I couldn’t even attempt to pretend that didn’t stagger me. I backed up a step, bumping my shoulder into a wall.
“What did you just say?” Adam came charging out of my bedroom, and somehow, even with messy hair and puffy eyelids, he appeared stone-cold sober and not hungover in the least. He came to me, pulling me away from the wall and into his arms. “What did you just say to your daughter?” he repeated.
Saul’s face turned a deep puce. His chest heaved. “Get your hands off her.” His finger jabbed at Adam. “You don’t touch her. She’s not yours to touch. You humiliated her in front of the press last night, dragging her to your fuck den. You better believe I’ll be examining The Seasons Change’s contract with a fine-tooth comb. I’ll find a way to terminate it, and you will never work again.”
Adam didn’t so much as flinch. His hold on me tightened, until my back was flush with his chest. “That’s where you’re wrong, sir. Adelaide is very much mine.”
Saul scoffed. “Using my daughter as a fuck toy doesn’t make her yours. Don’t forget, Wainwright, your reputation precedes you.”
“As does yours, Mr. Goodman.” Adam pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “Adelaide isn’t a toy, and if you think she’d let herself be used that way, you clearly don’t know your daughter.”
“You’re ruining her,” Saul argued.
“I’m not. Last night, our private life was invaded through no fault of ours.”
“Perversion,” he sneered. “And when you leave her for your next toy—”
Adam didn’t let my father finish spewing his misogynistic vitriol.
“See, the thing is, I’m not leaving her. Adelaide and I are engaged. We’ll be getting married as soon as we can plan the wedding of her dreams. You can back away from my fiancée and walk out the door I know you weren’t invited to knock on.”
It was a good thing Adam was holding me so securely. My limbs had gone numb with the lies so easily rolling off his tongue. Saul had a few more things to say, but my ears were ringing too loudly for me to hear any of it. Adam let go of me to lock the door behind my father, then he rushed back to me, walking me to my love seat and sitting me down.
As soon as he took the cushion beside me, I snapped out of my stunned stupor. He reached for me, but I smacked his hand away.
“What did you do?” I shoved at his chest, needing distance. “You can’t just tell my dad we’re engaged.”
He held his hands up, not attempting to block my weak attack. “I’m protecting you.”
“Shut up, Adam.” I covered his mouth with my hand. “Get out of my apartment. I don’t want to see you.”
He took my hand away from his mouth and slid it to his cheek. “I missed you.”
“Go away.” Wrenching my hand free, I sprung up from my couch. “I want you to go.”
He stayed seated. “I don’t want to leave. We need to talk.”
My hand flew to my forehead. “I…I have to get ready for work. I don’t have time for this. Just…just go.”
I stormed into my bedroom, snatched some clothes, and locked myself in my bathroom. Hopefully he’d be gone by the time I came out.
What had he been thinking, telling my dad we’re engaged? That was such an Adam thing to do, inserting himself into my life like he belonged there. Maybe at one time he did, but not now. That time had come and gone.
Out of the shower, I threw my hair into a quick ponytail, did the fastest makeup routine possible, and pulled on my boyfriend jeans and slouchy T-shirt.
Of course Adam hadn’t left. He was sitting in my bedroom when I came out, taking me in like I was something alien.
“I thought you were going to work,” he said.
“I will. As soon as you get out.” I tossed my pajamas in my hamper and stood in front of him, my hands on my hips.
“You’re not dressed for work.” His butt hadn’t budged an inch.
“I am. The studio I work in is casual.”
He cocked his head. “You have a new job?”
“Yes. Can you go now?”