Balzer looks across at me from his desk. “She needs to go to college. That’s the only way I’ll entertain her being associated with the business.”
“Then we need to convince Balthazar,” I remind him. He’s been feeding his daughter’s sudden interest. I don’t get what’s going on with her, and I wish he’d tell her to get lost. She’s nothing but trouble.
“Well, we’re due to see Dad at 6 PM,” Brecken reminds us. “So we can bring it up then. I need her off my case too.”
I scoff. Lately, she’s been badgering Brecken the most, offering to train as his paralegal. But, like me, he has a team already. And even though he’s looked out for her over the years, she’s losing him.
Because I never want to be predictable with anyone, least of all Sienna who should always be kept second-guessing about our relationship, I reply,Love ya too babes, but that’s not gonna work
With an hour spare to get on with the Vail project, I knuckle down, reworking the layout to make room for a patisserie. When Luca and Brecken leave their desks to head to Balthazar’s suite, I realize the time.
Together, we traipse through the suite.
“How was dinner last night with Dad and Winter?” Luca asks.
“Fine,” I answer, trying to brush off their curiosity.
Beforehand, I was perplexed as to why Winter asked me to join her and not all three of us. But then it became clear as the evening unfolded.
She was engineering some kind of bonding between my bio dad and me. Of course, I tried to sabotage it, and then spent most of the night hating how resigned Balthazar seemed to my shitty attitude. And with Winter looking at me like I just ate the last piece of her favorite cake, my stomach boiled with frustration at myself.
I know I can be contrary. Messing with Sienna is fun, but I’m not sure why I keep upsetting the balance with Balthazar. It isn’t fair, I know that, and believe me I’ve had words with my mother. Watching his easy relationship with Balzer and Brecken was hard to stomach. It was jealousy, pure and simple, even though I had Jasper who loved me like his own. But for some reason, I’ve never let Balthazar off. Never stopped the ebb and flow of my emotions.
And I should. I should stick to toying with Winter when she’s desperate for me and leave it there. Because by the end of the night, I felt so miserable and regretful, I apologized for beingout of sorts.
It’s okay,Balthazar acknowledged. And for a second, I thought he was going to sayIt’s okay, son. He hasn’t called me that in forever. It was clear I didn’t like it the first time around but now I kind of crave it. I want to know I’ve not ruined us.
On the way home, Winter scolded me, so I scolded her back.
Just remember,she seethed, not backing down an inch,that it’s better to have two dads than none.
Fuck,I muttered.You know how to make a man feel crappy.
Then buck up your ideas. I like this family,she told me softly. Sincerely.You are not allowed to screw it up.
“Just fine?” Brecken asks.
“Just fine,” I reply, swinging open our door and heading for the one opposite.
“Don’t go upsetting Winter,” he continues deceptively calmly. “If she quits on us, so am I.”
“She’s not quitting on us,” I retort. “I fucked her good afterwards; she was putty in my hands.”
Flashes of memories from last night have my dick twitching. Fucking Winter is my favourite thing. She begged so well, her orgasms denied and drawn out for so long that she was almost crying. After I’d teased her long enough I let her ride me, her hips bucking against mine until she was beyond sated. “You did good, baby girl. You did good,” I praised.
And then I kissed her all night long asDirty Dancingplayed in the background. I think that film might become our thing.
Irritated at me, Luca punches me on the arm. “Cally interfered one time, remember her? You upset her so bad she took off.”
“Winter’s got more gumption in her little toe than Cally did in her whole body. I did us a favor. None of us liked her.”
“True that,” Brecken murmurs, knocking on the door of his father’s suite.
Once again, Sienna answers.
Immediately, I’m annoyed, the heated discussion we’ve just had still brewing. But then I realize it might be good for her to hear what we will, and won’t, negotiate on. And I want to know what’s going on with her recent change of heart. What’s behind that? What is she scheming about?
I’d ask Brecken, but when I’ve mentioned it before he brushed me off, thinking it nothing more than her young, inconsistent personality.