyze later.
I open my mouth to offer some snarky retort, but Charlie pinches my arm in warning, and I clamp my mouth shut again. “She will submit, and I will keep her under control.”
“See that you do.” He stands, and we climb to our feet.
“I give you my word that nothing will happen to that delinquent,” he agrees, eyeballing me. “But if you cross me, all deals are off, and he’s the first one I’ll go after. Do you understand?
“I understand.”
“Good.”
The door opens again, and a tall, skinny blonde with big lips and even bigger tits enters the room. She’s wearing a minuscule white minidress and sky-high stilettos. Diamonds drip from her neck and slender arms. “Darling.” She drapes herself around my father, and I’m not fast enough to disguise the look of disgust from my face. She looks like she’s only a few years older than me, and it’s just so wrong.
Grabbing her by the wrists, he pulls her around in front of him, licking his lips as he eye-fucks her. “Strip and get on your knees.”
He ignores her as she lifts the hem of her dress without argument, focusing on me. “You will stay the night here. Your brother has missed you.”
He’s not asking. But I want to see Drew anyway, so I nod.
“And I expect you both here for dinner every Sunday.”
“We’ll be here,” Charlie says, averting his eyes as the woman pulls her bra off, standing before us in only her panties and high heels.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” I mock.
“She’s no one,” he says, opening the buckle on his belt, his lips twitching as my mouth pulls into a grimace. “Stay if you want to watch,” he adds, challenging me with a knowing look. His loud laughter follows me as I race out the door with Charlie hot on my heels.
Once the door is closed, I spin around, shoving Charlie in the chest. “You can leave.” I stab him with a venomous look, my ass still stinging from his hand.
“I had no choice.”
“There are always choices,” I say, and I’m reminded of Sawyer saying the same thing to me one time. “And you had no issue standing up to him on the sharing thing.” A shiver works its way through me at the thought of all that entails.
“I know how to handle your father.”
“Because you understand how his mind works?” I query, wondering if Charlie shares similar psychopathic traits, because he’s a bit all over the place, and I can’t get an accurate reading on him or his agenda.
His eyes drift upward, toward the spot where one of the hidden cameras is mounted to the wall. “Not here. Let’s talk in your bedroom.”
He moves to take my hand, and I shove my elbow into his ribcage. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
He grabs my elbow, dragging me along the hallway. Pressing his mouth to my ear, he whispers, “We need to perform for the cameras, or do you want your boyfriend to be killed?”
That sobers me up, and I stop fighting, letting him hold my hand, but the second we’re behind closed doors in my room, I push him away. “Start talking.”
“I’m sorry that had to happen, but it won’t be the last unpleasant thing I’m forced to do if you continue to berate him.” He steps toward me.
I hold up a palm. “Don’t come any closer unless you want a black eye. I am fucking pissed.”
“I couldn’t tell.”
“Do not joke with me either.”
“Jeez, tough crowd.”
