Chapter 6

6

JESS

I knew something would happen in here, but silly me thought it would be a touch or a kiss. Why I expected anything less than Romeo’s tongue exploring my pussy is beyond me.

Wobbly legs only manage to hold me upright because of Romeo’s hand around my waist. If he wasn’t here, I’d be lying flat on my ass with the biggest, goofiest smile splattered across my face. Even though I’m about to walk into Father’s warpath, that has to count for something, right?

We reach the bathroom door, and I try to part from him. But my escape attempt is met by a deep rumble in his chest.

Romeo really is a beast. Feral and savage in his actions but deathly loyal without question. It melts my heart into another puddle, collecting where his mouth just was. It also terrifies me because I know what happens to men who stand against Father’s cruelty.

He eventually lets go, pressing his back against the wall beside the door. He’s doing his best to make himself as small as possible against it, but that’s proving to be a difficult task with his monstrous size.

Too scared to speak, in case Father can hear me, I lift myself onto my tippy-toes—which is a lot harder than I thought it would be in heels—and kiss him on the cheek. A thank you for a wonderful evening and my goodbye to him. I can’t part with Romeo without letting him know I appreciate what he’s done for me, even if it was just raw, primal desire.

Time to face the music.

I draw in a long breath and exhale it with a sigh as I open the door. Father’s farther up the hall, peeking his head into one of the rooms in search of me. Martin’s behind him.

“I’m here,” I announce myself and close the door behind me.

When I reach them, Father’s standing against the wall with arms crossed over his chest. His flaring nostrils emphasize the rage in his steely eyes. Martin’s at his side, scowling at me.

Spineless piece of shit.

“Where have you been?” Father’s mouth barely moves.

“The bathroom.”

“Don’t play coy with me, little girl. I’m not in the mood.” He kicks himself off the wall and scans me from toe to crown. “What’s this I hear of a giant disrespecting our honored guest?”

The lump in my throat is so big, it’s a miracle I can still draw air into my lungs. But hearing ‘giant’ from Father’s lips takes me back to where I was mere moments ago—a state of blissful ignorance and happiness for the first time in my life. Romeo’s hands caress my body as his mouth delivers unimaginable pleasure.

My body aches for him. Another touch, another lick. I’d even settle for one last word.

“He doesn’t know about the arrangement. He took a chance, and I sent him off.” Lies come easy when they’re directed at Father. I’ve spent my entire life hiding everything I do to keep his temper in check.

“Not before he belittled Martin so badly, he felt the need to call me,” Father growls.

“When you put it like that, it makes me sound pathetic,” Martin says glumly.

It takes everything I’ve got not to laugh at him.

Sound pathetic? No. You are pathetic.

Spending time with my beast proved it. Maybe that’s why it feels like my heart is swelling in my chest, filled with so much joy it’s about to pop and shatter into a thousand broken pieces.

No matter how much fun we had or how badly I want it to happen again, it can’t. Hell, Romeo shouldn’t have been brave enough to speak with me, let alone whisk me away.

“I’m growing tired of your insolence, Jess.” Father ignores Martin and continues his attack on me. “We had an agreement, and I thought you understood it.”

Agreement . He throws the word around so loosely, it’s lost all meaning. I don’t want any of this, and I’ve said as much a thousand times. Father doesn’t care as long as he gets what he wants in the end.

“I did.”

“You don’t anymore?” He frames it like a question, but it’s an accusation.

“I do.” I turn my head away, ashamed of my weakness.

“What about you, boy? Got cold feet after being pushed around?” Father turns to Martin. Knowing I’m not the only one on the receiving end of his ire is, in a twisted way, comforting.

“N-no, sir,” Martin stammers. “I’m still very happy with what we’ve discussed.”

“Good, and next time it happens, you deal with the problem yourself. You’ve got a gun, so fucking use it,” Father snarls.

My union with Martin has been years in the making. And over the course, I’ve always believed Father walked on eggshells to ensure the Winthrop empire would merge with ours. This interaction illuminates my ignorance on the matter.

Martin Winthrop is getting squished under Father’s thumb just as hard as me.

“Yes, sir.” Martin hangs his head in solemn defeat.

“Good. Then we all walk away happy. Now, both of you, fuck off out of my sight.”

Martin and I watch Father stride back to his office, too afraid to speak, but somehow sharing our first quiet nod of understanding. It may not change anything, especially not how I feel about him.

But somehow, it stings a little less.