Page 170 of Little Sunshine

“Let’s just go upstairs.”

“I said home.”

Ash

Fuck.

I’d known it. In my gut the night before, after Mila finally let me in and shared about her childhood, I’d known I needed to tell her. I’d known there was a chance she’d find out somehow, and the longer I waited, the worse it’d be.

I just thought I had longer than half a damn day.

I wanted to slam my fist against the steering wheel, but I settled for tightening my grip like I could silently choke the shit outta it. Mila was already huddled in the passenger’s seat with her arms wrapped protectively around herself. I didn’t want to scare her worse.

Not when she’d already called me Ash.

Not Daddy.

Ash.

I’d told her what would happen once I became her Daddy. And when we got home—where it would be harder to run—I would have to remind her.

Chapter 28

Always Remember What Goes Up…

MILA

Ash said we’d talk at home, and for once, I’d listened.

After a long, silent car ride where we both stayed in our own heads, we were home. I stepped through the doorway from his garage into his kitchen.

We were home. And it was as long as I was waiting.

Spinning to face him, I asked, “What happened to the guys who attacked me?”

Ash took his suit jacket off and tossed it aside while he answered my question with a warning. “Think this through, sunshine.”

“Think what through?”

He crowded me until our bodies nearly touched. His hazel eyes were shockingly cold as he looked down at me. It sent a shiver through me, and his jaw clenched. “Whether you can live with knowing that answer. If you need some plausible deniability in your head in order to be happy, then drop this now. Because once it’s out there, there is no unhearing it. And there is no leaving.”

“Ash—”

My words were cut off when he lifted me suddenly and spun before slamming my ass down on the island. His palms slapped the counter on either side of me. “You do not get to call me Ash like that’s all I am to you.” He pressed in farther, forcing my legs to spread. “I told you what would happen once you became mine. I warned you I could become consumed by you, but that was a lie. I was already consumed. Fucking obsessed. But I still gave you the choice, and you gave me you. Now there’s no going back. You don’t get to make that decision.”

“Then who does?” I asked, lost and confused.

“Me. I’m your Daddy because you trust me to take care of you. To do what’s best for you.” Ash stepped away just long enough to tear my pants down my legs and free his cock. He didn’t even bother to step out of them in his rush to be inside me. Holding my legs spread, he filled me in one brutal thrust before freezing. He gripped my chin to crane my neck so I was looking at him. So he was all I could see. “And I’m what’s best for you. I’ll always be what’s best for you because I’ll live and fucking die to take care of you. And yes, Camila, that includes murder.”

My chest tightened until I could barely breathe.

But Ash wasn’t done. “Those fuckers hurt the woman I love. They scared her.”

“Love?” I breathed, a million thoughts going in a million different directions at a million miles per hour

He kept going like I hadn’t spoken. “So I made sure they hurt. That they were scared.” He lifted his hands, flipping them back and forth. “And then I came home with their blood added to what already stains my skin and touched you.” He wrapped those same hands around my upper thighs. Sliding out, he slammed back in. Even with his hold pinning me in place, I scooted up the island. He pinned me back where he wanted me and then thrust deeper. “Got you off.” He plunged in again. “Made you mine.” Again.

And again.

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