Chapter 1

1

VICTORIA

I knew my daddy was going to be pissed if he knew I was sneaking out… again. But here I was creeping through the darkened house and making sure my he was asleep.

The house was silent, except for my daddy's heavy breathing that could be heard clearly down the hall.

I was dressed with my shoes on, ready to make my break, but waited to make sure he wouldn't wake. My father–although kind and sweet and I was an all-around daddy's girl–could be scary as hell when he was pissed.

I stood perfectly still right outside of his bedroom door and held my breath. But he was in a deep sleep, probably exhausted from working overtime at his body shop.

My heart pounded, and my pulse thrummed in my ears, but I couldn't help the excitement bubbling inside me. I'd been talking with Connor, one of the new boys at the university, and he'd invited me to hang out at the lake right down the street from my house.

I moved away from my father's door and avoided the creaky spot on the floor. My window was cracked from when I planned for tonight, and I pushed it up further and slipped outside.

I held my breath as the cool night air hit my face. I closed the window until an inch remained open and then ran toward the lake, casting one last glance back at my dark house.

My father wouldn't find out. I'd be back before he ever woke up. That's what I told myself, anyway. Clearly, I was trying to convince myself this was a good idea.

The path to the lake wasn't far. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the trees as I reached the clearing. And then I saw him. Connor leaned against a tree, his arms crossed, his gaze focused on the water until he heard a twig snap under my foot.

He glanced at me and smiled. "Hey," he said and pushed away from the tree to face me. "You made it. I didn't think you would."

"I always keep my promises." My voice was barely a whisper. I was excited, but it wasn't because I was meeting with Connor. If I truly admitted to anyone–let alone myself–what caused anticipation to thrum through me, I'd be deemed as a sick fuck.

We stood by the lake, the water calm in the middle of the night. Neither of us spoke, but I could feel this awkwardness from Connor. Was he… nervous?

The thrill of sneaking out, the knowledge that my father could wake up and find me–that he'd be furious–made me feel electric.

He moved closer to me, and I felt his fingers brushing mine. But it didn't feel right if I was being honest.

"Your dad would lose it if he knew," Connor teased, his voice low.

My heart raced at his words, and I laughed softly, nodding. "He'd kill me." I looked at him. "And you."

He laughed, but I was being serious. My father was very protective of me. I was a daddy's girl through and through.

But just as the words left my mouth, I heard it. The unmistakable sound of footsteps crashing through the woods. Fast and furious and with clear intent.

Oh God.

My heart raced as I turned and faced the trees. But it was so dark I couldn't see much of anything. I heard him coming, though.

"What is that?" Connor asked.

"Victoria!" My father's voice boomed in the darkness, and I snapped my head to look at Connor. Realization covered his face instantly.

"Oh, shit."

Yeah. My thoughts exactly.

"Victoria!" my father roared, his deep voice cutting through the quiet night like a knife.

I froze, but fear didn't hold me hostage. I felt… anticipation and excitement.

Connor didn't move, but his eyes were wide. There was no time to think or react as my father stormed into the clearing, his face twisted with fury, and his focus scanning the area until it landed on me.

Then he slowly looked at Connor and growled. Literally growled. I could see how his already big body was growing larger, his muscles looking frighteningly massive in the moonlight.

"I know my baby girl didn't fucking sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to meet some little douche bag." Daddy's voice was like thunder as he breathed fast and hard and stomped up to us. I noticed Connor took a step back, his survival instincts kicking in.

My father's gaze darted to Connor, his anger burning in them. "If you want to live to see tomorrow, I you get the fuck out of here, asshole."

"Daddy," I said in a breathless tone, not sure what to say because I was transfixed at how big and strong… and fierce my father looked.

He didn't let me say anything, not that I could get the words out, as he grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him so he could place me behind his hulking form. His grip was tight and unforgiving.

Connor still just stood there, helpless and looking scared shitless, as my father stared him down for several seconds. And then Connor was turning and all but ran in the other direction.

My father made sure Connor was out of sight before he turned and dragged me back toward the house. The silence between us was suffocating, and my heart pounded in my chest.

I knew I was in deep trouble, and that made this dark rush of… something so wrong consume me.

When we reached the house, Dad shoved the door open hard enough it slammed against the wall. He pulled me inside and closed it behind us with enough force the pictures on the wall shook.

Dad paced back and forth, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled and exhaled wildly. He stood and faced me, his muscular arms hanging on either side, his hands curled into fists as his broad chest rose and fell with his harsh breathing.

"Do you have any idea how stupid that was?" he growled. "Sneaking out in the middle of the night could have gotten you hurt, Victoria." His jaw clenched as he let that statement hang between us. "And then I find out you're meeting some little prick by the lake?"

I stood there, staring at my father, never having seen him so mad before–let alone directed right at me.

Guilt and that darkness of feelings I couldn't name out loud consumed me. "I'm sorry, Daddy," I whispered, but was I really sorry?

No. No, I'm not.

And then he took a step closer, then another, and another until he was right in front of me. I had to crane my neck back to stare in his face. He only gave me a second before he used his body to make me move backward until the wall stopped my retreat.

"I should ground you," he snapped and slammed his hands on the wall on either side of my head. "No phone. No going out. Nothing. That's the punishment I should be giving you." His focus scanned my face before zeroing in on my lips. I licked them involuntarily, unable to stop myself from doing the act. "I should lock you in your room for the rest of the summer."

I nodded, but bad things, dirty things, played in my mind as I thought about Daddy telling me what to do as I was locked in my room. On my bed. I swallowed hard, knowing there was no way I could vocalize any of this, but God, I wanted to.

"But I'm not going to do any of that." He leaned in so we were eye level. "Do you know how I'm going to punish you, Victoria?"

I slowly shook my head, unable to find my voice.

"I'm going to show you what it means to be a good girl." He slid his hand behind me, down the length of my spine, and cupped one round, plump cheek. He leaned in another inch, so I felt his breath on my lips. "I'm going to show you that this is Daddy's ass, baby girl."

And then I was in his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist, his cock hard when it nudged at my pussy, as he strode down the hall and to the bedroom.

God… this was happening. We were going to hell for this, and I was looking forward to it.