“I'm happy to hear you say that, honey. You've matured so much.” Dad beams, before he looks at Chris again. “Make sure there's time for breakfast before you two leave tomorrow. She always gets cranky traveling on an empty stomach. As for me, I'll look after your mother.'
Chris' face darkens. “It's her own damned business to figure out. Nobody else's, Bruce. Not even yours.”
“She's my wife,” dad says sternly. “I'll do whatever I need to. She always wanted a good family, a tight family.”
My stepbrother snorts. “Oh, is that what she's been telling you? Fucking chameleon. She'll say whatever it takes to keep the coin flowing, old man.”
He rubs his fingers together. I can see my dad's obviously displeased, but he's rarely confrontational. It took him months to come after mom about her affair, when the evidence was all over the house.
Just once, I'd like to see my father show some backbone. He isn't going to start with Chris, though, and I watch him turn and head for the stairs.
“Have a safe flight, kids. Enjoy yourselves while you're young, before things get very...complicated.” He disappears out of sight, leaving us hanging on that word.
Enjoy yourselves. His words echo in my head, and I try not to let my brain go to sex.
Shit. I realize I'm alone with Chris in the hall, a prelude to a week of god knows what with him in Vegas.
I fold my arms, biting my tongue so I don't let it dart out at him. “I can't believe you're back. What changed your mind?”
“Vegas, baby. It's as simple as that.” He shrugs like it's nothing. “I like you, Delia, even if you're not cut out to ride my dick. You're honest. You're coming up in the world.”#p#分页标题#e#
My ears perk up. I can't decide if it's the start of another ridiculous joke, or if he's being sweet and sincere. He steps up to me, and I'm ready to jump away from his grasp before he forces me to confront the lava that won't stop rippling in my veins every time I look at him.
“Besides, babe, somebody needs to come along for the ride and make sure you're not a hot little cocktease for all the wrong guys.” He reaches out, grabs my wrists, and jerks me into him. “I wasn't kidding when I said the city has a dark side. It's not all fun and games. If you've been following the news, you'd have heard all about the new sex trafficking syndicate that's taking chicks without a trace.”
“I'm too old for a fucking babysitter, Chris. I'm not a little kid.” I spit fire in his face. “Besides, I'm more likely to get held for ransom than shipped off for my looks.”
He laughs dismissively and hardens his grip. Raw desire wakes in my veins, churns in my whole system, paralyzing me. He's such a bastard.
I'm not sure what that makes me for wanting him.
And I still do – even after the insults, the humiliation, the total silence.
Just once, I want to be the bad girl. I want to be like Marnie, a functioning, sexually alive woman who's ready for all the things a girl ought to be doing at this age, and the badass with his body tucked around mine reminds me that I'm not.
“Call me your conscience,” he growls, running his stubble across my smooth cheek, melting my panties in the process. “It's your ride, Delia. Your adventure. No bullshit. I'm just along to keep you safe, make sure you don't get yourself into anything you'll regret.”
Just like that, he lets me go. Every time I fall out of his arms, it's like the earth is crashing back, and I'm having the wind sucked out of me.
I watch him pick up the bag he's dropped on the floor, and sling it over his powerful shoulder. He doesn't even look at me as he walks by, goes into his room, and closes the door.
I'm left on the spot, wetter and more confused than ever before.
I think I just entered a new tier of hell.
It's a busy morning flight. So busy, in fact, that Chris and I are jammed together in our seats, surrounded by yawning, jabbering businesspeople of every race, gender, and creed.
I swear Chris splashed something extra in his coffee while he watched me eat my muffin. Probably whiskey.
Evie took off with dad somewhere this morning before the chauffeur took us to the airport, and I'm too on edge about the trip to care.
I want to have fun. I want to sort this crap out with my quite possibly drunken stepbrother. And I really want to forget all the BS that's been plaguing me like the senior thesis and this sadistic crush that won't stop eating my soul.
He's at my side, dozing in his seat. Or so I think, until we're at twenty-thousand feet.
“Goddamn it, Charlie...told you about Kirkuk...I told you, you poor dumb bastard. They're coming. They're armed. Where's our fucking backup?” His hand brushes mine.
My ears perk up. He's babbling in his sleep. He's remembering something awful.