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I swung my gaze to the bulkingfigure emerging from the bathroom. Steam surrounded him, making himlook like an actor in one of those cheesy commercials aboutbodywash. His towel was slung low on his hips and he was still wetfrom the shower. As if he’d heard Melonie and me fighting anddidn’t bother to dry off first.
I grinned at Ian before Meloniepouted from behind me. “I’ve been waiting for you.” I looked overin time to see her pull her leg from under the blanket. I couldn’tsee from my vantage point but I was sure Ian was getting a fullview of her pussy. My vision flashed in and out as rage consumedme.
“I was tellingLindseythatshe needed to leave so we could have some alone time,” shesaid.
She was laying it on thick and I’djust about had enough. I took a step forward to rip her out of hisbed when his voice boomed across the room. If that sound had beendirected at me I would’ve peed down my leg.
“As if I would ever want to fuckone of my daughter’s friends.” His stern statement pulled atsomething in my chest. I knew he was saying that just to get itthrough Melonie’s thick skull but it still made me pause. Eventhough I was his daughter’s friend I told myself he didn’t trulymean what he said. “And even if that weren’t the case, I sure ashell wouldn’t want someone who so easily spreads her legs for anyman willing to ask for it.”
I watched Melonie’s face fall athis harsh words. One could almost feel bad for her.Almost.
“I suggest you get your bony assout of my fucking bed, get some clothes on, and get out of myroom,” he said as he practically vibrated with rage. “Now!” heyelled and I flinched.
That was the only time since I’dknown Melonie that I truly believed she had feelings. She looked asthough she was about to start crying as she slid from the bed,wrapped her robe around herself, and rushed toward the door. I keptmy face down as she brushed past me in her hurry.
I said nothing as I kept my gazepinned to the floor. I knew Ian didn’t mean a word he said aboutnot being with someone who was his daughter’s friend, but thestatement still hurt. I felt foolish in a way that I’d never feltbefore. Even if all he’d done this last week is tell me that itdidn’t matter if I was Anna’s friend, that didn’t stop the doubtthat swirled around my head now.
I didn’t notice Ian step in frontof me until he gripped my chin. He pulled my face up to meet his.It took me a beat longer than necessary to meet his gaze. Ireleased a shaky breath as tears pricked the back of my eyes.
“Lindsey, I—”
“You sick fuck!” Ian’s words werecut off by Anna’s voice screaming from across the cabin.
Everything he was about to sayfell to the back burner as we both bolted for the den as chaoserupted.
Chapter Twenty-Two
We rounded the corner that led tothe den just in time to see Anna with a disgusted look on her face.She still had her sleep shirt and sweats on as if she just rolledout of bed. Her electric-blue hair escaped the two French braidsshe sometimes slept in. Messy tendrils dangled along her foreheadand temples. Aside from the furious expression on her beautifulface, you would have thought she’d only woken up moments ago.
Melonie had been trying to go backto her room when Anna brushed past her, halting her. She turned toface the drama unfolding still clutching her robe to her body.
I rushed closer to her with Ianhot on my heels as Ben appeared from his side of the cabin. He hadno shirt on and wore only a pair of boxers, which looked like he’dhastily put on for this occasion. I felt a flush creep up my neckat the sight of him. I’d never seen him in anything other thanfully dressed. He was lean and well-built under all those clothes.His tattoos that always disappeared under the sleeve of his shirtcontinued up to his chest. The whole half of his ripped torso wascovered, from the seam of his boxers all the way up to meet thesingle wilted flower on the side of his neck. I tried not to focuson the intricate designs as I watched him look wildly around theroom. His face had panic written all over it as he followedAnna.
“Anna, I’m begging you—” he pledwith her before reaching his hand out to grab her arm. The momenthis fingers touched her she jerked away from him as if he burnedher.
“Don’t you fucking touch me!” sheyelled and pointed at him. She had something clenched in her handthat he stared at like it held the secret to life itself. “Don’tyou lay a goddamn finger on me, you sick motherfucker!” Her faceturned red as she berated him.
I was painfully aware of the factthat I had no pants on as I stepped up to Anna. I could feel Ianlooming closely behind me as he stared Ben down like he was waitingfor an excuse to jump him. I felt another flush take over my bodyas I remembered that he was only wearing a towel and was still verywet from his shower. Both of our states of dress were telling as towhat we’d been doing. I cringed at the thought of Anna figuring itout before I got the chance to explain.
“What’s going on?” I asked as Igripped Anna’s shoulders, turning her to face me. Her expressionheld a fury I’d never seen before. I’d seen Anna mad before, butthis topped all those times.
She opened her mouth to talk whenBen grabbed her hand. As if it happened in hyper-speed, she jerkedher hand that clutched something away and Ian moved. Before mybrain could fully compute what was happening, Ian pushed Benbackward away from his daughter. Ben stepped back and held hishands up to show he was innocent as Ian crowded him. He stared downat him and clenched his fists like it was taking everything in hispower to stop himself from pummeling him.
I gasped at the show of dominanceas Ben’s eyes flickered wildly from Anna’s hand to my face and thento Ian.
“You try that again and you’re notgoing to like how this ends,” Ian threatened with a deadlycalm.
Ben’s nostrils flared before heglanced at me. “Lindsey Bug, please,” he begged.
I frowned.What did this haveto do with me?I looked at Anna and willed her to continue.
She pushed her hair out of herface before speaking. “I woke up this morning and she,”—she pointed at Melonie—“wasn’t in bed. So I got up tosee if maybe she had gone to speak with Ben. I was going to tellthem to give it a rest, I’m done dealing with your drama.” She eyedMelonie with a hard gaze as she spoke.
“I went to knock on his door whenI heard … something.” She curled her lips in disgust.
“Anna—” Ben’s words were cut offas Ian towered over him further. He had the common sense to look upat him with fear as he clamped his mouth closed.
Anna swallowed thickly beforecontinuing. “At first, I thought he and Melonie were fucking again.But then I realized that the only sounds coming from the room werefrom him. And then his groans turned to words.” She shook her headas she relayed her story, like what she was going to say was hardto reiterate. She looked up at me with an odd softness in her gaze.“He said your name.”
