Chapter 9
LINCOLN
Charles’ fucking daughter. Although, no, the fucking in that thought was in the wrong place. Me fucking Charles’ daughter.
It was like the universe was playing a sick trick on me. Not that it had put me off.
After that first taste of her, there honestly wasn’t much that would have put me off her. Even once she’d told me who she was, I’d still gone ahead and fucked her two more times.
Once in the middle of the night when we’d both woken up around the same time, and again in the shower just thirty minutes ago. One night with her had me counting my blessings and questioning my sanity all at the same time.
I fucked Charles’ daughter. Three times. A hat trick of getting off with the daughter of the man who would ruin my career in a heartbeat. And that was before I’d gone and done this.
I’d also finished off the jug of margaritas with her somewhere in the middle of the night, buck-ass naked, and ordered her room service for breakfast. It had been arguably the best one-night stand of my life, but I probably shouldn’t go there again.
Which sucked.
I really, really wanted to go there again. Especially as her fingers trailed absently up and down the length of my thigh as I drove her home. Well, not home. I was dropping her off down the block from the house—at her request.
What was worse was that the sun had gone and done its thing. The curtains in my room had been drawn this morning, extending the night for just a couple hours longer.
Now, my body was at war with my mind. I couldn’t formulate a word to say to her, even though we’d talked for hours when we’d had our naked margarita fest.
“I know it’s awkward,” she said suddenly, piercing the deafening silence that had fallen between us after we’d left the hotel room.
My gaze found hers in the rearview mirror. “What’s awkward?”
She rolled those pretty eyes, her slightly swollen lips pulling into a smile as she gestured between us. “This. Me being the daughter of one of your commanding officers.”
“It’s not—” I cut myself off. “Okay. Yeah, it’s awkward as fuck.”
Her fingers wrapped around the top of my thigh. “It doesn’t have to be. I don’t know if this will make it easier for you, but I know he’s not well liked among you guys. I understand it. You also have my word that I won’t say anything to him.”
“Thanks,” I said because I still couldn’t think of much else.
Sofia’s hazel eyes, which really should have been a giveaway about who she was, rolled again. “Look, I don’t want you to feel weird about this. I’m in town for the summer. If you want to hang out, give me a call.”
“That’s not a good idea.” I brought my hand down on hers and wound our fingers together. “I don’t want this to sound like an excuse because it’s not. But considering who your father is, we should probably stay away from each other.”
A quiet sigh came out of her, but she nodded. “If that’s what you think is best, I can live with it. Just know that your secret is safe with me. I’ll leave you my number just in case you change your mind.”
There was a pen and a hotel matchbox Eden had left in the center console. Sofia snatched both up, scrawling her name and number on it as I slowed the truck.
I knew where Charles lived, though I never thought I’d be using his address as a place to drop off someone I’d hooked up with. There was a small park about a block away from their house, and she’d asked me to drop her there.
I parked but didn’t turn off the engine. Shifting in my seat to face her, I presented my hand for the matchbox.
Sofia placed it right in the center of my palm, but her gaze was on mine. “I promise you have nothing to worry about. My dad won’t ever know about this.”
Sunlight streaming in behind her caused a golden halo around her head. Her eyes were soft and understanding, but her jaw was set with determination. Despite the daintiness of her features, she really was a fierce woman.
The words fierce, intelligent, beautiful, sexy, and Charles’ daughter should never have been strung together in one sentence in my mind, but now I was fucked. If he ever found out? Shit, I didn’t even want to think about it.
On the other hand, he was out to get me anyway. I doubted he would, but that didn’t stop him from trying. If I was on my way out one way or the other, why not go out in a blaze of glory? Well, glorious sex. Not necessarily glory.
“Let me think about it, okay? I’ll call you.” It sounded like a line, but it really wasn’t one.
Sofia must have seen that because she nodded firmly once before her expression dissolved into one of mischief. “I’ll be seeing you around then, Linc. Keep my spot in your bed warm for me.”
She gave me an elaborate, saucy wink, chuckling as she climbed out of the truck.
Her hand shot up in a wave as she started down the sidewalk, but she never looked back.
She walked with the confidence and poise of a much taller, much more cocky woman, but then she hopped over the low fence into the park like a teenage boy might have, and all I could do was laugh.
“Fuck, I’m so screwed,” I groaned into my hands as I scrubbed them over my face.
The matchbox now lay in my lap. I should’ve thrown it away, and I knew it, but I didn’t do it. I tossed it into my glove compartment instead, promising myself that I wouldn’t do anything rash. Oh, who the fuck do you think you’re kidding?
Solidly ignoring the shit-stirring voice at the back of my mind, I jerked the truck into gear and got the hell out of Charles’ neighborhood. When I got back to the hotel, Eden had stumbled in and was sleeping on a couch in the lobby.
He looked ridiculous but peaceful at the same time. His clothes were wrinkled and mussed, his shirt halfway up his stomach. Lying on his side, he had his hands tucked under the scruff on his cheek and his feet hung over the edge.
White-blond hair sticking up in every direction, he looked a little like a hungover cherub. All he needed was a little extra padding, and he’d have been a shoo-in.
Sidestepping a young couple shooting Eden disgusted looks as they sped through the lobby, I moved over to my friend, put two fingers on his shoulder, and pushed. “Eden? Hey, bud. It’s time to wake up.”
He didn’t stir at first. It took three more tries before a low, pained sound tore out of him. His green eyes blinked open, the whites bloodshot and the lids swollen.
“Where am I?” he muttered.
I winced when his breath punched into my nostrils. “Lobby. You must have fallen asleep here.”
“Oh, yeah.” Reaching over his head, he stretched out and yawned loudly as he rolled to his back. “I couldn’t find my room. I put my key in every door except for mine, I think.”
“I figured that was what happened. Want to come up to my room? I’ve got food up there already.” I’d ordered a feast from room service, but Sofia and I hadn’t gotten round to eating much of it. “There’s bacon.”
Eden pushed himself into a sitting position, gripping his head between his hands. “Dude, I’m so fucking hungover. Bacon sounds great, though. Lead me to it.”
I laughed, which earned me a glare and a whimper from my friend. Deciding to take mercy on him, I kept quiet on the way up to my room and even drew the curtains again once we got inside.
“What happened to you last night?” He frowned, stumbling to the sitting area where the room-service dishes were spread out on the coffee table. “I remember you saying something about a girl, and then you were gone.”
I blinked at him. “Seriously? You weren’t even slurring when I left.”
“Maybe not.” He shrugged. “My memory feels like a black hole. Where’d you go? I thought you’d come back when you were done.”
“Yeah, well, uh…” I didn’t stutter often. Dropping into the seat across from him, I looked up to find him staring at me with wide eyes. “Something happened last night.”
“What was it?” he asked slowly, planting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. “What did you do?”
“I might have hooked up with Charles’ daughter.” What little color had been left in Eden’s face drained from it. I put my hands up, turning my palms out. “I didn’t know it was her until after. After the first time anyway.”
His skin went from sallow and clammy to having a definite greenish tinge to it. Both of his knees started bouncing. “That’s it for us then, I guess. We’re going to be Navy janitors at best when he finds out about this.”
“He won’t find out about it,” I assured him, plucking a piece of cold bacon off a plate and popping it into my mouth. The greasy saltiness of the meat coated my tongue and momentarily distracted me from the immensity of the problem. “She gave me her word.”
“She gave you her word?” he parroted, his brows shooting up. “How long have you known this girl, and now you’re taking her word for something like this?”
I turned my wrist and glanced down at the bright orange face of my dive watch. “I met her about thirteen hours ago, give or take a couple, but I trust her with this.”
Eden chewed on the inside of his cheek before he sighed. “You’re not going to see her again, right?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I want to.”
His jaw practically hit the floor. “Are you serious? Do you have any idea what Charles will do to you when he finds out?”
“Rip off my balls and feed them to the new recruits?” I suggested, bringing my knees closer together instinctively.
Eden gave me a pointed look. “He’d do that just for starters. Charles will ruin you for this, Linc. Not even you could escape it.”
“I don’t know,” I mused. “She’s an adult. She made her own choices. Trust me. She’s no wilting wallflower. It wasn’t like it came from my side only.”
“Do you think that would matter to him?” He laughed humorlessly. “Somehow, I don’t.”
I lifted my shoulders, turning my head to look out over the bay in the distance. “If I’m being totally honest, she might be worth it, man.”
“Are you kidding me?” I saw him shoot to his feet in my periphery, his head shaking hard and fast. “I’m going to bed. I can’t handle any more drama right now.”
“Get some sleep,” I said, resting my head back on the chair as I watched clouds floating past my window.
There might be a storm on the way. I tried my best not to take it as an ominous sign of what was about to happen in my life.
You don’t even believe in signs, Linc. Get your head out of your ass.
Eden echoed the sentiment before my door slammed shut, and I sighed. Maybe I should take my own advice to him and get some sleep. It was pretty much the only thing I wanted to do that wouldn’t get me into any more trouble than I already was.