The sound was jarring, authoritative, and utterly unwelcome. It yanked us both violently out of the consuming moment and dragged us back to reality.
"Belinda!" The voice called out from the other side of the door.
My…father.
"Belinda open this door right now!"
Jackson's POV
For months, I'd lived trapped behind a stupid, necessary lie. In that final, shattering second of release, the truth—the sheer, electric reality of having her pinned beneath me on this cold desk…enjoying me—was the most blindingly honest thing I'd ever felt.
The moment the source of the knock on the door reveals itself I felt like I had been punched in the gut.
Fucking Chester Knight.
The heat of desire I felt is instantly replaced by the cold, sick rush of adrenaline. My focus splitting between the vivid trembling in her eyes and the sound barrier of the locked door.
"Don't move or make a sound" I said to her. Disentangling myself from her felt like ripping off my own skin.
I moved on instinct, fueled by a single, overriding objective which is to protect her. I covered her, shielded her, using my own exposed body as a solid, furious barrier against the external threat. My mind raced as I lied again—a new lie this time, one designed to preserve our privacy.
"Hi Chester. She isn't home right now. She slept over at Brian's place. I'm kind of occupied with a lady friend right now as you can see so if you could please kindly fuck off." Yes I opened the door butt naked. I'm quite secure in my manhood and if he was going to ruin my night, it's only fair to traumatise him for the rest of his.
He doesn't bat an eye at all.
"You tell my beautiful mistake of a daughter that I know what she did tonight. She killed a very important business partner of mine and I'm going to make her pay. First she fucked me over when they were teenagers and now she did it again. All she had to do was just let him…you know what…she has no vision. She's my daughter and I can give her body to anyone I see fit if it helps the business. She can't keep killing my partners to retaliate. I let her slip through my fingers for long enough. Tell her I want to see her whenever you see her."
The words didn't just shock me, they ripped through my protective composure like shrapnel. Killed a business partner. Beautiful mistake. Give her body to anyone. The casual, chilling cruelty in Chester's tone made the blood drain from my face. I didn't know he treated her like this. How much is she keeping from me out of fear?
My hand, which had been resting on the doorframe, clenched into a fist so tight my knuckles cracked. I wanted to reach through the gap and wrap my fingers around Chester's throat. I wanted to unleash the primal, protective rage that was currently burning a hole through my chest.
Instead, I did the hardest thing ever and contained my rage. I let my expression become a mask of cold, unwavering menace.
"Get tf out," I stated, the words coming out in a low, dangerous growl that barely cleared my throat. It wasn't a request, it was an expulsion.
"Yeah yeah, I'm leaving. But like I said. Tell her I'm looking for her. Plenty of business deals rely on her complying. You're a man, you understand women are just meant to be used right?"
The only thing holding me back from killing him right now is knowing how vulnerable and exposed Belinda is behind me. I wouldn't let anyone see her like that no matter what.
I didn't wait for another word. I shut the door with a precise, heavy finality that echoed the decisive click of the lock.
I leaned against the wood, fighting for breath, my eyes closed for a painful second. When I finally turned around, all the residual heat of our passion was gone, replaced by a cold, protective resolve.
My eyes shot straight to Belinda, who was sitting on that cold wood, her body still trembling, her skin flushed, her hair a mess…glorious, undone, and suddenly terribly vulnerable.
Belinda sat, her face pale, her hands trembling, looking small and broken amidst the wreckage of our intimacy. She hadn't moved. She was staring at the door, the sickening reality of her father's words hanging heavy in the air.
I reached out and gently tilted her chin up until her eyes met mine. They were glazed with shock and disbelief. I've never seen her like this before.
I'm still trying to processing everything. Why didn't she tell me?…I would have protected her from this. I know this is something she probably kept to herself out of fear because everytime I look into her eyes, even when she smiles…sometimes all I see is fear behind them. That's no way to live.
Now that she's my girl, I'm not having any of that. She deserves to feel some sort of peace with at least one person knowing that I'll always be here for her no matter what.
"He won't touch you," I said, my voice stripped bare, devoid of any seduction, filled only with fierce promise. "What he just said is monstrous. But you are safe with me I promise. And we will end him."
Belinda's POV
The shock held me for only a few paralyzing seconds. I was breathing the same stale, office air that still smelled of our fierce intimacy, but the scent of my father's toxic entitlement had instantly ruined it.
When Jackson helped me into my clothes, his touch tender and protective, I didn't meet his eyes. My gaze was locked onto his eyes but my face began to harden into something cold and sharp.
I reached up and roughly wiped the lingering dampness from my cheeks, an instinctive rejection of the pity or weakness my father's words demanded.
"He called me a mistake," I broke, my voice flat and low, vibrating with an intensity that made the hair stand up on Jackson's arms. It wasn't a question or an expression of hurt, it was a realization of pure, undeniable hatred.
"Bel…" Jackson started, reaching for me, wanting to pull me into his chest and shield me from the pain I feel.
"No," I interrupted, pushing gently away. I slid off the desk, my bare feet hitting the carpet with a soft thud. I looked at Jackson, my eyes burning with a controlled, terrifying fire.
"Bel…this is what you were keeping from me? You thought I'd be like your father and those sickening bastards?" He asked genuinely concerned.
"Look Jay…I'm not perfect and if that's what you're looking for I'll understand. We don't have to do this…us. I've got too much baggage. I've got a lot of anger in me. You just saw a glimpse into why."
"Bel…look at me. I've got baggage of my own. Just because it hasn't come to light yet or because I seem to be able to suppress it well…doesn't mean I'm perfect. I don't need a perfect version of you. Who you are already is enough for me. I'll be here to help guide you through all the versions of you that will follow. I told you…you're perfect." His voice was stern, yet reassuring.
I could tell he was trying his best to control his rage because his words were soft, but his eyes and body language were full of rage.
"I'm exhausted from all this. I'm going to bed." I said as I exited the room.
I could hear him make a phone call to Liam a few seconds after.
I don't even have the energy to eve's drop. I've done enough revenging for one night. I'll proceed tomorrow morning.