Page 72 of Her Possessive Daddies

Corey shoots me a look. "This isn’t helping."

I throw my hands up. "What do you want me to say? This thing’s a dumpster fire, and we’re all standing here with gas cans."

Donovan laughs, low and dry. "Speak for yourself. I’m just here to enjoy the show."

"Shut up, fucker," Corey snaps.

I glance between them, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. "So what now? We all go home and pretend this never happened? Or do we actually try to figure this out before it blows up in our faces again?"

Corey looks at me like I’ve just suggested they solve world hunger. "And how the hell do you propose we do that?"

I smirk. "I don’t know. But if we’re all in this mess together, we might as well own it.

Corey slumps into a chair, the fight draining out of him. "I really fucked up. Of all the beautiful women in this city, I had to have a thing for Chandler's ex."

I watch my friend wrestle with his conscience. In twenty years of friendship, I've never seen him this torn up over a woman.

"You know what your son's like," I say. "He doesn't want her back. He just doesn't want anyone else to have her."

"Doesn't matter." Corey rubs his temples. "The relationship with my son is already hanging by a thread. If I pursue this..."

"He'll never forgive you," Donovan finishes, his voice heavy. He drops into the chair beside Corey. "And as his godfather, I should be telling you to let her go."

"But?" I prompt.

Donovan sighs. "But Chandler's a grown man who threw away something good because he couldn't get his head out of his own ass. And now he's trying to guilt-trip his father over it?"

"Doesn't change the fact that she's his ex," Corey says. "There are lines you don't cross."

"Lines?" I can't help but laugh. "Pretty sure we crossed all those lines already. Multiple times."

"Not helping, Seth." Corey glares at me.

"Look." Donovan leans forward. "I've watched you try to build a relationship with Chandler for years. But at some point, you have to stop letting him manipulate you with guilt. You're allowed to be happy too."

Corey stares into his empty glass. "Am I? Because right now it feels like I have to choose between my son and the first woman who's made me feel alive in years."

"Look." I set my glass down, choosing my words carefully. "When's the last time Chandler actually earned anything? Everything's been handed to him. And from what little I know about Abbie, she's not the type to stick around for that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Corey's eyes narrow.

"It means your son's been living off his trust fund while she's working her ass off bartending and going to school. He dumped her for not being 'fun enough' because she couldn't party every night. Now he shows up with some new girl, claims they've been dating for months, but wants Abbie back? Come on. He doesn't deserve her."

Donovan nods slowly. "He's got a point. Remember last month when Chandler called me at 6 AM begging to borrow my car because his got impounded? Again?"

"And now he's playing the victim?" I continue. "Please. He's just pissed someone else might want what he threw away."

Corey slumps deeper into his chair, his head in his hands. "Fuck me."

"Take some time," I say. "Think it through. But don't let Chandler manipulate you with guilt. He made his choices."

"And what about Abbie?" Donovan asks quietly.

I reach for my keys. "Give her space too. This is one hell of a mess to process."

Corey just nods, staring into his empty glass like it holds all the answers. I can see when he needs to be alone with his thoughts.

"Come on," I tell Donovan. "Let's give him some time to think."

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