Page 113 of Sins of the Father

I grunt. “When we get home tonight, I’ll give you some more.”

She softly laughs.

“I’d love to skip this thing, but we should get going. I was warned not to be late.”

“Put your pants on, then,” she teases.

We get put back together, and she pulls out her compact mirror and checks her makeup.

“You look perfect,” I tell her.

She examines me, takes a tissue, and dabs at my chin.

“Am I lipstick-free?” I ask when she’s done.

She smiles. “All good.”

I kiss her head. “Thanks.” I text Ted to come back, and within several minutes, we’re pulling up to the red carpet. My stomach flips, and my pulse beats harder.

Harper squeezes my hand, pecks me on the lips, and I get out.

But I’m not prepared. I’m usually a VP of Finance of an insurance company. Nothing is fascinating about me. Tonight, according to the press, I’m one ofMarquis’sTop Ten Under Forty Professionals,and it’s another exciting piece for their evening.

“Steven,” they all shout. Cameras flash on both sides and in front of us, and I pull Harper closer, trying to get inside as quickly as possible. But Dudmeyer is at the entrance of the door and turns to see all the commotion.

He steps back out on the red carpet, and with his fake smile, he kisses Harper’s cheek like he’s known her forever and says something in her ear I can’t hear.

Get your grubby hands off my woman.

Dudmeyer is a cheating whore like a lot of the C-suite guys in my firm.

No different from Maximillion. Makes sense they are friends.

He poses, sandwiching Harper between us, and the camera takes several photos.

I squeeze Harper’s waist and lead her up the carpet. As soon as we get inside, Dudmeyer says, “You need to learn to ride the free press train a bit more.”

I clench my jaw and stare at him, tired of his antics but unable to stop the nightmare I know will be this evening.

“Can you excuse us? Steven promised me he would show me where the ladies’ room is,” Harper says.

Dudmeyer takes her hand and kisses it while staring in her eyes. I’m about to lose my shit when Harper pulls back and says, “Sorry, but I need to go.”

He releases her, and I put my hand on her back and guide her inside. “Do you have to go?”

“No. But let’s stand in the hallway a few minutes so it doesn’t look like I lied.”

We turn the corner in the corridor, and Harper shoves me against the wall. She pulls my head down and gives me a fiery kiss.

“You trying to have me be in pain all night?”

She smiles. “Maybe.”

I kiss her some more until someone taps my shoulder.

I spin to see my mom.

She glances between us. “Are you two having fun watching my granddaughter?”

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