“What’s wrong, Paige?”

Just moments ago my mouth tasted of peppermints and Gavin. But now it didn’t taste of sweetness.

It tasted of fear.

Somehow I managed to get my frozen muscles to move. Reaching down, I dismissed the call and muted the phone. I’d deal with the consequences later. Right now was more important.

“It’s nothing. The noise startled me. That’s all.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

He eyed the cell. “You’re not going to get it?”

“No. It’s probably a wrong number.”

Gavin frowned. “That’s not your ring tone for wrong numbers.”

Fuck! My father rattled me so damned much. I needed to get my head on straight.

“You’re right. I’ll check it later. Now I just want to finish lunch with my very important person.”

Gavin shrugged. “If you’re sure it’s no big deal I’d like to finish the kissing part.”

“Me too.”

A knock sounded at the door. It was one of the sales guys. “Hi, Gavin. Sorry to interrupt. Jerry needs you for a call.”

“Be right there.” Gavin waited until he left before wiping his mouth and standing up. “Excuse me, love, but duty calls.”

“It’s no problem. Thanks for the delicious lunch.”

He leaned down and kissed me quickly. “You can thank me later tonight.”

My heartbeat ran like a rabbit. I wished I could say it was solely because of the feel of Gavin’s lips on mine.

“You can count on it.”

I kept my smile long after he strode out of the room. Reluctantly, my gaze shifted over to my phone. We’d both heard the buzzing as another call came through again.

And again.

My father wasn’t going to appreciate having to wait for me. He didn’t give a damn what I was in the middle of—work, traffic, a fire—I did not keep Patrick Brookstone waiting.

Get ready to get blasted.

I didn’t want to take a chance of being overheard in my office. I needed to find someplace relatively private.

Walking out of my office, I passed numerous people. I gave them a friendly nod, telling the closest ones I was stepping out for a few minutes just in case Gavin came back before I did.

I took the elevator down to the floor beneath Axis 3. There was a vestibule tucked off in a little corner. Nobody really passed by. I’d have enough privacy to make what would, hopefully, be a quick phone call.

My father picked up on the second ring.

“Took your time, didn’t you?”

Just the sound of his voice caused my back to stiffen with a familiar but toxic mixture of fear, guilt, and disappointment.

“I called you as soon as I could.”

He grunted. “You need to come out.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? Because I said so.”

I never verbally called him Dad, Daddy, or Patrick. At least, I hadn’t since I’d moved out that final time.

It should’ve went without saying I couldn’t be expected to leave my job without a reason to give to my employer. When did my father give a shit? He wanted me home and he didn’t give a flying fuck what it did to the rest of my life.

He never gave a shit because I wasn’t real to him.

“It something wrong with Melissa?”

“Yes. She misses you.”

Of course.

Patrick wouldn’t want me home because he missed me. I knew he was glad I wasn’t under his feet anymore as a constant reminder of his spite towards the woman he loved more than life itself.

Never mind how abusive his love often was.

My father didn’t give a damn what I did as long as I didn’t embarrass him. Or interfere in his life with Melissa. Or expect anything out of him other than money.

I always wondered why my stepmother didn’t resent me considering the circumstances of my birth. Now that I was older I understood the answer. I was a stand-in for the child she yearned for. And after getting to know Gavin, I was a poor substitute indeed.

If either of them had any suspicion that I was currently involved with Gavin…

“Can I come down this weekend?”

“No. You need to come down now.”

“I need time—”

“Make it happen by six, Paige, or else.”

Gritting my teeth, I knew exactly what the “or else” was. Patrick let me go to New York but he never let me forget I was under this thumb. The apartment he provided me wasn’t because of warm, tender feelings towards his only child.

No.

I wasn’t allowed to have my own place because then he wouldn’t have control. If I’d gotten something anyways it wouldn’t have been seen as an act of independence.

It would’ve been seen as an act of war.

He’d crush me within a day. He’d get me fired from my job and then cut off any access points to land anywhere else. If I persisted on defying him, Patrick would turn the screws until I begged forgiveness.

I didn’t want to find out how much I’d have to suffer before he relented. If I hadn’t already made it clear by now then here it was—I was terrified of my father.

Utterly terrified.

I didn’t see a future where I’d feel anything but terror.

“I understand.”

“Good. You know where to go.”

“Yes.”

“Call me when you’re on board.”

“I will.”

The phone clicked off. I let out a long, shaky breath. Exhausted just from a call lasting less than minute, I dreaded what spending a couple of days in his presence would do to me.

I’d have to deal with that later. I had a bigger pressing issue right now.

What the hell was I going to say to Gavin?

Angrily, I gritted my teeth. I didn’t want to leave him. Not yet. These were my last two days working with Gavin, never to be repeated. I wasn’t surprised Patrick Brookstone yet again found a way to rob me of joy. He had a preternatural instinct for it.

To him, my happiness mattered for nothing. No wonder I had to steal every bit I could like a thief.

Well, there was nothing for it but to tell Gavin I wasn’t going to be able to finish out my assignment. I hated having to do it, but the alternative was much worse.

Turning around, I immediately took a hasty step back.

Gavin stood just a few feet away.