She backs away from me one step at a time. “Yeah, well, I have a job, plans in LA…” She presses her index finger to each of the other ones on her left hand as she lists everything. “And you think a little snow is going to stop me?”
“You’re not the only one, Robyn. I too have a business to run, or do you only think about yourself?”
She laughs dryly as she says, “Oh, fuck you. I’m the least selfish person you’ll ever meet. Trust me.” She turns on her heel and flips me off over her shoulder as she darts up the stairs to—I’m assuming—gather her things.
I can’t help my full-on smirk as I watch her storm up the curved stairwell like a little brat. “You can cry about it all you want, sweetheart, but it won’t change anything!” I call after her, knowing she’ll hear every word, even in the bedroom.
I really should go change.
But I refuse to miss her tantrum for even a second.
Don’t get me wrong, the situation isn’t exactly ideal for either of us, but it is what it is. I doubt anyone in the surrounding area—which isn’t many—would even think about trying to go out in this kind of weather. In a mere matter of seconds, Robyn stomps down the stairs with her suitcase in tow, sneakers on, andstillwearing my goddamn clothes.
Which, weirdly enough… look great on her.
I was so busy arguing with one of my managers at Citadel Group, I didn’t notice at first. But once I’d finally calmed down and it registered with me that she was wearing one of my black T-shirts and a pair of my grey sweats… I wasn’t mad at it.
“I’ll mail your shit to you when I’m home,” she grunts as she storms past me, looking determined to leave this place one way or another.
“I’m sorry, did you not hear a word I said?” I question with a little more heat in my tone.
“Oh, I heard you just fine, grumpy gills, I’m just choosing not to listen to you.”
“Christ help me,” I grumble as I follow closely behind her, both of us crossing the foyer of my home towards my front door.
If she opens that door and my cock and balls drop off… I’ll lose my shit.
“Don’t open that door, Robyn, or so help me!” I demand, stopping behind her as she continues walking. Is she completely insane? Walking outside when the weather could quite literally cause hypothermia. “Robyn!” I bark loudly, but still she ignores me.
Nothing was mentioned on the news about an impending blizzard coming our way, and nobody knows when it will stop, either. Usually snowfall only lasts a couple of hours in Colorado, but pair that with how thick it is, and a few hours could mean the difference between an inch of snow or several. There’s no telling how bad this could get.
Ignoring me completely, she wraps her slender hand around the round, brass doorhandle and looks over her shoulder at me.
“Robyn,” I snarl, warning her one last time through clenched teeth. “Don’t. You. Dare.”
“Enjoy being stuck in here alone,Daddy.” She adds the last word mockingly. I should feel nothing from the sound of her calling me that, but something heats in the centre of my chest. A desire to… no.
No desire. You can get that out of your head right now, Jack.
Robyn barely has a chance to open the door only before I lurch forward and yank her back harshly by her right shoulder, slamming the door aggressively beside me. “What the fuck!?”
“What did I say?”
I slowly bridge the gap between us and watch as she retreats—not unlike a petrified deer, but more so with a look of defiance written all over her face. Little by little I force her to the wall beside the door and when her back finally comes into contact with it, I stop in front of her, leaving little to no space between us now.
“Firstly, if you want to die—because that’s exactly what would happen to you if you ventured out there—I can think of far more relaxing ways to go out.” Sheopens her mouth to speak but I continue, “Quiet.” Shutting her up before she has a chance to piss me off any further.
The feel of her faint breathing dances across my own lips and I’m all too aware of how close I am to her. Not too close where our lips meet, but near enough that I can feel her nipples grazing just below my pectorals. I should step back, give her some space, but I can’t.
“Secondly.” I press one hand against the wall just beside her head, caging her in further while completely ignoring my conscience ordering me to leave. “While you’re under my roof, and I don’t care how much you want to protest, Robyn, you’ll doasI saywhenI say it. And lastly—” I lean in closer, dipping my head slightly, and she turns hers to the opposite side, looking away from me. I pinch her chin between my thumb and forefinger, dragging her attention back to me. “Don’tevercall me ‘Daddy’ again. Not unless you want me to put you on your knees and punish you like the brat you are.”
Robyn rolls her lips inwards, her encapsulating blue eyes staring up at me through thick lashes as we stand there in silence with nothing but our laboured breathing swirling around us. Spicy hints of my shower gel invade my nostrils, and even though I want to ask her about it, I quash the desire immediately.
Fuck, why do I enjoy the fact that she smells of me?
The realisation conjures up the sickest thoughts inside my head. I lower my voice to a little more than a whisper and lift one hand to her jaw, holding it loosely. “Do you understand everything I just said, Robyn?” Curling my lower lip, I slide the tip of my tongue over it again before biting down on it softly. My body riddled with all the depraved things I would do to her for her defiance in this moment if she were anyone else.
But she’s not anyone else, she’s your stepdaughter.
