Chapter 44
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
HEATHER
“Heather,” Dad beckoned from his office. “Come here. I’d like to talk to you.”
My mouth dried, and I pushed back my swivel chair from the makeshift desk that Dad had set up for me to learn the ropes of this business. I peered through his office windows at Hector, who sat slouched in a chair across from Dad s desk, rubbing his forehead.
Oh my God. If he knows …
After shuffling some papers and stacking them neatly on my desk to buy myself some time, I smoothed out my skirt and headed toward his open door. Evelyn shot me a pitiful look, and I wanted to make a break for the elevators, but I forced myself to continue walking.
“How’s it going today, sweetheart?” Dad asked when I walked into the room.
I shot Hector a glance, but he barely looked in my direction.
Damn it, this seems worse than I thought!
Even if we waited a hundred years, I didn t think that I would be ready for this conversation. How could I tell Dad that I was dating his best friend and business partner, who was twice my age and into BDSM?!
“It’s going good,” I whispered, almost unable to breathe. “Why?”
“Just wondering,” he hummed. “I had a conversation with your mother on Saturday.”
Did Mom rat me out?! She was so cool with it!
“Oh?” I asked. “About what?”
“She told me that I was being too hard on you.”
Hector cleared his throat. “I should get back to work.”
No. No, it s fine, Dad said. This concerns you too.
My stomach tightened into knots. Fuck.
“I’ll be quick with this,” Dad reassured Hector, and then he turned back to me. “Your mother told me that you might not want to work here and that I might be making you feel like you have to work here with us. If I?—”
“It’s fine,” I mumbled. “I’m used to it.”
Heather, Hector said suddenly, now looking in my direction. If you don t want to work here, you don t have to. He looked as if he wanted to say more, to expand on our conversation on Saturday night, but Dad could never know about that, so he pressed his lips together. Okay?
“Mmhmm,” I hummed, knowing that a direct yes was what he was looking for.
An mmhmm might get me in some good trouble later.
I headed back to the door. “I’m going to go now.”
No polite asking my father—or Hector—if I could leave. In the corner of my vision, I watched Hector’s fingers twitch on the chair, probably aching to spank me. My lips curled into a small smirk, and I turned all the way around to show him that he could do nothing here.
“Wait,” Dad said.
I rolled my eyes and then twisted my head to face him. Yes?
Dad pulled out a chair next to Hector and across from his. “Hector, you can go now.”
“I don’t mind staying,” Hector said, watching me trudge all the way to the chair and sit beside him, his dark gaze never leaving mine once. “We have a couple of things to talk about anyway once Heather leaves.”
After taking a seat opposite of Dad, I played with the end of my skirt underneath the desk.
Hector discreetly reached over and laid his hand on my thigh, digging his fingers into my knee, as if to say, Watch yourself, brat.
“So …” I hummed, paying no attention to Hector.
“Your mother also mentioned a boyfriend.”
Double fuck!
Hector stiffened in the seat beside me, his fingers not moving anymore against my knee. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and looked anywhere besides at Dad because I didn t want him to get any more ideas than the ones he already had.
“Why haven’t you told me about him?” Dad asked.
Maybe because you’d freak the fuck out!
“I’ve just been really busy with school and work,” I lied.
Dad leaned back in his chair, lips curling into a small smile. Tell me more about him.
My knee bounced, and I chewed on the inside of my cheek. “Oh, um … he’s this really nice kid that I go to school with.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, Hector gripped my thigh harder. “Some kid at your school, huh?”
“Yep.”
He drew his hand up my thigh, getting dangerously close to my pussy, and hummed.
When are you going to bring him around? Dad asked. I want to meet him.
Oh boy, Dad … you already have.
I pushed Hector’s hand off me and stood up. “We’re just casual right now.”
Hector tightened his jaw, his gaze snapping to me and darkening. I walked to the door, knowing that he could do nothing but simmer in his jealousy and possessiveness, and pulled it open, a smirk drawn across my lips.
I was sure that I d be seeing him later.