Chapter 0087

Daniel won’t let go of my hand once we’re back in the house.

“Daniel,” I say, exasperated, trying to yank my hand free while he pulls me down the hall. “Let go – are

you seriously going to tattle on me?”

He just shoots me a look over his shoulder, saying nothing as we arrive at the doors to his dad’s office.

He knocks loud, twice. I sigh, shaking my head at him while we wait.

Honestly, it’s not that I think Daniel is being ridiculous – if I had found him flirting with someone who

had tried to kill us only a little bit ago, I would be equally pissed. I just don’t really want to have this

conversation with Kent.

The door pulls open, Kent on the other side. He takes one look at us before stepping back and allowing

us to enter. Daniel doesn’t drop my hand, but not because he’s trying to give me any love and support

in the face of his father’s judgment. I’m his prisoner and he’s not letting me go.

Daniel pulls me over to stand in front of Kent’s desk as Kent walks around the other side. None of us

sit.

“What happened,” Kent demands, folding his arms over his chest.

“Fay,” Daniel glares at me, saying my name like it’s a dirty word, “had a nice intimate chat with her new

buddy Ivan tonight. Drinks too. And it looked like it was going somewhere.”

Kent frowns at Daniel then, surprising me. “So what?” he asks his son, shrugging a little. “Is this some

kind of lover’s quarrel? Your fiancé talked to another man, and you want me to do something about it?”

Daniel’s jaw falls open at this. “Wha-“ he sputters. “No, dad, that’s obviously not the issue –“

Yeah, I think to myself, resisting the urge to roll my eyes, it’s not the issue because you’re not actually

jealous – because you’re not actually into me.

Daniel gestures to me then, his eyes still on his father. “Did you not hear what I just said? She was

talking to Ivan. Your enemy.”

Kent does shift his gaze to me at that moment and I can see him consider the situation, processing the

details. I don’t move a muscle. Instead, I just hold his stare, my hand still in Daniel’s fist.

“Well?” Kent says finally, his face impassive. “What did he say?”

Daniel looks between us, agape. “Wait – are you serious?” He shouts at his father. “You’re not going to

do anything about it?”

Kent snaps his gaze to his son, glaring at him. “And what would you like me to do about it, Daniel? Go

back in time and stop her?”

My lips twitch in pleasure at this. I, like Daniel, had been expecting Kent’s anger to be directed at me.

But apparently, at least for now, I’m off the hook. Still, I quickly wipe the expression from my face. I

don’t know where this is going, not really, and I don’t want to incur anyone’s wrath.

Daniel scowls, dropping my hand and crossing his own arms across his chest, looking like his father’s

double in this moment. I look between the two, struck again by their similarities.

“Obviously, dad, that is not what I want,” he says, frustrated. “But she betrayed us tonight – and made

me look like an idiot!”

Kent’s eyes shift back to me. “Is that true?” he asks. “Did you make Daniel look like a fool?”

Kent nods slowly, figuring out the darker motives behind my father’s little party, considering the

consequences for himself.

Daniel and Kent both glare at me then and I realize, suddenly, that this is what they both would have

preferred.

I glare at both of them then, though neither flinch.

“Honestly,” I continue, exhausted by the whole situation, “you two, you hold me to some seriously unfair

standards. I don’t know these people, I don’t know what the rules are. And yet you expect me to intuit

them and act precisely how you want me to.”