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By the time we reachmy father, I’m sweating. I probably smell as bad as I look, but there’s nothing I can do except paste a smile on my face and try to play the calm, demure daughter my dad raised. He’s likely heard that I made a grand appearance with Ian, but my father isn’t going to do anything rash.

Not until we’re alone.

That’s when the claws will come out. He’ll let me know exactly how he feels about this new development and he’ll most likely dish out some sort of punishment. He won’t slap my face or punch me. My father doesn’t like to leave visible marks on his women. Still, there will be some sort of pain that I experience as a result of tonight.

I didn’t ask to be abducted.

I still don’t know what game Ian is playing. I know he’s got something against my dad. Either that or he’s trying to get somethingfrommy dad. The only thing I actually know is that Ian wants people to know his cock was in me. That’s why he’s acting like this.

What other explanation could there be?

My father is talking to a woman named Patricia. She’s tall, skinny, and a brunette. Her hair is longer than it should be. She wears it up, of course. Itisa party, after all. I saw her once at the house when she had it down, though, and I was caught off-guard by how pretty it was.

Maybe my father has also been caught off guard. Is that why he's looking at her like she's the most beautiful woman he's ever seen?

Ian doesn't seem to notice the way my father is gazing at Patricia, but I notice. How have I missed this? Guilt rushes through me as I realize my father may be in love and I haven't noticed.

Maybe I really am self-absorbed.

Marco Amato is the kind of person who is used to being the center of attention. Like most people in his circles, he likes to be in the background and run his companies from afar. In situations like this, though, where he's among people he trusts and likes, he's always entirely happy to have all eyes on him.

Now I begin to let the fear roll over me. My father looks up. He sees me. A small smile begins to play on his lips as he realizes I’ve come to him, but then he notices Ian beside me. I can tell my father’s exact line of thinking as he looks at the two of us. He notices how close we are – very. My father realizes that my hair is different – it’s destroyed. He glances at the wrinkles on my dress – awesome.

And he sees the fire in Ian’s eyes.

This isn’t going to end well for any of us, but mostly not for me.

“Mr. Amato,” Ian says. It’s a formality because we’re in public. Behind closed doors, my dad is simplyMarcoto him. Ian knows how to play the game, though. He understands exactly what it takes to make sure that my dad is happy with him. Pleased.

“Ian,” my father says, focusing all of his attention on the man beside me. My father’s gaze is cruel and unrelenting. I know that these next few moments are going to be vital when it comes to setting the standard for the future of our relationship. If my father thinks Ian is trying to double-cross him, he’ll have him killed right here. He won’t care who’s at the party.

Well, that’s not entirely true, is it? He’ll have him discreetly hauled away and disposed of. My father is many things, but he’s certainly not the type of person who likes to make a scene.

“I think it’s fair to say your party has been quite the success.” Ian waves a hand around the room, silently requesting that my father observe the crowd. This does two things. First, it butters up my dad. Second, it reminds him that they are not alone. There are a lot of people around, including me. Including Patricia.

“I appreciate that.” Dad looks at me before his eyes slide back to Ian. “I trust you and Rose have been having a nice...chat?”

I half-expect Ian to say, “oh, I just fucked her.” I really think he’s the kind of person who might do something like that...something terrible. I’m slightly surprised when he doesn’t. Instead, he nods.

“Rose gave me a tour of the hotel,” he lies smoothly. We all know it’s a lie. We do, right? There’s no way my father thinks that these words, out of all of the words Ian has ever spoken, are true.

“And did you find it amenable?”