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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

HECTOR

From the kitchen, I watched Heather bundle herself up in blankets and plop down onto the couch, tears still heavy in her eyes from tonight. While this was a problem that we would both have to face, I didn t quite care about the consequences of Jacob finding out about me and his daughter. At least not as much as Heather cared.

After turning the stove up to high, I slipped a pan onto it.

What pissed me off the most was the way he had talked down to her.

She had always told me that Jacob was hard on her, but I had never seen it. I had believed that he might put her under pressure, but it wasn t until I d heard the tone of his voice tonight that it really hit me.

I tossed some food onto the pan and drenched it in olive oil, my mind racing. I had snapped that man’s finger without a second thought about the consequences to protect her, and, God, I would do it again.

Heather sat on the couch, bundled in three blankets and whimpering softly to herself. Moonlight flooded into the room from the large windows, shining off Heather s silky hair. The doorbell buzzed, and Heather raced to it.

When she pulled open the door, Heather’s mother and Sierra rushed into the room. Steven, who was dating Sierra, waltzed in after them and shut the door quietly behind himself, peering over his shoulder to look at me.

“Did you talk to him?” Heather asked her mother.

No, sweetheart, but please calm down.

Heather burst out into tears. “He’s so disappointed in me!”

Heather’s mom hugged her. “Your father loves you, and he’ll come around eventually.”

“No, he won’t!” Heather cried.

Sierra gently rubbed her shoulder.

While I wanted to console her, Steven found his way to the kitchen. He wasn t much of a cook, but he grabbed the spatula from me and shooed me out from behind the stove.

“So much for you being a good cook.” He chuckled. “You’re burning this.”

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed heavily. “It’s been a bit of a night.”

He cracked half a smile that didn’t make it to his eyes. “Sierra filled me in.”

After placing my hands on the counter, I leaned back onto it and stared up at the ceiling. I don t care that he knows, but she does, and it s fucking tearing me up on the inside. I hate seeing her cry.

“How’d he find out?” Steven asked.

“We were at Radiant,” I said softly.

“ Fuck .”

Yeah, fuck, I murmured. Before I left work, he told me that he was spending the night with his assistant at her place, and then this fucker walked right into our club. It s my fault. I should ve been more careful.

Steven let out a breath. “He walked in on you together. Damn. ”

“In the middle of a punishment,” I said, crossing my arms. “I don’t think that he’ll hurt Heather, but I’m worried what he’ll say to her and what this will mean for our business. I let my emotions get the best of me and broke his finger.”

Steven glanced up from the food. I m sorry. You broke his finger?

I ran a hand over my face again. “Long story.”

“I can tell. You keep jumping around all over the goddamn place.” He paused and moved the spatula around in the pan, not knowing what the hell he was doing. “You think he might try to sabotage your business?”

I don t know, I said honestly. He has connections, and he s not one to shy away from using them if he s pushed too far. I have seen it many, many times while we were climbing to the top. Now, I m the one who s pushed him.

Steven leaned against the opposite countertop. “So, what’s the plan?”

My gaze flickered up to meet Steven’s. “Hell if I know.”

I glanced back into the living room and sighed softly, watching Heather s bottom lip tremble. All I knew was that I didn t quite care as much about what happened to the company as long as I could protect Heather.