Page 50 of Broken Daddy

“Hmm, am I happy? Let’s see. Yesterday my coffee was ruined because someone put salt in it. And tonight, I sat for ages without a drink because my server avoided and ignored me. And now it’s midnight and I would rather be home in my bed, but instead I’m here arguing with you.”

“Well, when you put it like that I guess you don’t have much to be happy about. Although I have to say you seem like the type of person who would like a good argument.”

That wasn’t exactly true.

He only argued with some people. Most people, he didn’t even talk to. He wasn’t sure what it was about Devi that intrigued him. He could try and tell himself that he was watching her because of her brother’s connection to Stein. But he’d been interested in her before he’d learned that.

It was annoying and confusing.

“Come here and stop trying to prick my temper,” he commanded. He’d had enough.

“I wasn’t doing that,” she muttered.

Still sassy.

But she walked over to where he sat. He leaned forward.

“Tell me why you put salt in my coffee.”

“I think that would be obvious.” She shifted from foot to foot, displaying her nervousness.

“Devi,” he warned.

“You were mean last Friday night. You didn’t speak to me very nicely. You made it sound like it was my fault that guy attacked me. I have the right to walk around without being attacked.”

That made him pause for a second. Had he done that?

He thought back over everything he’d said to her the other night. He’d been . . . upset. And perhaps he hadn’t been guarding his words as closely as he should have.

And maybe he had made it sound like he’d thought it was her fault. However, that wasn’t his intention.

Hayes leaned forward. “Listen to me and listen carefully.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“It was not in any way your fault and I apologize if I made you feel that way. I was . . . not happy and perhaps I didn’t stop to think about what I was saying and how I was saying it.”

“Wow. I didn’t think you would know how to apologize.”

He gave her a firm look. “But?”

She groaned, interrupting him. “Why is there always a but? There should be no but! Let’s just stop with you apologizing for being a jerk and move on, okay?”

“Not okay. And I didn’t apologize for being a jerk. I apologized for not choosing the right words and making you feel like I thought it was your fault that you were attacked. I didn’t think that at all. But?”

Once more she groaned.

This girl.

He’d never met anyone in more need of a good, hard spanking.

And then a good hard fucking.

No. Reverse that thought.

That wasn’t ever happening.

“But,” he said firmly. “The fact is that the world is a shitty place and a woman alone at night isn’t necessarily safe. You have got to do what you can to keep yourself safe. Which you did not.”