Page 20

Chapter 19

Kitty

“That’s it, Birdy.”

I lowered myself fully onto Guy’s cock. We were in a chair in front of the mirror in our hotel room the day after Thanksgiving. We still had another day to kill until my dad came to get us, so we killed time the best way we knew how: marathon fucking. Once we ripped off the bandaid of our physical attraction to each other, there was no stopping us. I couldn’t get enough, stitches in my face or not.

I faced away from Guy, sitting in his lap while he filled me. He kissed my back as his hands reached around, one toying with my clit while the other played with my breast. The slap of skin and moans filled the air.

“So fucking pretty riding that dick.” Guy ’s gaze flicked from my back to our reflection. It was so deeply erotic to see how he watched me, his eyes devouring me voraciously.

“Oh, God, Daddy,” I spilled out, not really sure where that came from. Guy was a little older than me, so I guess that qualified him for daddy status? We’d said so many dirty things to each other in the prior twenty-four hours that I think I was just looking for something new to say.

He seemed to like it well enough. Or at least, he supported my choice like any good improviser would.

“Ooh, am I your daddy, baby?” Guy said, going with it. “You Daddy’s good girl?”

“Yes,” I said, the pleasure building. I bounced up and down as Guy’s hand worked me. It felt blindingly good.

A knock sounded at the door. We froze. I looked over my shoulder at him.

“Did you put on the do not disturb?” I hissed.

“I thought I did,” Guy said, panicking.

“Busy!” I shouted. “No service needed!”

Footsteps shuffled in the hallway and I thought they silenced. We resumed our activity, the slapping of flesh on flesh picking up again.

“Fuck, Kitty, this pussy feels so good,” Guy moaned. “You’re gonna make Daddy come.”

“Kitty!” came a voice at the door with more knocking. A voice that I definitely recognized.

“Shit!” I climbed off Guy’s lap.

“I thought he wasn’t coming until tomorrow?”

“I did, too!”

“Go take a shower, I’ll cover.” Guy scrambled for some clothes.

“Just a minute!” I called to the door. Guy threw on sweatpants and a shirt. His boner retreated rapidly, because what’s sexy about your new girlfriend’s dad showing up while you’re fucking? Still, it wasn’t entirely gone as it disappeared into his sweats, still sheathed in the condom.

I ran into the bathroom, closing the door softly and turning on the shower. In an effort to clear the sex smell from the room, I squirted body wash in the bottom of the tub and let the water run over it. That should at least help, right?

I heard Guy open the door. “Mark! Oh my gosh, Heather and Frank, too! How wonderful!” Guy cried, stage speaking so I could hear.

Fuck . The whole family had come early to surprise us. Our room was a wreck. I shuddered to think how many condom wrappers hadn’t made it into the trash can. Or what would happen if someone looked in the trash can. Whatever was about to happen, it probably wasn’t good.

I quickly rinsed off, trying to cool the sexed-up flush on my skin. I wrapped myself in a towel and walked into the room where Guy stood, awkwardly making small talk with my family. The air was tight. Everybody knew something was up.

“Hi!” I said, falsely cheerful. “Let me get some clothes on and I’ll give everyone hugs!”

My dad’s eyes were furious. I’m not religious, but I prayed he didn’t hear what we’d said while we were having sex. Judging by his expression and the lingering smell of sex in the air, even if he hadn’t heard, he could connect the dots. Granny Gatto didn’t raise no fool. Frank’s face was red, eyes trained on the floor. Mom gave me a sympathetic look.

I snatched my only set of clothes and stepped back into the bathroom to change. I was so fucked.

It was when I was hugging Frank that I noticed it. Guy clearly hadn’t put on underwear in his rush to open the door for my family, but his dick was done with our drama. Therefore, the condom must have taken the path of least resistance.

The condom hung out the bottom of his sweatpants leg. My eyes snagged on it, and I’m sure I looked like I’d seen a roach or something. Before I could look away, Frank followed my line of vision.

His face went beet red. “Seriously, bro? My fucking sister?”

Guy held up his hands, trying the classic approach of denial. “I don’t know what you think is happening here.”

“The condom is hanging out of your pants , bro!” Frank exploded. “We all heard what you were saying to her. You’re treating her like a piece of fucking meat!”

There it was. An eerie stillness settled in the room. Dad cracked his knuckles and neck, eyes trained on Guy.

“Consensually?” Guy tried, wincing.

My mother, in all her infinite wisdom, shrugged and spoke. “Well, at least they’re doing it right.”

It’s easy to tell where I got my twisted sense of humor.

That was the match that lit the powder keg.

Frank lunged for Guy. Guy’s hands went to shield his own face, knowing the beat-down was coming.

“It’s not what it looks like!” Guy objected.

Frank’s fist didn’t let him finish that sentence. My stomach curdled, and then I was weirdly touched. Frank loved me enough to defend my honor? It wasn’t really warranted, but I was pretty surprised at my brother’s willingness to come to blows over it.

“What was that, punk?” Frank said between hits. Dad stood back, watching with his arms crossed over his chest and his jaw clenched. Mom clutched Dad’s arm. I could tell he wanted to get a swing in there, but he was letting Frank do the dirty work.

My freshly minted boyfriend was getting beaten up by my brother.

“Frankie!” Mom yelled over the fight. “It’s just Guy! Why are you so upset about this?”

Frank whirled on his heel to face Mom, gesturing at Guy, who now sat back on the bed. “He uses girls, Ma! He’s told me himself, he hits and quits! I’m not letting him do that shit to my sister, when he’s always said we’re all ‘best friends’—”

“I love her, Frankie!” Guy shouted. “I always have. We’re just actually getting together now.”

Frank’s face reddened further and his eyes narrowed. He whipped back around to face Guy. “Easy to do now, huh? You ruined her in high school. Couldn’t stick up for her then but you can love her now? You should know better, Kitty. You know how he is.”

I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. “You knew? About him being the reason everyone called me a slut?”

Frank dragged a hand down his face, then examined his busted knuckles. “I didn’t want to make you feel worse,” he sighed. “It wasn’t my business. And you two seemed to work it out.”

Guy touched a hand to his bleeding lip. “I didn’t date her because of you, Frank. I was afraid you’d . . . do what you just did. I didn’t want to lose all of you if something went wrong.” He sucked in a breath, glancing at me. “And because my dad—”

“Oh, sweetie,” Mom said. She stepped away from Dad to hug Guy, grabbing a tissue to dot on his lip. “You’re not him.”

Right, Eva probably would have told Mom about his dad. Hell, that was probably how they got so close so quickly. Mom doted on Guy how Eva would have, and I think it calmed Frankie’s fury. We were most of what Guy had left for a family. We couldn’t be fighting like this.

“Is it true?” My dad’s quiet voice rang out in the room. “You love her?”

Guy’s eyes watered and met mine. He nodded and turned to my dad. “I do.”

My dad twisted his lips and looked at the floor between us, grinding his teeth. That didn’t look like a major endorsement to me. It was the face he made when he was mulling something over.

Frankie hissed as he tried to make a fist. I went to his side, examining his hand.

“Guess you love me, huh?” I said softly. “You’re willing to beat up our best friend for me?”

Frankie chuckled. “Don’t get too used to it, sissy.”

My arms circled his waist and he hugged me back. “I can fight my own battles. But I appreciate ye,” I said in Mom’s accent.

“She hasn’t pulled any punches,” Guy joked.

He and Frankie hugged it out, but Frankie stepped back and pointed at Guy’s face. “You’re on thin fucking ice, though. And get that condom off your foot, weirdo.”

“Okay,” Dad said, clearly uncomfortable.

“Why don’t we give Kitty and Guy some time to get their room ready to check out?” Mom said with a wry smile. “We’ll go get some coffee while we wait.”

My parents and brother filed out, and the door closed. I locked eyes with Guy. “I think I can safely say that is the first and last time I’ll call you daddy.”

* * *

“Say cheese!” Mom cackled from the front seat of my parents’ SUV.

I had ice on my temple and leg from the accident, which was spread across Guy and Frank’s laps. Frank iced his knuckles from punching Guy. Guy iced the left side of his face from Frank punching him.

Frank held up his middle finger with his ice pack for the picture.

“Oh, relax, Frankie. You’ll all look back at this and laugh one day.”

“Give it a rest, Heather,” Dad grumbled. “Let’s get the kids’ stuff from the car and get our sorry asses to Boston.”

Dad, Guy, and I got out at the impound lot where our wrecked rental had been towed. Flurries sprinkled around us, and I shivered against the cold. Dad still hadn’t looked me in the eye. Guy got our luggage and refused to let me carry it.

Dad held me back so Guy could walk ahead.

“You’ll always be my little girl, Kitty. I know you’re growing up, but you always have me. Anything he does wrong, I’ve got you.” He finally turned to face me. “I want you to be happy. Does he make you happy?”

I thought about his question. “So far, yes. Up until the accident, we were just friends. He’s been a good friend when he was able to.”

Dad nodded. “He left you hanging for a while, Kitty Cat. Years. You didn’t say anything, but I noticed.”

“I reminded him of Eva dying. He’s doing better now, though.”

Dad squared with me. “He’s part of our family in his own way. But you and Frank always come first. Capeesh?”

“Capeesh,” I said, and he pulled me in for a tight hug.

“If he raises a hand to you, Kitty . . .”

“I know, Daddy.” I said it seriously, but given the Daddy incident that had just gone down at the hotel, my comedic timing was a little better than anticipated.

He made the face he makes when he has acid reflux at the name. “You and your mother with your sick senses of humor.”

“You love us,” I grinned.

“More than anything, Kitty Cat. I love y’all more than anything.” He squeezed me tighter. “You scared me. I’m glad you’re okay. Both of you. And don’t worry about the car. That’s what insurance is for.”

Guy closed the SUV’s trunk and headed around to get back in.

“Guy. A word,” Dad said.

“Yes, sir.”

I got in the car, slowly closing the door to see if I could hear what my dad said to Guy. I couldn’t, but I’m not bad at reading lips. One sentence stood out.

“You will treat my daughter with respect.”