Page 41 of Bittersweet Revenge

“So I’ve been told.” I looked away down the corridor, praying for Caleb to open the door, but also dreading it. I knew how little he thought of me and no matter how dejected and uncomfortable I looked, he’d never see anything other than what he wanted to see.

“You know, your mother and I were very close friends.”

That caught my attention and I turned my head to meet his eyes. I couldn't believe I had ever found those eyes friendly; now they were downright predatory.

“Oh, were you?” Was he baiting me? Trying to see how much I knew about the real situation?Did he have the journal pages?

He nodded, letting go of my strand of hair before trailing his fingers against my collarbone. “Yes, the best of friends.” He took another step closer, so close I could smell the coffee on his breath. My stomach dropped. I was going to be sick.Please God. Someone help me.

“What about you and I being friends too?” he added, either oblivious to my discomfort, completely uncaring, or worst of all getting off on it. Knowing this family, it was probably the latter. “I could make it worthwhile for both of us.”

The bile rose up my throat. I was going to vomit on his expensive polo shirt and I wouldn’t even be sorry for it.

“Father.” Caleb's voice came as a beacon of hope in the darkness and I couldn't contain the little tearless sob of relief at the sound of his voice.

I turned my head toward him. He looked ready to kill, his hands balled into tight fists at his sides. He had showered and was dressed as impeccably as he always was, but he was paler than usual, clearly still suffering from the epic hangover.

James slowly took a step back and turned his head, keeping his body directed toward me as if he was not doing anything shameful, as if sexually harassing me wasn’t a big deal – and it probably wasn’t for men like him.

“Ah, son, you’re up early.”

“Not early enough I see.” He threw me a look that seemed to say ‘are you okay?’ or maybe it was just something I wanted to see. All in all it did feel good.

I nodded just in case.

He concentrated on James again. “There are a few things I need to discuss with you about the business.”

James nodded, finally taking a step back and allowing me to breathe better. “Of course, business first as always. Let’s go to the office.” He smiled at me, throwing me a playful wink. “I’ll get to know my sweet daughter-in-law more tonight.”

Did he really think I’d enjoyed any part of our interaction?

Caleb frowned, walking toward his father, but stopping beside me. “Why tonight?”

“Family dinner of course!” He said as if this was self-evident, but one didn’t have to know them long to know that this was not something these people did.

“But we don’t have family dinners,” Caleb said, confirming my suspicion.

James's jovial smile slipped, showing a glimpse of the real monster I suspected he was. “We do now. Do you have a problem with this, son?”

I wrapped my pinkie finger around Caleb’s and nudged it. Now was not the time to get James angry.

I forced a laugh. “Of course he doesn’t. Right, Caleb? I’m more than happy to get to know my future in-laws.”

“Marvelous,” he said, his smile back in place. “Son?” He gestured toward the corridor. “You wanted to talk, let's talk now.”

Caleb nodded, but stayed beside me. “Yes, I’ll be right down. I just want to have a word with my sweet fiancée first.” He smiled, grabbed my ponytail, and pulled me into a scorching kiss that reminded me of the passion we had shared on our night together. It was bruising and hard, part punishment, part possession, and I knew it was his way of marking his territory. Still, it was a much cleaner way than pissing on my leg.

He finally broke the kiss, leaving me breathless and a little flushed. It unnerved me to still react like this after everything he’d said to me, after everything he’d put me through.

His father chuckled. “I can’t blame you. Five minutes, Caleb. I have things to do.”

Other than harass your barely legal future daughter-in-law?I thought but remained silent.

“Yeah,” Caleb's voice was rougher somehow, his eyes a little glazed. It comforted me to know that he was not completely in control either, that even if he wanted to deny it, there was something there too.

As soon as James disappeared down the corridor, I unlocked my bedroom door and let Caleb in.

“Caleb, I swear I was not trying to entice him or whatever you think I want.” I shook my head before locking eyes with his, hoping he’d see the truth in them.

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