Page 28 of Daddy's Accidental Babies

Vanessa followed my gaze. “I need your head in this. No distractions.” She snapped her fingers in front of my face and Iblinked a few times, realizing that Vanessa hadn’t yet caught on that things between Savannah and me were heating up, but her wheels were turning now.

“You have it,” I told her, and I pried my eyes off of Savannah, as hard as that was.

I slipped out while the crew barked gear lists and zipped camera bags. One assistant knocked over a tripod and cursed under her breath. Someone else called out for a lens cap. A clipboard smacked the edge of a table as they reset for another round. None of it registered. My focus had already shifted. I reached for the door, pausing mid-step when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

David: 3:12 PM:Don’t be late. We have things to settle.

I read the message twice as I felt the tension build at the base of my neck. I slipped the phone into my jacket pocket and stared at the floor as I replayed what he wrote while walking out to my car.

David didn’t offer pretense or pleasantries. He wanted a confrontation, and I would be walking into it, whether I was ready or not. I had two days left. And every part of me knew he wasn’t coming to talk.

13

SAVANNAH

The lobby of Raven & Rhodes was quiet when I returned from the photoshoot. Fluorescent light bounced off the polished marble floors. The front desk sat neat and undisturbed, with a vase of white tulips centered like it had been placed with a ruler. The receptionist had ducked out for a late lunch, or maybe she knocked off early; either way it felt like a ghost town.

Until I saw a sight I would rather not have seen.

My father stood by the waiting area with his arms folded and his jaw tight, wearing the look that used to make me confess to everything from bad grades to sneaking out in high school. It was the face of discipline and control. But something beneath it looked off. The tightness around his eyes and the stiff set of his shoulders suggested he knew this wasn’t a petty, immature issue. He was angry.

I straightened my posture as I crossed the lobby. “Dad. What are you doing here?” I glanced around to see if we were really alone, but kept my tone even, forcing professionalism into my voice even though my chest had already begun to tighten.

“We need to talk,” he said without waiting for a greeting. “Now.” He looked past me toward the elevators, not bothering to hide his urgency.

I glanced at the front desk and at two interns, whom I had not seen, pretending not to eavesdrop from beside the elevators. Then I gestured toward a side hallway. “Conference room. This way.” I turned on my heel knowing he would follow and tried to swallow the bile rising in my throat. I’d been putting him off for long enough that he knew I was avoiding the conversation. Now he wasn’t just feeling protective; he was really upset.

The room I chose was empty. It was small and cold, and it smelled like new carpet, but that didn’t keep my stomach from knotting itself into a tangled mess and threatening to force my lunch up and out. I closed the door behind us and turned toward him, trying to steady my breathing.

“What’s this about, Dad?” I crossed my arms, holding myself in place.

He didn’t sit, and neither did I. His stance was rigid, though the expression on his face had shifted from anger to concern, and maybe a bit of relief. The divot between his eyebrows had deepened, and his shoulders had sagged slightly.

“Savannah,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck like the words pained him, “I know you’re smart, and strong. But Dominic Knight…he’s not who you think he is.” He took a breath. “I’ve seen the way he moves through people’s lives, using them up. He leaves wreckage behind.” His voice stayed low, but there was steel behind it.

I felt the tension gather behind my ribs in a new way. Not that terrified feeling of being called to the boss’s office, but the suppressed anger I felt when I’d done nothing wrong and was being accused of something. “We’re not doing this.” My fingers curled into the fabric of my jacket as my expression tightened.

“You don’t know everything,” he said more gently now. “And I’m not saying this to try to control you. I’m saying it because I’ve seen things. Things I wish I hadn’t. I just don’t want you getting pulled into something that’ll hurt you. And think of the boys.”

My stomach rolled again at his comment about my sons, because I knew perfectly well how getting tangled up with Dominic could affect them. “Then tell me.” I lifted my chin, daring him.

Dad’s head tilted slightly and he massaged the bridge of his nose, but he didn’t give me a straight answer. “Baby, I’m watching out for you.”

“You’re warning me like I’m a child,” I said, throwing my hands up. “Like I can’t decide who I trust.” I tried to control the tremor rising in my throat. “And this isn’t that serious. You don’t even know what’s going on; you just made an assumption.” I felt justified in being angry, though he did deserve an explanation. I just wished he wouldn’t walk into my place of employment to badger me.

“You’ve made your choice, I get that.” He sighed, his voice softening. “But that’s what scares me. You’re all grown up now, and I can’t protect you the way I used to.” Dad stepped closer, but I didn’t let him take my hand.

Something in his voice gave me pause. It wasn’t the sharp edge of disappointment or the heat of anger. It was quieter than that. I couldn’t name it exactly, but it pressed into me more deeply than any outburst ever could. I could see in his eyes that something was affecting him, and he was truly upset by the mere mention of me dating Dominic. It made me curious.

I swallowed and spoke softly. “What are you not telling me?” My voice dropped to a whisper as I searched his face.

He looked away and then back again with a slow, resigned breath. “It’s not something I can explain without saying too much.” He reached for the back of a chair but didn’t sit. “I’veworked with men like him. I’ve seen what happens when people get close. It never ends the way you think it will.” He hesitated, then added, “You’re not a kid. I know that. But that doesn’t mean I won’t worry. Just…be smart about this. That’s all I’m asking.”

When his demeanor changed again—back to the brooding, angry father—I knew he wasn’t going to tell me whatever it was. He had said his piece and that was all I’d get out of it. Whatever it was that concerned Dominic had him upset, and in his mind, it seemed a very real threat, either to me or to him via my connection to Dominic. But until he was bold enough to spit it out, I had no reason to back off.

Fake dating Dominic was basically my job right now, on top of a few dozen other responsibilities, and raising my sons. I couldn’t stop and coddle my father’s insecurity. And if he wasn’t going to tell me, I had no choice but to continue doing my job.

“It’s just a PR stunt, Dad,” I grunted, but it didn’t resolve the tension in his eyes. Probably because he knew me better than anyone and knew I was lying. I got a good look at those initial press leaks fromLuxe. I was so into him; there was no mistaking the heat.

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