Page 65 of Mountain Daddy

Papi: Now.

My heart rate thrums against my bones.

There are so many people here.

My dad is here.

This party is for me.

I can’t disappear.

Not for long.

I uncross my legs and slide forward so I’m sitting on the edge of my chair. “I’m gonna go plug my phone in and grab another drink. Want anything?” I ask Fisher.

I should ask the group as a whole, but I don’t want to take the chance that anyone will try to join me.

Fisher says he’s good, and before he can offer to help, I stand and slip between our chairs, heading toward the house.

My legs feel shaky, and I have to work to keep my breathing under control.

No one stops me. And Dad is sitting down, talking, his back to me, so I make it to the house without interruption.

I slow as I cross the deck, not sure how quickly Luther will be able to follow.

But as I close my hand around the handle, I watch my reflection in the glass. And I see the man approaching.

Chapter 40

Luther

I stopwith my chest inches from her back. “Open the door, Kendra.”

I hear her exhale before she slides the door open.

The kitchen is empty.

And when she steps inside, I follow.

I shut the door behind me.

But I don’t look back.

I don’t do anything to make it look like I’m about to do something bad.

Something so bad. But so fucking good.

“Luther?” she says quietly.

She knows what I want.

She knows.

But the question is where.

I place my hand against the center of her spine.

The bathroom is off limits.