Untamed (A Bad Boy Secret Baby Romance)(31)

“Right.”

“So these measurements will help me determine how to train you. McNamara will help us as well, he’s got a team of doctors on his staff.”

He pauses for a while as he sets up the equipment. “What do you think of my daughter, Deidre?”

I’m caught off-guard by the question. At first, I think he’s going to issue me a warning, but the look in his eyes tells me that is not the case.

“She’s seems smart.”

He smiles. “She is. Very smart.”

“Mature beyond her years.”

“She always was precocious.”

“Beautiful.”

“She takes after her mother, but she could drop a few pounds.”

“She doesn’t need to,” I say.

Glass flicks his eyes up to me, narrows them. “You don’t think so?”

“No, not that what I think is important. What she thinks is important.”

“Learn a lesson from me, boy,” he says, lifting a finger. “When you have kids of your own, you got to teach them how to think, or they’ll pick up all the wrong shit.”

“You can’t force your ideas into someone else’s head.”

“You can.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“That’s philosophy,” he says. “But if you can guide them down the right path, shouldn’t you?”

“Do you guide Deidre?”

“I try to, but she is resistant to me. Always has been.”

“Do you know why?”

“How the hell should I know?” Glass barks without an ounce of self-awareness.

I don’t emote. It was the answer I expected.

“Now come here and stand against the wall, I need to measure your height.”

“I’m six-three I say.”

“I need exact measurements.”

I shrug, do as he says, my mind on Dee for the whole time.

But when we’re finally done, and I go looking for her around the house, I see that she’s already gone into her room, already showered judging by the steam on the mirrors in the bathroom, and the lingering smell of shampoo and shower gel in the air.

So I shower, too, clean up, realize I have nothing to wear outside of a few pairs of new compression shorts Glass gave me to spar in. They were still in the wrappers, to my relief.

With no other choice I put them on, crawl into an unfamiliar bed, and instantly feel uncomfortable.

It’s the softest fucking bed I’ve ever been in.

I get out, throw the pillow onto the carpeted floor, drag the sheets down with me, and lie down there instead.

This is more like it.





Chapter Ten





The screams keep me awake.

It’s past midnight, and I have school in the morning, but I keep hearing the screams.

I hear shouting and crying. Dad’s voice is shouting. Someone else’s voice is crying. Someone’s voice I don’t recognize, but I do know it’s a man’s.

Then it stops. Finally, my heart can slow down. Finally, I can stop imagining what’s going on downstairs.

But then I hear the footsteps. They stomp up the stairs, and I wince when I hear Dad’s harsh voice call my name. Then he calls Duncan.

“Get down here, now! Both of you!”

I climb out of bed, put on a night robe, slip my feet into warm slippers, and open the door, squinting into the bright hallway.

“What is it, Dad?” I mumble, rubbing my eyes. I look down the hallway and see Duncan standing in nothing but tight spandex shorts, the kind cyclists wear, but they have a built in, padded crotch. On Duncan, it bulges.

I snap my eyes up from his center. The lights cause dark shadows to form along the lines of his muscles. He’s got a really great—

“Put on some fucking clothes!” Dad yells at Duncan. “Then you and Dee come down to the living room.” He storms off back downstairs.

I go toward Duncan. He looks concerned. “This isn’t going to be good,” I whisper, pulling my night robe tighter around me. My eyes linger on his chest for a moment before I force myself to look up, to meet his eyes.

“You should stay up here.”

“No,” I tell him. “Dad will shout at me. I don’t want to deal with his bullshit.”

“I’ll deal with your father,” Duncan says.

“Hey,” I say, growing indignant. “I can handle myself. I don’t need you to protect me. You’ve only been here one day!”

Duncan regards me for a moment, then disappears back inside his room. He comes out wearing his t-shirt and jeans, and together we walk toward the steps.

It’s all dark downstairs except for the light pouring out of the corridor into the living room. I can hear whimpering.

I slow down on the landing, and my hand touches Duncan’s by accident. He grips onto it, holds it, and it’s like electricity shoots straight into my arm.