Iwant to beg Konstantin not to go. As he gets dressed and I hurry to put anything on, I grab his wrist. “Please, Kon.”
“You didn’t seduce an unwilling man, baby,” Kon promises me. He kisses my forehead. “I’m not taking this chance to run from you.”
“Promise?”
“I’m not leaving you.” He cups my face between his hands. He kisses me again, then lets me walk him out. I know my father is fuming behind me, but Konstantin kisses my forehead again. “I’m here for you, Juliana.”
“You’re out the door or you’re going to have more issues.” My dad growls.
Kon squeezes my hand and whispers to text him if something happens, he’ll just be downstairs. With that, I turn and face my father. He rubs his chin and stares at the wall behind me. A sign that he’s so far beyond angry ... if he knew where I hid the horsewhip, I have a feeling I’d be on my knees right now.
“What the fuck are you doing, Juliana?” He hisses.
“I think that was pretty obvious when you barged in.” I refuse to sit. I refuse to not have something between us other than Charlie and Nolan, who are both furious about my father being there and ready to bite, based on their stance, but neither will leave my side. “Why did you barge in?”
“Oh no. That’s going to wait.”
“It must have been important.” I try again. “Something so intense that Gio couldn’t tell me.”
“I wanted to talk to you, really talk to you about the situation. I made the mistake of thinking you were an adult and were finally going to start acting like one!” He stands.
I don’t back down. I just watch him.
“You’re never seeing him again. And I’m getting cameras in here to make sure that you didn’t get Gio and Max under your spell too.”
“Because it’s all me, right? Men are just seduced. They couldn’t actuallywantme. They couldn’tcareabout me.”
“I told them-”
“That I’m trouble, that I can’t be trusted! You told them I’m some sort of witch that will suck out their soul through their dicks! Gio and I have been friends for years, do you really think that your orders could stop the bond we have?” I demand.
My father just gapes at me.
“And Max does what Max wants to do.”
“Are they the ones using you then? Did they force you?” His anger flips. “If they hurt you and touched you when you didn’t-”
“Oh my god!” I yell. “Is it so impossible for two people to like each other? I’ve liked Konstantin since I was sixteen – wrong or not, I have. He never did a thing. He always told me to find someone my own age and then you took him away. Fine, I get it, it was inappropriate.”
My father nods.
“I’m an adult and I still like him. He’s good to me. He can protect me, he’s good with my dogs, he’s sweet with me. And you just can’t stand to see me happy.”
“He’s twelve years older than you!”
“You were eleven years older than mom,” I remind him. I take a slow breath, we’re off topic. “You don’t get to decide who I see. You don’t get to decide who I date. If I make a mistake, that’s my mistake, but you’re my father, not my supreme overlord.”
“He’s not good enough for you.”
“That’smychoice.” I tap my chest. “I’m not some cow you can sell off to make the most money or the best connection. I’m a person. Until you’re ready to see me like one, get the fuck out of my house.”
“Juliana, if you make me leave, I will put your ass in a safe house.”
“You can try.”
“All talk and no follow through. You don’t appreciate a damn thing I do for you. You don’t appreciate the intensity of this situation and you don’t know-”
“Because you won’t tell me. Because in your eyes, I’m still some little girl that can’t live without you.” I walk to the door and open it before walking away. “But I know that you only see me as a bargaining chip for later down the line. It’s Gio you want – the son you never had – well go on. Run to him and complain about me. Lock me up somewhere else so I have to leave the company and get out of your hair.”