I watch as my best friend goes through a range of emotions, from confusion to worry to anger. The anger is troubling, and I find myself angling myself in front of Serena to shield her from whatever her father is feeling in this moment.
“Serena Valentina Mitchell…” He steps into the room, closing the door behind him and Serena takes a tentative step back like all children do when parents use their full name. Her eyes dart to mine before turning back to him. Preston is the lawyer that doesn’t lose his cool; I’m the hothead and Frank is somewhere in-between. But right now, Preston looks like he’s ready to lose it. “Where in God’s name have you been?”
“Ummm, school?” She gives him a look, like “where do you think,” and the sass in her voice makes my dick hard.
“Not today, young lady. Last night! Your mother was beside herself when she woke up this morning and you weren’t at home. Where were you?”
I try to remain unfazed, like I’m not guilty of having her naked and writhing underneath me for half the night. “Oh, I stayed at Zoey’s.” She shrugs, the lie falling from her lips so easily.
He runs a hand over his forehead before he makes his way across the room and drops into his chair. “You’re always good about telling us when you’re not coming home. We were worried, Serena.”
“Dad, I’m twenty-one. The point of me living in the guest house is to give me some semblance of independence,” she argues, and I resist the urge to praise her for standing up for herself.
“You can still let us know when you won’t be home so we won’t worry. You’re more responsible than this, Rena.”
I want to tell him to lay off, that Serena is an adult, and it’s time for everyone to accept that and stop letting her use him and Viv as a crutch, but I figure this is probably not the best time. “Valerie has some things for you to do, can you go see her?” He points towards the door and I’m instantly pissed at how quickly he dismisses her.
She looks up at me and even in the brief glance I can see the hurt, the annoyance, and perhaps even slight embarrassment. “Sure, Dad,” she says before she’s gone.
The door has barely even clicked before I hear his voice. “Be glad you don’t have girls. I swear her and Sky are going to kill me.”
“Your girls are perfect, P, and they don’t hate your guts. We can trade if you want.” I had only meant that I wish I had a better relationship with my child, like he had with Skyler and Serena, but now the thought of Serena calling me Daddy sends a spark to my dick that I wish I could ignore. I’m already fucking Serena Mitchell up enough as it is, let’s not go down that road.
“And what are you doing in my office, anyway?”
“I came in here looking for you. I thought maybe your meeting would be over.” My lie is seamless.
“With my door closed?” I know every single one of Preston’s cues. Despite the even tone, I can hear the accusations in his voice and I know his blood pressure is rising the second he slides his glasses from his face. He narrows his eyes at me and crosses his arms. “You know I will actually murder you, right?”
Play it the fuck cool. “Excuse me?”
He strums his fingers in perfect rhythm on his desk. “You touch one hair on Serena’s head, and I will end you.”
“You’re losing your mind, Preston.”
“And you’re reckless and you have no regard for anyone but yourself.”
Whoa, hold up. “What the fuck? Where is this coming from?”
“I know Jana fucked you up, Lan. I do. But you have got to get yourself together and grow up. Sleeping with anyone in a skirt…skirts that work for us…isn’t funny or smart and, frankly, inappropriate as hell for a partner.”
My lips form a straight line as I nod my head. “So, it’s not just Serena you talk down to then. Good to know. But I’m actually not one of your kids, so watch your fucking self.”
“Then stop acting childish,” he barks.
“You’re the one making ridiculous accusations because someone is actually taking an interest in helping your daughter become a better lawyer. Trust me, she wishes it were you.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means, why the hell did you offer her this internship if you weren’t going to show her shit? The whole point is for her to learn and you haven’t done much except get her to alphabetize your fucking filing cabinet.” She’s better than that.
He stands up, pressing his fists into his desk and glares at me. “Stay the fuck away from my daughter, West.”
Too late for that. I’m already addicted to her.
“Whatever it is you have in your head about me aside, don’t you think it’s about time you start trusting your daughter to make decisions for her life? Why do you have such little faith in her?”
“I have plenty of faith in her.”