Bad Daddy (Dirty Little Lies Duet 1)

We’re lying on the floor of the entertainment room, full and sated. I’m sprawled over his chest while he plays with my hair as the credits roll. Heath refused to feed me pizza two nights in a row, claiming I deserved a fancier meal, so he grilled steaks. Learning he could cook was totally hot, and I found myself stretched over his swanky marble counter being eaten for dessert. He insisted we watch a movie of my choice, but we only made it halfway through before I was riding his cock and screaming his name.

“Heath?”

“Yeah?”

“When do you think we’ll tell Hazel?” The second his body tenses, I regret asking. Everything has been so perfect, and I ruined it.

“That’s not for you to be concerned with.” His tone is flat and cold.

“Yeah, but if we’re going to make this work, she needs to know. I can’t keep lying to her. I care about her—”

His hold on my hair tightens, but he quickly releases it, moving me off him to stand. I hate myself for opening my mouth as I watch him start to dress. “I care about my daughter, and I know she won’t be accepting of this. You want me? You want this? You take what you can get.”

Gone is the gentle Heath I’ve gotten to know the past two days. Before me is the ruthless businessman. I stand as well, searching for my own clothes, trying to mask the hurt at his ultimatum. “I do want this, but I don’t want to continue to be your dirty little secret. I lo—I want this, Heath. If you do too, then you need to tell her.”

The fire in his eyes becomes unsettling, making me feel too exposed. His jaw is clenched tight, and I swear I hear his teeth grinding. “Don’t push my hand on this, Violet. You will not win.”

“Win? This isn’t a game. She needs to know. I…I’ve fallen in love with you, okay? I’m in love with the idea of us. A real us. Not one where I’m hidden in the dark as your little toy.” He’s on me, gripping my bicep hard. I wince in pain, tugging at my arm.

“You think I want to do this to her? The last thing I want is to hurt my baby girl. She’s already been burned by one parent. I won’t have her lose another.”

“Then let’s tell her together. Yes, she’s going to be mad, but if she loves you, she’ll understand. She’ll want you to be happy.”

“And you think that’s with you?”

His words hurt like sharp knives stabbing viciously into my heart. I don’t think before my hand slaps across his cheek. I go for another round, but he catches my wrist and twists until I have no choice but to buckle to his hold.

“Watch it, naughty girl.”

“Fuck you, Heath. I’m not playing this game anymore. Clearly, I was wrong about what we had.” He pulls me into him, his dark eyes unsettling, and I’m afraid of what I’ve done.

“You’re not the one who makes the rules. I say when we’re—”

“Dad?”

I immediately freeze, and Heath stiffens around me as our eyes shift to Hazel standing in the doorway. “Violet?” Her voice cracks, and my stomach bottoms out.

“Baby girl, this… it’s not what you think.” Heath lets me go, and I drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Tell me this is not what it looks like. I swear to God…” Hazel turns on her heel and runs out of the room, and Heath takes off after her while I scramble to find my clothes. Yelling sounds from the hallway as I dress. By the time I’m in the main room, Hazel is in tears.

“How could you, you slut! He’s my fucking dad!” she screams, coming at me, but Heath grabs her before she makes contact.

“Hazel, I swear, I didn’t plan this. It just happened—”

“Fuck you, you whore!”

“Hazel, baby girl, please.” Heath tries to dissolve the situation, but she pushes off him, breathing heavily.

“Oh, no. Don’t you pull this baby girl bullshit on me! You should know better. You should fucking know better!” she yells, her voice cracking. “How could you? She was my friend.”

“I’m still your friend!”

She comes at me again, and Heath barely catches her before she takes a swing, her nails making contact and scratching down my cheek. “Fuck you! You’re not my friend! You never were. Slut! Whore! Fucking tramp! No wonder your mother hates you. You probably did sleep with her boyfriends!”

“Hazel, that’s enough!” Heath growls, but her words already do the damage she intended. I take in the scene before me. A ruined relationship between a father and daughter because of my issues. I should have never pursued Heath. I should have cared enough about my relationship with Hazel to stay away. Cared enough about myself and not wanting to be exactly what my mother blamed me for being. But it’s what I’ve become.