Forbidden Grumpy Boss (Damaged Daddies #2)

14. Silas

Chapter fourteen

Silas

I hear the doorbell chime and expect Leah, her shoes clicking against my hardwood floors, to say some sarcastic quip ready to fly. Instead, I swing the door open, and Harvey’s standing right there, eyes sharp, posture rigid, and the distinct feeling that I’m about to get a verbal lashing.

There are a few things in life you don’t expect to find on your doorstep. An angry best friend who also happens to be your fake fiancée’s father? That’s one of them.

"Silas," he says my name like it’s a warning, like we’re about to square off in a boxing ring.

"Harvey." I clear my throat, keeping it light. "What are you doing here?”

“You want me gone?” he asks, his tone cryptic.

Something is going on, I can tell. “I don’t want you gone.” I raise my phone to look at the time. “I just wasn’t expecting you.”

"You weren’t expecting to be confronted about why you’ve hired my daughter without mentioning it to me?"

Ah. So that’s what this is about. I try to ignore how my pulse kicks up a notch, wondering if Harvey’s somehow managed to find out about the engagement, too. He can’t know. No, there’s no way. Not unless he has some psychic powers I don’t know about.

"Leah’s a grown woman, Harvey," I say, leaning against the door frame like I’ve got nothing to hide. "I didn’t think I needed to get permission to hire her."

His eyebrows raise, but his expression doesn’t soften. "Permission, no. A heads-up? Definitely. We’re supposed to be friends, Silas."

I grimace. This feels like a trap. "I was going to tell you."

"Really?" He crosses his arms over his chest, his joints cracking with the movement. The man is in his mid-fifties, but he still looks like he could bench press a truck. "When it was convenient? When the two of you were playing house behind my back?”

“Playing house?” I feign annoyance. “She is working for me, not married to me.”

“When were you planning on telling me?”

"Tonight, actually." I give him a tight smile, hoping my driver’s is still a few miles away with Leah. "But here we are."

He doesn’t look convinced, but he lets out a grunt. "You know, Leah and I, well, things are complicated. I don’t want her working for you to complicate them more."

"That’s not my intention." I stand straighter now, gesturing toward the living room. "Why don’t you come in? We can talk about this."

Harvey hesitates for a moment, glancing over his shoulder. The hallway light casts deep shadows on his face, making his look even more severe. I glance at the elevator behind him, hoping it won’t open with Leah inside. "Fine. But I don’t have long. I’ve got an early meeting tomorrow."

I lead him inside, feeling the air thicken with each step. This conversation could blow up in my face at any second. And the last thing I need is Leah walking in during the middle of it. Harvey can’t know about us. If she turns up now, how exactly do I explain myself out of that situation?

The situation is balanced on a knife's edge, and I’m trying to avoid getting cut.

Harvey sits on the edge of the leather couch. I sit across from him, trying not to look like I’m on trial. “Where’s Caleb?” He looks around.

“In his room.” I glance towards my son’s bedroom. “Want me to call him?”

Harvey shakes his head. “Look," he starts, rubbing his hands together, "I don’t know if you noticed the other night, but Leah’s mad at me. I know she’s angry at me for many things, but I want to fix that. Hiring her, maybe you can get her to listen to me again, help me mend fences."

There’s an edge of vulnerability in his voice that I don’t expect, and it catches me off guard. I was ready for the anger, the protective father routine, but not this.

“Harvey, you know I can’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do.” I shrug, keeping my face neutral, even as my brain screams to get him out of here before Leah arrives. “Leah’s independent, strong-willed. She’ll come around when she’s ready. You have to give her space."

He exhales sharply, his eyes dropping to the floor for a second. "I’m trying, Silas. Five years! I gave her space for five years! I tried calling, texting, everything. She never gave me the time of the day. I tried to overlook it since we weren’t in the same city, but now? I just don’t want to lose her."

I nod, the weight of the conversation settling between us. "I’ll do what I can, but I can’t promise anything."

"I appreciate that." He stands, his mood shifting. "And one more thing—"

Here it comes. My stomach tightens as I prepare for the worst.

He crosses his arms, looking every bit like he’s about to deliver a death sentence. “I’ve seen the news, Silas. I know you’re engaged.” My stomach plummets. But then he adds, “I’m glad you took my advice.”

Ah, of course. He thinks I’m talking about someone else, some other woman I’m supposedly engaged to. It takes every ounce of willpower not to let out a breath of relief. “Yeah, well, it seemed like a smart move,” I say, keeping my voice steady.

He nods, almost smug. “Told you it’d be a good look for you. A nice fake engagement to keep the press off your back. Just didn’t think you’d go through with it.”

“You know me, always thinking ahead.”

"Good," Harvey chuckles. "You need someone to keep you grounded, keep you out of trouble."

Funny. That someone happens to be his daughter, but I can’t exactly tell him that.

Before I can say anything more, he slaps me on the back too hard and starts walking toward the door. "Just try to look out for her while she’s working for you, alright? She may be tough, but she’s still my little girl."

"You have my word."

I open the door, and we step out together. We ride the elevator till we are down by the lobby’s entrance. One of the valets brings Harvey’s car around.

“I’ll see you around, buddy.” He clasps my hand and nods at me.

My heart’s pounding in my chest as I watch him leave. As he disappears down the road, I see my car pull up in the distance. Crisis averted.

For now.

The moment Harvey’s taillights fade into the night, Leah steps out of the car. She’s wearing a flowing black dress, jacket, and a small purse with a lengthy strap. Her dark hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders, and she strides toward me with worry etched on her face.

"You’re late," I say, trying to inject some humor into my voice, anything to break the tension still buzzing from Harvey’s visit.

“What’s going on?” she asks, her voice breathless. “I got your text, and I was so scared that—"

“Come on.” I pull her inside, and we don’t speak till we’re in the whirring elevator. “Your dad was here.”

Her eyes widen. “What? What did he say?”

“Nothing about us, thank God. But he knows you’re working for me, and he’s unhappy.”

She lets out a breath, her hand going to her forehead. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry, Silas. I didn’t mean for him to find out. He came around, and he was being a total ass, and the words just came out.”

“The words just came out?”

“I think I was just trying to hurt him the best way I could.”

“It’s fine,” I say, though I’m not sure that it really is. “Are you okay?

“I’m fine,” she says, waving a hand. “Did he make any trouble?”

“No, he left a few minutes ago. But we need to talk about Caleb.”

Her expression softens, concern flickering in her eyes as she looks up at me. “What happened?”

The elevator dings, and we step onto my floor. I head to the door, and she follows behind me. When we’re inside and the door’s shut behind us. I turn to her.

I run a hand through my hair. “Caleb’s got a school dance in a few weeks, and he’s freaking out about not being able to dance.”

Leah blinks, processing. “A school dance?”

I nod. “He thinks he’s going to embarrass himself. I figured this would be a good opportunity for us to, you know, do the whole fake-parent thing. Be there for him.”

She hits me with her purse. “What the hell, Silas?” She tries to hit me again, but I step back. “Oh, my—” She clasps her chest, her hand above her heart, “Your text made me think something was wrong with—Oh, my heart.”

I stare at her, blinking as a grin spread on my face. “I mean, it’s a parenting emergency.” I can’t stifle my chuckle.

“Fuck you.” She covers her face with her hands. “Oh, fuck you, Silas.”

“So, what do you say?” I stick my hands into my shorts’ pockets.

She stares daggers at me and then huffs. “It’s a good idea. Though, full disclosure, I’m a terrible dancer.”

I grin, stepping closer to her, the tension between us shifting into something warmer. “Don’t worry. I’ll lead.”

She rolls her eyes but stands up, smoothing down her dress. "Fine, let’s see what you’ve got."

The earlier stress melts away as we sit on the couch, close enough that her perfume, something light and floral, wraps around me. I realize I haven’t brought a lady home in forever. It’s often the last thing on my mind with a teenager in the house.

I call Caleb down from his room. “Leah, hi.” He smiles shyly at her, his Nintendo Switch in his hands. “I didn’t know you were staying the night.”

She glances at me as if to ask, am I? I don’t look at her. I focus on Caleb. “We have the answer to your problem, Cale.”

Caleb frowns. “Dad, you know I don’t like it when you call me that.”

I raise a hand and stand. “Alright, the jury’s still out on the nickname until I find something better.” I smile at him and look at Leah, staring at him as if seeing me for the first time. “Your dance.”

Caleb joins Leah on the couch but doesn’t stop slamming keys on his Switch. “What about it?”

“You said something about being a bad dancer, right?”

“Do you have a date?” Leah asks him, and to my surprise, he sets his Switch aside and looks her straight in the eye.

“Camilla Merlon.” He nods. “She asked me to accompany her to the dance, and I said yes.” He slaps his forehead. “I said yes even though I can’t friggin’ dance.”

“Language.” I raise both hands.

“Friggin’ isn’t a curse word,” Leah and Caleb say at the same time, exchange glances and then chuckle. “High five!” She raises her hand, and Caleb slams his hand against it.

“Way to gang up on me,” I try to sound as hurt as possible. “So, about this dance . . .”

“You can’t help me, Dad.” Caleb picks up his Switch from the couch. “I’m just going to stand Camilla up. I’d rather do that than embarrass myself on the dance floor in front of everybody.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, buddy,” I say, walking over to put on an old-school blue and then taking Leah’s hand. “I can help.”

I guide Leah into the middle of the living room, her hand fitting perfectly into mine, her body pressing against me in a way that’s far too intimate for what we’re doing. Caleb watches us wide-eyed as I start leading Leah through a simple waltz.

"See? Easy," I murmur. “All you have to do is feel the music.”

"Easy for you to say," Leah whispers back, her breath warm against my neck.

We move together, our bodies finding a rhythm that feels too natural, too right. The music is in the background, but it’s the heat between us that I’m focused on. Every step brings us closer, every touch sending a jolt through my body.

Caleb laughs, and I realize Leah’s stepped on my foot.

"Told you," she mutters, biting her lip to keep from smiling.

I chuckle, ignoring the flare of pain. "You’re doing fine."

But there’s something else happening. Something that’s building between us. It’s in the way her fingers tighten in mine, the way her breath hitches when I pull her closer. I catch her gaze, and for a moment, everything else falls away.

After a few minutes of dancing, Caleb’s confidence grows, and he grins at us. "Thanks, guys. I think I got it! There’s nothing quite like watching your dad dance.” He laughs as he heads to his room.

“Caleb?” Leah calls above the music, and he stops and turns.

“You’re going to do fine.” She beams at him. “And that Camilla is one lucky girl, yeah?”

Caleb smiles so wide that my mouth almost drops open. He returns to his room, leaving Leah and me alone in the living room. “I haven’t seen him smile like that in years.”

“Yeah?” Leah looks at me, our hands are still linked, our fingers intertwined.

“Yeah.” I nod, turning her to me. “He likes you.”

“And I like him a lot.”

The air between us crackles with unspoken tension, with something heavier than just attraction. I’m staring down at her. Her lips part as the music rises and falls in the background.

"Stay the night," I say softly, my voice rough.

Leah’s eyes widen slightly. "For Caleb?"

"For both of us."

Before she can answer, I close the distance between us, my lips crashing onto hers. It’s a kiss that’s been building for weeks. Months, even. There’s no more hesitation, no more pretending. Just a raw need.

She responds just as hungrily, her fingers tangling in my hair as we stumble back, tearing at each other’s clothes, breathless and desperate.