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The heat in my face burns tears in my eyes that I’m having a hard time concealing. “It’s inappropriate. He’s your dad. I don’t want him—”

“Knowing your holes belong to me?”

“Stop it.”

Maybe it’s the weight of everything that just happened, but hearing him talk to me in such a disgusting manner only fills me with anger.

He just shakes his head, face a sneering mask of repulsion. “You’re such a prude. Can you blame me for not wanting to fuck you? You can’t even say the word.” He blows out a breath and glances over my shoulder at the patio doors. I don’t follow his gaze, not wanting to see the three outsidewatching the show. “Look.” His features soften. “I’m sorry, okay?” I flinch when he rests his palms on my shoulders. Hot and heavy, and pinning me to the spot. “You know I don’t mean it, right? I just ... I hate seeing you with him. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Lachlan would never hurt me,” I blurt without thinking, and feel his fingers clench. Feel them digging ten points of pain into bone.

“Lachlan, huh? When did you get so comfortable?”

I try to shake him off. Try to push him back with the palms I plant into his chest. “You’re hurting me. Stop it.”

The wide expanse of black encompassing his entire iris is terrifying.

“Are you fucking my dad, Everly?”

“No!” I squeak, struggling under the grinding dig of his thumbs under the bones of my shoulders. “I swear.”

He doesn’t relent. Not for several seconds.

Just as quickly, he stops. He sighs and pulls me into his arms. Mine are pinned between us. Useless as he nuzzles the side of my neck. His hands slip down my back and up under my top. The brush of his fingers along my sweat soaked spine churns my stomach.

“I just care about you so much, Everly. I’d be devastated if I lost you.”

It’s taking every ounce of control not to push him away. It’s the voice at the back of my head dreading the conversation Lauren will make of it if I do. It’s the fight and chaos it would cause if Lachlan or Van think I need to be saved. It’s Bron’s wrath afterwards when we’re alone that keeps me still and silent.

“I want us to build a life together,” he’s saying into my jawline. “Isn’t that what you want, too?”

No.

No, I don’t want this for the rest of my life. I don’t want this feeling.

But I nod to appease him.

He’s smiling when he lifts his face. “Good, because I have an idea that will set us up.” He steps back, beaming with that boyish charm that got me in the beginning. “You’re going to buy a house.”

I blink. “I have a house.”

His grin wavers but sticks with less shine. “I fucking ... I know, babe.” He forces a chuckle. The effort looks painful. “There’s this thing at work. It’s between me and Abram since we’re both junior associates. One of us has to sell a house. The first one who does, gets a full-time position and a listing on Silver Pines.” He takes a step back, practically vibrating with excitement. “Can you imagine how awesome our lives would be?”

I get his enthusiasm, but the logic isn’t making sense.

“You want me to buy a housefrom you?”

He nods. “Once I make the sale, I can finally pay you back, isn’t that great? You won’t have to wait for me to get my inheritance.”

Trying to keep my voice calm and even, I reply, “You’re going to pay me back with the money I give you?”

The smile vanishes. “How are you not seeing the bigger picture? I sell this house, I get a bigger, better listing. It’s a good house, Everly. Old school with good bones and—”

“The MacAllister house, right? It’s a wash, Bron. No one here is going to buy it. You’re better off tearing it down and selling the property.”

He goes very still. The kind of calm before a storm. All the happiness vanishes into the cyclone of barely suppressed fury.

“So, you’re not going to help me.”