“She’s my daughter,” Dirk grumbles.
“You lost the right to call her that a long time ago,” I hiss, unable to stop myself. “Do you know what Kaitlyn said to me once, Dirk? She said the day she was born was the worst day of her life because it meant she had to have you as her father. Imagine a daughter saying that. You don’t deserve to breathe the same air as her. You don’t deserve to breathe, full stop.”
“Now listen here, you fat fucking whore—”
Tanner makes a tsk noise as he slides forward, every movement primed for violence. But there’s a casual dancer’s ease in the way he moves, too, as he grabs Dirk’s hand before he can reach into his pocket.
Dirk roars and tries to lash out with his free hand, but then Tanner’s hand snaps to, gripping his wrist firmly that they stand in a stalemate.
Dirk winces and growls as he tries to pull his hands free, but Tanner is simply too strong, those muscled arms pinning him with ease.
“Apologize,” he snarls.
“For what? Speaking the—”
Crack, and Tanner’s forehead smashes into Dirk’s nose. A torrent of blood explodes and gushes over his denim shirt. Tanner leans back, unfazed by the head-butt.
“Tell her you’re sorry, now,” he snaps.
Confused feelings swirling inside of me. Violence is bad, fine, but all my life I’ve had to endure the humiliation of being called names about my weight. And now here’s Tanner, putting an end to it, protecting me.
“Fuck,” Dirk gasps. “You broke my nose.”
“That’ll be the least of your problems if you don’t hurry the fuck up.”
“Fine,” he wheezes. “I’m sorry, alright? Jesus. Now let go.”
Tanner half-turns to me, silently asking me if I accept the apology. I nod, and then he nods and throws Dirk against the wall, springing back at the same time to put some distance between them.
“It’s time you left, Dirk,” Tanner snarls. “I won’t tell you again.”
“I won’t forget this,” he says, voice nasally as he grips onto his bleeding nose. “You hear that, you motherfucker? I ain’t gonna forget this shit.”
“Good for you,” Tanner says.
Dirk backs out of the apartment and Tanner stalks to the door, walking into the hallway to watch him leave. I can’t hear anybody else in the hallway, just Dirk’s receding footsteps. But that doesn’t surprise me. This is the sort of neighborhood where people keep to themselves.
“I need to call Kaitlyn,” I whisper. “I need to tell her that her dad is on a warpath. Oh, Jesus, what if he comes back when you’re not here?”
Tanner shuts the door and attaches the chain since the door is broken and swinging on its hinges.
Then he moves over to me and wraps me in his arms, Gizmo cradled between us. Stroking his fingers through my hair, my scalp tickling at the soothing gesture.
“I have an apartment you can both stay in if you like,” he says. “It’s a three bedroom and the building has security. You’ll be safe there.”
“Really?” I whisper. “Why the heck would you do that?”
“Because you’re mine, Tess,” he growls, gripping me tighter
I stiffen as I feel the temptation of it, of being his. Gizmo’s body is already growing less tense with Tanner there to soothe us both. I feel my heartbeat beginning to slow, goosebumps spreading over my skin as tingling desire dances up my spine.
Even now, even after what just happened, I feel the desire.
“I’m … yours?”
He takes my shoulders and guides me so that he’s staring firmly into my eyes.
“You’re mine,” he snarls. “Let me make myself clear here. When I say you’re mine, I mean that you belong to me. Your body, your mind, your everything. If any other man tried to touch you, he’d have one hell of a problem. I want – no, I fucking need – to put a child in your belly. I know, it’s crazy. I know that and yet that’s how I feel … that’s how I felt the moment I saw you. I can’t explain it. I just know it’s true.”
“I’m yours,” I whisper, no longer a question.
“Call your friend. Tell her you’re moving to an apartment where you’ll be safe.”
“I will, I will,” I say, turning away from him, blinking away stupid, childish, and yet very real tears.
“Tess,” Tanner growls, wrapping his arms around my waist and tugging me back to him. Gizmo purrs, happy to be back in the people-sandwich. “If that bastard comes back here, I’ll break his goddamn nose again. You don’t have to be scared of scumbags like that.”
“No, it’s not that. I mean—yes, it is. But it’s not just that.”
“What, then?” he asks.
“I don’t think you’re going to want me when you know the truth,” I croak, hating the way my voice breaks, hating the sob that distorts my words.
“Talk to me, Tess,” Tanner demands, staring at me patiently.