I may not be a good parent, but I’m an excellent daddy to Rowan. She’s been acting weird lately and texting someone. Once I spied and saw she was texting Nixon, I obtained the phone records from the cell company.

They’re pretending.

It’s kind of cute how he pretends to be her boyfriend so her father doesn’t know who’s really sticking his dick in her. But over the course of this fake relationship, I can see they’ve grown close. Nixon was always the kid I worried about, like maybe he has a few screws loose. Hayden is hard—jaded like Julia toward the end of our marriage. Brock is soft right now, but with the proper guidance, he’ll end up the most like me. Camden is still young, but he has soulless eyes. They’ll all go off to do well in their careers and in life. But Nixon? The kid is a thinker. His eyes always flickering with deep thoughts.  Often, in a calculating, unnerving way. If the world were something he could slice open with his favorite pocket knife, he would. He'd dissect it piece by piece just to see how it all worked. He doesn’t want to own said world or manipulate it like his three brothers. He simply wants to know why it is the way it is. I’d say perhaps he’s the softest, but that’s not true either. He’s every bit as fierce as his brothers. Just different. Sometimes I wonder if Trevor is his real father.

We’re headed to my house for a get together. I’ve invited Trevor, Mateo, Levi, and their women. My sons and their friends will be there. Several colleagues. Just some swimming and shooting the shit. I’m hoping Rowan will relax and come clean about what’s bothering her.

“Everything okay?” I ask as we park inside my garage.

She sets her phone down in her lap, but her eyes won’t meet mine. “I have to tell you something and I don’t want you to get mad.”

“As long as he doesn’t touch what’s mine, I don’t care.”

She flinches and glances over at me under her long lashes. “W-What?”

Narrowing my gaze at her, I reach over and pluck her phone from her hand. “Nixon.”

“I wasn’t talking about—”

“I know you’re pretending to be his girlfriend for your father’s sake,” I tell her. “And as long as he doesn’t kiss your pretty mouth or touch one hair on your perfect body, I don’t care.”

She wrenches the door open and hurries into the house. Her unusual behavior has me chasing after her. I’ll find out what she’s keeping from me. I toss her phone onto a table as I enter the house, stalking after her. She’s barely made it through the kitchen when I hook her waist and yank her against me.

“What the hell is your problem?” I demand, my mouth pressed against her ear.

“We kissed.”

Stunned, I freeze with her in my grip. “What the hell did you just say?”

She wriggles from my arms and backs away until her ass hits the counter beside the stove. “The day you were so cruel to me, Nixon walked me home. My father came out and we kissed so he wouldn’t think—”

“What’s with all the shouting?” a deep, challenging voice barks out behind me.

I swivel around to face my child. Sixteen and every bit as tall as me. Nixon glares at me with both his fists at his sides. His gaze flits over to Rowan as if to check on her. It infuriates me.

“You fucking kissed her?” I seethe, my jaw ticking with fury.

He snaps his eyes back to mine. No fear with this kid. He doesn’t cower under my stare. I’ve perfected this hateful look. It’s how I get what I want in business. And this kid doesn’t even flinch.

“I did what I had to do,” he snarls back.

“Eric,” Rowan says behind me, her voice almost placating in nature.

“I’ll do it again if I have to.”

Rage overcomes me. I’m about to knock this kid into the wall when fucking Trevor waltzes in to save the day. All it takes is one look at me and he comes between me and my boy.

“Cool the fuck down, man,” he urges.

“He fucking kissed my girl!” I roar, pointing at my son in a threatening manner. “I still own your scrawny ass for two more years. You even think about looking at her and I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“Enough!” Trevor roars, grabbing me by the shirt. “Cool your shit, asshole.”

Nixon’s nostrils flare behind Trevor as he stares me down. Fucking kid has balls of steel. He’s still young enough, I could whip his ass and remind him who the man of this house is.

“Outside,” Trevor orders Nixon. “Now, son.”

I want to clock my best friend. It does nothing to assuage my suspicions. Of course, he’d never betray me, but I can’t help but let my brain go there anyway.

Nixon doesn’t move. “Rowan. Are you okay?”

She sniffles behind me. “Yeah.”

“Because if you’re not—”

“I’m fine,” she says breathlessly. “Just go.”

He lets out a frustrated huff, but storms off, slamming the door behind him. I may be pissed at him now, but he’s the only one of my sons who ever had the spine to stand up to me. One day, when I’m not angry as fuck, I’ll look back on this moment with pride.

“Cool your shit,” Trevor says, his voice much calmer.

I give him a clipped nod. He smiles at Rowan, then strides off, his obnoxious flip flops slapping the marble floor as he leaves.

“It meant nothing,” Rowan tells me, her voice firm. “You were a total asshole that day and your son stepped up to protect me. I didn’t have it in me to deal with my father and he sensed that. You fucked up, and he fixed it.”

I swivel around to find her glaring at me with tear-stained cheeks. She’s so fucking beautiful, it makes my chest physically ache. Rowan Wheeler makes me feel things I’ve never felt before.

I’d kill for her.

The thought is sudden and blindsides me. But it’s true. The love I have for her is a blazing inferno with no intention of being snuffed out.

“I did fuck up,” I admit huskily.

She purses her lips and lifts her chin. I prowl over to her, expecting her to retreat. Instead, she relaxes the moment I have her in my arms. I kiss the top of her head and squeeze her hard.

“I’m sorry I’m such a prick.”

She giggles. “You really are.”

“I’m hard to love.”

“To me, you’re easy to love.”

Her head tilts up so she can look at me. She slides her palms to my scruffy cheek, her brown eyes lighting with adoration. It’s expressions like these from her that seem to toss a match on my soul. I just fucking burn for her all the time.

“You deserve a romantic guy who will do sweet shit for you,” I hiss as I capture her mouth with mine. I don’t kiss her gently. I devour my angel. I inhale her essence. I suck all the goodness from her like the greedy fucker I am.

“I don’t want anyone else. Just you.”

I shove my hand into my pocket and pull out another one of her many gifts. I’d had a sweeter gesture in my head, but now seems like the right time. Grabbing her left wrist, I yank it to me and kiss the knuckle of her ring finger. When I slide the gigantic diamond on her tiny finger, she lets out a garbled sound.

It’s huge.

I paid a fuck ton of money for it.

It costs more than her father’s house. I made sure of it.

The ring means mine.

The inscription says Daddy’s girl.

I don’t know how much more forever it can get than that.

I’m not romantic, but I’ll sure as fuck claim what belongs to me. And Rowan Wheeler will be a Pearson before the summer is over.

“Oh, Eric,” she mutters. “When I told you and you never said anything back, I worried you didn’t feel the same way.”

I chuckle and kiss her pink nose. “No, it took that long to have this custom ring made. It came in this morning.”

She beams at me. “Yes. The answer is yes.”

I smirk at her. “I never asked, angel.”

Her dark brows scrunch together in confusion. “But, I thought…”

“This ring means you’re mine. I’m not asking. I’m telling.”

A giggle escapes her. “Oh. You’re such a caveman.”

“If claiming you as my wife means I’m a caveman, then so fucking be it.”

“You should get on your knees,” she says softly.

I want to roll my eyes at her, but if she needs me to ask on one knee, I will. Hell, I didn’t even do that with Julia, but Rowan deserves a hell of a lot more than that bitch ever did. Lowering to my knee, I grab her hips and look up at her.

“Rowan—” I start, but she presses a finger to my lips to silence me. Then, her fingers grab the hem of her shirt, and she lifts, baring her stomach to me.

“Eric, I’m pregnant.”

I stare at the slight pudginess. There isn’t a baby bump by any means, but her tight, firm stomach has grown soft. After I got over my need to shove emergency contraceptive down her throat every morning, I embraced the idea of her carrying my child one day. With Julia, it felt like a trap—her way of keeping us together. Rowan, though, makes it feel natural. A strong, male urge to rise and beat my fists on my chest overcomes me. Instead of acting like a damn idiot, I press a kiss to her stomach below her belly button. Her fingers thread in my hair, and she lets out a ragged sigh.

“Are you happy?”

I inhale her soapy scent and kiss her flesh again. “So happy.”

We stay locked in this moment for a bit. I can’t seem to stop kissing her stomach. With the boys, I’d been filled with pride to have knocked Julia up with a part of me, but this feels different. This feels right. I’m more than happy. It means Rowan will always be mine.

Once I’ve kissed her until I’m sated, I stand and hug her to me. Arm in arm, we walk outside where the barbeque is underway. Brock and Hayden wear matching gloomy expressions when they see us. Nixon glares at me with a positively murderous expression on his face. And Camden is completely oblivious per usual as he shamelessly flirts with Mateo’s date.

“You want to swim?” I ask.

She nods. “It’s hot.” Then her voice lowers. “It’ll cool your baby off.”

My dick responds in my trunks with a twitch. I watch with a wolfish grin as she peels away her clothes. Her bright yellow bikini is the perfect contrast against her skin, making her look even more golden and gorgeous. I give her ass a slap, loving the resounding squeal of outrage as she runs over to the pool.

“I think you successfully staked your claim,” Mateo says with a chuckle as he hands me a beer.

I shrug and glance over at Trevor. His woman fusses over him, no doubt desperately trying to draw his attention away from the drop dead gorgeous teenager carrying my child. Levi is practically fucking Kristyn. She’s sitting on his lap facing him and they’re making out. If I had to bet money, he’s the one hoping for a distraction. After our pool party of three, he’s been slightly cold toward me and standoffish. He knows he fucked up and I now have leverage over him. It’s good to have leverage over your friends in case they decide to try to screw you over one day.

“We’re getting married,” I blurt out as my attention follows all four of my sons. Like planets being aligned, they seem to orbit around her, seeking her warmth and beauty. All four of them end up in the pool with her. Laughing. Flirting. Splashing. All four are probably hard as fuck over what’s mine. Too bad they missed their chance. They’ll learn. If you want something, you calculate your moves, then you play them—and you win.

I won.

Camden throws a football at me, and I toss it back before tearing off my shirt. I’m about to jump in and wrap my body around my woman so the boys will back the fuck off when I feel his presence.

Jax Fucking Wheeler.

“Rowan,” he barks as he enters the yard through the open fence. “Time to go home. Now.”

Everyone grows quiet, watching and waiting. Jax is the only one here who doesn’t realize he’s lost his little girl to the big bad wolf. He probably still thinks he can protect her from me. So sad for him, though. She doesn’t want protecting. Rowan likes getting mauled.

“I just got here,” she says with a pout, her arms crossing over her jiggly tits.

Nixon wades over to her in the water and wraps his arms around her from behind. I swear to fuck I see red. I should be filled with pride that he’s trying to protect her, but I’m not. Especially when he boldly kisses her bare shoulder.

“Rowan,” Jax growls.

“Out of the pool,” I snap at the same time, my eyes pinning her in a fiery glare.

“Yes, Daddy,” she murmurs. Like the good girl she is, she pulls away from Nixon and shoots him an apologetic look before taking the steps. With her suit clinging to her curvy ass, I’m about to nut in my pants. Fuck, she has a banging body. She grabs a towel and wraps it around her before coming to stand between us. He’s inched himself into my yard, eyeing most of the males here warily, as if we’re all going to gang up against him and beat his dumb ass.

The only one who wants to punch him in his stupid face is me.

And maybe Trevor.

Trevor’s glare is slightly crazed, and I wonder if I’m missing something. The annoying-ass chick he's been seeing since last summer, Lucy, tries to hide behind my best friend's giant frame.  And, for once, it's not because of me.  The bitch hates me and the feeling is mutual.  This time, though, it has to do with Jax. One day, I’ll ask him what that’s about. Today, though, I have a statement to make.

“Jax,” I say as I saunter over to him, a smug grin on my lips. “You should stay and join us. Rowan is always telling us how lonely you are. So sad, man.”

Rowan shoots me a warning stare. Fuck her warning. I’m not afraid of her dickhead dad. And I’ll be goddamned if I let her be afraid of him either.

“Rowan,” Jax hisses. “I don’t know what the hell you’ve gotten yourself into over here, but you’re done with these assholes.”

“Dad,” she pleads, her voice quaking with emotion.

I stalk over to her and crowd her from behind. Over her head, I glare at her father. When I wrap my arm around her and kiss the top of her head, he gapes at me, completely and utterly frozen in shock. I splay my large hand over her stomach and grip her left wrist in my other.

“See this ring?” I say, my voice a low taunt. “It means she’s mine now.”

“The fuck you say?” His tone is deadly.

“Eric,” she whimpers. “Not like this. Not here.”

Ignoring her, I squeeze her tight and kiss the back of her hand, my piercing stare never leaving his. “She. Is. Mine.” I curl her hand out toward him. The sun hits the massive diamond and glitters more light around us. “I put a ring on it.”

“You fucking what?” he seethes, his face turning red with rage.

“I’m his fiancée,” Rowan says primly, lifting her chin in a defiant manner. “And I’m pr…” she trails off when he takes a threatening step toward us.

“You will regret the day you laid eyes on her,” Jax whispers, his words violent, only loud enough for us to hear. The vein in his neck pulsates. “I will end you, Eric Pearson.”

I flash him a brilliant grin and point to the gate. “Get the fuck off my property.” I snap my fingers, then point to Nixon, who appeared out of fucking nowhere. “My son will show you out.” I pin him with an evil glare. “Try any shit and I’ll end you first.”

Boldly, I grope Rowan’s tit in front of her father.

“Tell him, angel,” I murmur, my lips finding her ear. “Tell him how I already won.”

She whimpers, but says the words he needs to hear. “I have a new daddy now.”

“And her new daddy takes really good care of her,” I rumble. “Really good care of her.”

Jax’s face becomes expressionless and he turns without another word. I watch with fucking glee as he storms out of my backyard.

“What did we just do?” Rowan asks.

“What we should have done a long time ago.”

I pull her wet body into my arms and lift her. Her long legs wrap around my waist as she attacks my lips. All eyes are on us as I take her to the nearest location: the small pool shed. She cries out as I push her up against the shelves and tear her bikini bottom to the side to give me access to her greedy cunt. I manage to push my swim trunks down my thighs and grab hold of my aching dick. With a hard thrust that has her screaming for all to hear, I shove inside her and stake my claim. Again. And this time, I bet her old daddy can hear what her new daddy is doing to her.

I fuck her with the shed door open because I can.

I fuck her so loud, her screams hurt my ears.

I fuck her until I know I’ll leave bruises on her.

She’s mine, and I took her.

I’ll take her again, and again, because I’m the motherfucking boss around here.

They all answer to me.

Even psycho-ass Jax Wheeler.

“Who loves you, angel?” I snarl as I nip at her lips and chin.

“You!”

“Tell me what I want to hear.”

She moans instead. I pull away and give her clit a slap with the back of my hand, my knuckles no doubt bruising her tender flesh. She cries out.

“Daddy! Daddy loves me!”

I laugh as I come deep inside her teenage cunt. It belongs only to me.

I laugh because every motherfucker knows it.

My boys. My friends. My neighbor. My girl.

And when my dick stops squirting out its seed, I lean my forehead against hers and kiss her plump lips. “I sure do, angel. I love you more than anything.”

Except winning of course.

I laugh again.