Page 82 of Toxic Kiss

I’m still trying to think of a good comeback that doesn’t make us sound like we’ve reverted to high school, but nothing comes to me.

Thankfully, the car slows and turns into a driveway.

Cyrus is watching me as he adjusts himself, and I catch myself staring. Cy smirks. Fuck. I force my head to turn, my body shaking with the effort.

He’s an asshole. He treated me like shit. He doesn’t deserve me. He needs to fuck off. I need to stop thinking about him naked. I have a fiancé. I’m being an asshole.

The rant-like pep talk continues in my head as the car comes to a complete stop.

There is no paparazzi, at least not yet. Which means they’ve kept our booking secret, but with public places, someone will leak that we’re here. I have no doubt that there will be eager fans and photographers, hoping to score a juicy shot, waiting for us when we walk out.

A valet opens the door and holds out his hand to help me. My heart kicks into overdrive when I see my father standing near the front, phone in hand, looking polished. I’d been so excited to see him, but after yesterday at the hospital…I don’t know what to feel.

Before I can even say his name, he turns, smiles, and opens his arms like we never argued.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Dad says, meeting me halfway and pulling me into a hug. “I’m so sorry about yesterday. I hate arguing with you.”

“I don’t like fighting with you either.”

“God, I missed you,” Dad says. Pulling back, he looks me over. “You look exhausted.”

“I look like the tour bus ran me over and then decided to drag me the entire way to dinner.”

He laughs.

“No, you don’t. You look beautiful,” Cy says, and we both look at him.

His face is serious, and for once, I can’t read what is in his eyes.

Dad clears his throat and pulls my attention back to him.

“You appear to be holding it all together. That’s what matters. I’m proud of you.”

“You mean that?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t. You’re navigating sharks, Haven. And you haven’t been eaten yet.”

A warm laugh escapes me.

“Yet being the keyword.”

“Am I the shark in this scenario,” Cy asks.

I glance up at him. I’ve come far too close already.

“You said it.”

Dad looks between us.

“Let’s eat. You must be starving.”

As we turn to walk through the doors, Cy leans in close.

“I’ll happily eat you,” he whispers against my ear.

“Behave,” I growl under my breath.

“Trust me, I am. If I wasn’t, the limo would be rocking.”