Page 111 of Severed By Vengeance

We exited our vehicles almost simultaneously, but where I was wearing a smile on my face, his features were creased with anger.

“Evangelina!” It was the tone he’d used on me as a child when I’d get into trouble.“I have called you all morning. No answer. I’ve left messages, texts—I spoke to Alexa, and after damn near threatening her life, she caved and gave me that man’s address.”

Fuck.

I’d left my phone on ‘do not disturb,’ which was unfortunate because I’d probably missed Lex’s calls and warning messages about my dad being two minutes away from contacting the FBI.

“Dad, I’m fine.”

“Save it, Eva. You’re being reckless and irresponsible.” His nostrils flared as he paced in front of me. But he wasn’t being fair. My hands were tied. What more did he want from me?

“How could you say that? After everything I’ve been through. I’m doing the best I can right now.”

My father’s eyes narrowed into judgmental slits. “Are you?”

“What is that supposed to mean? Of course I am.”

He folded his arms across his chest and scoffed. “You’re not fooling anyone, least of all me. I know you. And you look like you rolled out of bed or clearly out of someone else’s bed.”

My cheeks flamed red-hot at his accusation, or rather the audacity to comment about a subject that was none of his business.

“How dare you? I’m not a child. Who I sleep with is none of your concern.”

He shook his head, face twisted into one of disgust.

“Already, huh?”

“I amnothaving this conversation with you. I’m sorry I even came here.” I turned to leave, but my father caught my arm and pulled me back.

“Like hell you are! You have no idea who he is—” He clamped down on his jaw and sucked in a sharp breath.

“Let me go.” My voice cracked, and tears blurred the vision of my father’s rage. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him so angry. I didn’t want to fight; I just needed to leave. “Please.”

“I can smell him all over you.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Look at your neck! He did that to you?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“So you’re his whore now? Have you no goddamn self-respect?”

My mouth parted, and pain ripped through my chest at the venom behind his words. As I tried to respond, another voice filled the void of my silence.

“You have approximately until your next breath to get your hands off her. And I won’t ask twice.”

We both whipped toward the end of the drive, where Derek was now stalking toward us. We’d been so caught up that neither one of us heard Kai’s car approaching.

Derek’s face was a stone-cold mask of pure, murderous rage. And it was directed at my father.

Heart hammering in my chest, I looked at him, silently pleading for him to release my arm.

“This conversation isn’t over,” he said between gritted teeth while sweeping an icy glare in Derek’s direction. “And you and I need to talk.”

But Derek acted as though no one else existed in that driveway besides him and me. His expression was a mixture of relief tinged with anger. By the time I looked back, my dad was already gone.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course.”

“Not of course. You’re crying. Did he hurt you?”