Page 53 of Marcus: Sins of the Father

“For being you.” That earns her a smile as I take her in my arms and spin her around until laughter lights her face. We dance the night away, barely giving notice to anyone else at the party. When the quartet finally takes a break, we move to a table.

“Let me introduce you to my daddy.”

“Daddy?” I tease.

“Oh, shut up.” She pulls my hand, leading me to a table where a man with peppered hair stands talking to several other people. He catches a glimpse of Brandy and immediately turns his attention to her.

“I wondered when you’d come say hello to your father,” he chastises, pulling her in for a hug. “How have you been? How’s the Opera? I want to hear everything.”

“It’s all going well and coming along.” She tugs me forward. “I want you to meet Marcus.”

His eyes shift to me, and it’s obvious he’s sizing me up. Am I good enough for his daughter? What do I have to offer her?

“Nice to meet you, Marcus. I’m Gerald.” He extends his hand as his eyes shift between us. “Did you two meet at the Opera?”

We shake, but before I can say anything, Brandy chirps in. “Yes, we met at work.”

Her father seems to be starting to make sense of me, though he couldn’t be more off base. I know she doesn’t want to tell him about her job at the bar, but I can’t help but wonder if she’s embarrassed of me.

“I think I’ll go grab us some drinks. What will you have, Brandy?” I ask, trying to play the role of civilized upper class.

“I’ll have a glass of chardonnay. Thank you.”

I meander to the bar and wait in the short line when Holt comes to stand next to me.

“She’s out of your league.”

“You don’t know my league.”

“Everything about you tells me you’re beneath her. She’ll have her fun, and then off you’ll go, back to the slums, and I’ll be here chumming it up with Daddy, waiting for her to return to me. She belongs with a man who can treat her like a princess to be placed in a glass case. But no hard feelings.” He slips his business card into my jacket pocket. “Give me a call, and I can recommend a good tailor so you can look like you belong in a man’s world instead of a little boy drowning in Daddy’s hand-me-downs.”

I want nothing more than to drive my fist in his face, but I know this isn’t the time or the place. So, I order our drinks and turn to walk away. Still, I can’t resist getting in at least one dig. I stop and lean in, just inches from his face. “Brandy is not a princess to be put on a pedestal and locked in a tower. She’s a queen to be fucking worshipped.” Then I walk away, because beating the shit out of him won’t win me any points. I know he’s trying to fuck with me and get in my head, but he’s about to find out he just woke the beast.

I hand Brandy her drink. My eyes must be flaming with the rage I feel inside, because she leans to me and whispers, “Are you okay?”

“I’m great now that I’m next to you.”

“If you’ll excuse us, Daddy. I’m going to introduce Marcus to some people.”

“Of course, dear. But don’t leave before saying goodbye.”

“I promise.”

She smiles and bats her eyes. “Follow me.”

“To the ends of the earth,” I whisper and trail behind her, watching her hips sashay with each step she takes. “Sweetheart, I’d follow you anywhere to get a look at that fine ass.”

She glances over her shoulder, giving me a mischievous smile.

Inside, people seem to litter the halls and living room. She pushes me into a room and glances around to make sure no one noticed before entering herself, shutting the door behind her, and flipping the lock. I glance around. We seem to be in her father’s study. Shelves full of books line the walls, and an ornately carved desk sits in the middle of the room, an expensive, brown leather chair behind it.

As soon as the door clicks, I move toward Brandy, backing her against the door. I run my knuckles along the swells of her cleavage while I kiss down her neck. She responds to my every caress.

The clinking of glasses and merriment drift down the hall. The noise gets louder. I pull back. “Where can we go where we won’t be interrupted?” I growl.

“There’s a bathroom through that door,” she pants, pointing behind me.

I lock the door behind us and move across the small space like I’m stalking my prey.

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