Page 182 of Their Wicked Secrets: Untouched, Vol 5 of 6

“My son isn’t stupid enough to go to the Feds. The girl might be a bleeding heart, but she doesn’t know anything. Their visit might not be related to us at all. If she’s a problem, she’ll be handled.”

Handled... I see red. He can’t touch Harper. When I lurch toward the door, Eli catches my arm and shakes his head. He gestures toward the other stairway. Part of me wants to burst into that office and show my father what I’m capable of.

I’m not a defenseless child anymore.

Eli squeezes my arm and tucks his chin to look into my eyes. It’s not the right time. Fuck, I know that. We’ll take care of my father in good time, but today isn’t the day.

There’s anger in Eli’s eyes, but it’s banked. I’m not the only one who will stand in his way. She’s protected.

Drawing in a breath, I nod and follow him silently back to the stairs. We get to my room and everything is as I left it. Eli does a quick sweep for recording devices as I head to my closet and find the suit and shoes I need for tonight. I grab a few other things and put them in the garment bag.

Eli shakes his head to indicate nothing is recording in here currently. But we don’t risk it. I glance around the room that was a place to sleep, and that’s all. Except now, I see bursts of color and emotion splashed in my room.

Harper is everywhere. Where I fucked her against the door. The way she gave in to me. Wanted me. In the bathroom. On the counter. In my bed.

Watching her sleep on the screen gave me peace I didn’t know I needed. Her sleeping in my arms is as close to home as I’ve ever felt. When she was in this dark house, she was the only spot of warmth. I don’t know if even her warmth could have survived in this place long, or if the cold would have frozen her too.

She gave me her warmth, her heart, her love. Every piece healed my broken soul. I have a long way to go before I’m fully healed, but she’s my home. My center.

This room means nothing to me. I blow out a breath and close the door on this part of my life. I may need to still interact with my dad, but my future is Harper.

He’ll never take her away from me.

We take the main stairs down. There’s no reason to avoid my father. I’m curious if the other man is still here. Would I recognize him if I saw him? My father won’t hurt me with Eli here. He despises witnesses.

That he thinks he controls me is ridiculous, but I’ll play into it if it keeps Harper safe. I’ve had time to cool down and review the words in my head. He won’t do anything to Harper. Not with our friend in her corner. Not with all of us protecting her.

He may be able to get through me, but he can’t take on all of us.

In anticipation of a confrontation, I give Eli my things to carry so my hands are free. I stretch my fingers. The rage has cooled considerably and I’m curious what the Feds wanted. FBI? Are they actually here for my father? His businesses? Or is it just a coincidence and he’s paranoid?

His office door is open. I won’t sneak through this house. My head is high, back straight. I’m ready.

When we walk past, it doesn’t surprise me when he clears his throat. “The prodigal son returns.”

I stop in his doorway and lean against the doorjamb like I don’t have a care in the world. He didn’t ask me anything, so I don’t respond. Just meet his cold, dead eyes.

Eli rests against the wall across from the door. He’s here if I need him.

My father taps his pen against the desk. Probably waiting for me to explain myself, but this is a game we’ve played before. I won’t cave first. If I do, he’ll perceive it as weakness. This has always been a game of chess.

Part of the game is knowing your opponent, and I know mine too well. He thinks he knows me. He thinks he molded me to be his perfect little soldier. But he didn’t take into account the boys I grew up with or the girl I fell in love with. They’ve made me so much stronger than him.

“Your sister is well?” He raises an eyebrow and leans back in his chair. He wants to control this conversation, and I’ll let him.

“Penny is fine.” I’m not about to tell him where we’ve been staying. He’d have issues with us both being at Caden’s. Maybe he already knows or maybe he assumes Penny ran back to her mother or to her friends.

My dad chuckles, but not with humor. It falls wrong from him. “That girl was always a mistake. Her mother...” He shakes his head, and the smile on his face isn’t kind. “She was persistent, but not the quality of woman I would look for normally. Especially to procreate with. Subpar.”

“Not like my mother.” The words come out unemotional even though they burn in my mouth. He doesn’t know that I know about her. The story he told me was she died giving birth to me. He didn’t tell me he was the reason.

His smile falls. “No. No one is like your mother. She was perfect. Intelligent. Rich. Cunning. It’s not surprising that your sister is... less than.”

His eyes get that hazy look to them like he’s seeing into the past. He doesn’t show any outward emotion though. Does he have any emotion when it comes to my mother? He could be talking about anyone or anything. He never shows what matters most to him.

Maybe there isn’t anything besides money and power.

I want to ask him if he’s the reason my mother is dead, but I don’t need the answer. I know it. In my heart. It’s why I need to get away. He kills everything he touches. Which is why he’ll never touch Harper.