Daddy's Stepstalker (Daddy's Little Deviants)

“Sure.” I put my laptop to sleep and slid it off my lap onto the couch. “What time is it?”

“A few minutes after one.”

I blinked at him. “Are you serious?”

He stroked my cheek and chuckled. “Yes, I’m serious. You’ve been immersed in your work, which is good.”

“I didn’t realize how much I needed to get out of the house.” I got up and stretched, smiling at the way he watched me, his eyes brimming with heat. I dropped my gaze to the telltale bulge at the front of his trousers and bit my bottom lip. “Anything I can help you with?”

“Not here.” He shot me a warning look. “We don’t have enough time, but sure, at home, I’ll take you up on that offer. You’ve been too distracted for sex lately.”

My cheeks burned. “I’m sorry. I— you do know if you ever want me and I’m not in the mood, you can tell me, right? I’ll get in the mood.”

“I’m not going to expire if we don’t have sex all the times I want to.”

“Yeah, but—”

He cupped the back of my neck and pulled me into him. “But nothing, Ari. I value you too much to push sex on you when you’re not feeling it. And I need you to value yourself enough to not do anything you don’t want to do just to please someone. I want you to know that you count. Your feelings count and shouldn’t be pushed aside to please anyone else…even me. Is that clear?”

I nodded. God, how I loved this man. I’d killed for him before and I would do it again because he was worth going to jail for. He was worth protecting.

“How about I go and pick up lunch?” I needed to reclaim some of the power my father had taken from me when he woke from the dead.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “I can order in for us.”

“I am. Plus, it will give you time to finish your meeting.”

“All right, but don’t be too long.”

Although I had money, he insisted on me using his card. I stalked off but then turned back, wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him hard. When he plunged his tongue into my mouth, I pulled away, chuckling softly.

“Tonight, that’s what you said.”

He groaned and swatted my ass. “Don’t be a tease, and be careful.”

I nodded and took his car keys. It was so good to be out again on my own that the drive passed quickly. Way too quickly. I was in Shaw’s favorite restaurant when it hit me that I hadn’t asked him what he wanted. I pulled up his number but didn’t press Call. If he was in a meeting, I didn’t want to interrupt him. I sent him a message instead.

“Hello, welcome to Gizmo’s,” the pretty young hostess greeted me with a big smile, her face flushed. “Are you dining in?”

“I’m actually not. Thanks, though.”

The restaurant was a bit busy, so I sat at the bar while they prepared my food. I ordered a club soda, really wanting something stronger, but that would have to wait until I was home with Shaw. It had been a few days since we had sex. Tonight, I’d rectify that and make it extra special for him.

“Is this seat taken?”

That voice. Raspier than I was used to, but the undertones hadn’t changed.

The glass slipped out of my hand and landed with a thud on the counter, liquid sloshing out. I froze, my chest tightening. The figure moved closer, and everything inside me screamed for me to get away.

“It’s about time, don’t you think?”

I let my eyes flicker over his features, cataloging the changes. His face was crude with scar tissue that had formed from each stab wound I inflicted on him. One thing hadn’t changed. The cold, dead eyes that stared back at me.

“What do you want?” I croaked, trembling.

“Now that’s a loaded question.”

The bartender came over and wiped up the spilled soda. He glanced from me to my father. Then his gaze landed back on me. “Are you all right, man?”