Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 29882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Damien sat on the couch, his posture non-threatening and calm. “I knew when she was sixteen, when I first met her, that she was mine.”
Her father let out this deadly sound, one that she had never heard from him before. She knew he was a SEAL, skilled in killing men with his bare hands, but around her he had always been gentle and soft-spoken.
But right now he looked at Damien like he wanted to
kill him.
“You were seeing her when she was only sixteen years old?”
her father all but roared out.
“God no, Dad. We didn’t even talk about this until two days
ago, when he explained it all to me.” Danika was the one that answered.
Her dad glanced at her, this chilled expression on his face. She knew it wasn’t for her though.
“You know enough about a shifter that when they find their mates it is an unbreakable bond.”
“I don’t know the fucking logistics of all of that, Damien, and you know that.” Her dad ran a hand over his head and cursed low, seemingly all at the same time.
“She’s mine, Tyler, and you know that I’ll protect her with my life.”
Her dad held his hand out, his finger pointed at Damien, and clenched his jaw. “Don’t fucking talk to me about protecting her. I don’t even want to know what in the hell happened between you two, and how you took advantage of my little girl.”
“He didn’t take advantage of me, Dad.”
He glanced at her, the chilled expression on her dad’s face now directed at her. “Danika, sweetheart, please stay out of this.”
He turned and looked at Damien again, but this time the lion shifter was standing. “I trusted you. You two may not have known each other, but you’re like a brother to me, family, Damien. I trusted you to treat her like family, too.”
Damien took a step forward. “She means more to me than family, Tyler.”
Her dad shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.
“When I realized I imprinted on her four years ago I went away. I left, knowing she was young, even though my desire for her wasn’t sexual in any sense yet. I saw her as someone I wanted to protect, watch over, and keep safe.” Damien almost sounded defeated. “You know I went away, and when I came back two years ago, thinking I’d be able to claim her as my mate, she was gone.”
Her father cursed out.
“I stayed away still, for another two fucking years. I knew she needed to be by herself, to live her life. When she came back I’d let her decide how she wanted to proceed.” Now it was Damien’s turn to
run his hand through his hair. “Obviously shit didn’t go as I planned, and I’m sorry to spring this on you, but I didn’t think waiting and prolonging telling you was the best option.”
Danika wished she could have told her father about this before she had slept with Damien, but she had needed to be with him right then and there, needed his comfort.
She was an adult, knew that she could make her own decisions without letting her father know, but she also knew that telling him about this since Damien was his friend should have been a priority.
“I want to take care of her, Tyler, and I want your blessing.”
Her father’s face turned a nasty shade of red, and he took a menacing step toward Damien. She stood, knowing there would be a fight if things escalated.
“No, Danika,” her father said and lifted a hand to stop her from coming closer. “This is between me and Damien.”
“This concerns me, too—”
“He’s right, Danika. Stay back because I don’t want you getting hurt.” Damien was the one to keep her back now.
“You’re too old for her, Damien.” Her dad’s jaw clenched, and she heard him grind his teeth. “I don’t want to even think about what you are doing with her.” He turned away, gripped the hair at the base of his neck, and pulled on the strands.
“You know the age thing isn’t a factor. You were a decade older than—”
“You don’t bring my dead wife into this.”
Damien didn’t say anything else for several moments. “I would never let anything or anyone hurt her. You have to know I’ll protect her at all costs.”
And that seemed to be her father’s breaking point. He charged after Damien, and she watched in horror as the lion shifter just stood there, as if expecting to be attacked by her father.
“Please, Dad, stop.” But her words fell on deaf ears. The momentum of her father charging forward had Damien and him slamming into the couch and toppling the piece of furniture.
The first punch from her father hit Damien in the gut, and then he was hit for a second time on the other side. The only thing Damien did was block the punches, because it was clear he wouldn’t fight back.