Daddy's Little Secret

The thing about trying to leave your demons behind is that they’re excellent travelers, and Chloe Wilson’s demons had quite an exquisite taste.The summer she turned twenty-one, her parents went through a nasty breakup. Their fight for custody became ugly enough that Chloe decided she didn’t want to be with either of them.She never expected her life to fit into two suitcases, yet here she was, standing on the front porch of the only place she could go to. Rachel’s house.It was meant to be temporary. A fresh start until her parents worked things out.But when someone answered the doorbell, Chloe knew it was only a matter of time before her new world burned to the ground.The door swung open, and it wasn’t Rachel standing there to say hello.It was her father, Harvey Gerald.His brown hair lay tousled to the side, with the first three buttons of his shirt undone. He pushed up his sleeves, revealing a round tattoo on his arm.He stood there, confident in a way that made her spine tight

Around noon, Rachel went out with a group of friends to see a movie. Chloe declined their invitation, blaming it on a headache and a need to settle into her new surroundings.She simply wanted to be alone. And she hadn't expected to see him until dinner. But an hour later, she heard the unmistakable sound of a car pulling up in the driveway.The front door opened and shut with more force than necessary. The keys rattled against the wood, accompanied by swift, heavy footsteps that went up the stairs.Chloe stepped out of the kitchen, an apron draped over her clothes. The living room was quiet. She walked to the window and parted the curtains just enough to see outside the house. He parked his car slightly crooked along the curb, its windows rolled all the way down.She thought he forgot something important at home. But then she turned and noticed his blazer on the chair.She picked it up and called out to him. “Uncle Harvey!”Nothing. Chloe folded the blazer neatly and went up to her

Harvey stood by the door, and for a split second, neither of them moved. He should have knocked, but instinct had overridden his etiquette. His instinct to protect her, and make sure she was in no form of danger. Chloe scrambled up, yanking the sheets tangled at her feet up to her chest. “Harvey,” she muttered, breathless. His jaw clenched. He turned his head slightly to the side. “I didn't mean to barge in.” he said, his voice low and controlled. “I heard you scream and thought something was wrong.” Chloe’s stomach dropped. She clutched the blanket tighter. “I'm… I'm fine,” she managed, though her voice trembled. He kept his gaze fixed on anything that wasn't her. His shoulders were tense, and the heat inside his body could not deny what he'd just witnessed. He tried to pretend like he wasn't affected by it, but the bulge in his pajamas was impossible for even Chloe to ignore. Her breath caught as she stared, her hands itching desperately to return to the wetness betwee

Chloe stood in front of the door to Harvey's office. Her palms were sweating, and her toes curled inside her shoes.For the fourth time since she got there, she raised a hard to knock on the door, and this time she did. The knock was soft, but loud enough to announce her presence.The secretary's desk outside his office was empty. Misfiled documents were littered across the surface of the table, and an untouched cup of coffee sat there, forgotten beside them.“Come in,” she heard his voice from inside the office.She stepped in, took a few steps forward until she stood across from him, the table being the only barrier between them.Harvey didn't look up to her. He was head buried in work, his table in more mess than that which belonged to his secretary. He lifted papers carefully from the table, eyes scanning for something surely important, and when he couldn't find it, he tossed the documents back on his table and slumped into his chair.Chloe watched as he took a moment to gather hi

Chloe dashed up the stairs as fast as her little feet could carry her. Her heart raced as she swerved through the crowd of people.Down in the living room, the music continued to play, loud and careless, with no one controlling it.The hallway was quiet. They had restricted the party to just the swimming pool and the four corners of the rooms downstairs.Regardless, there were a few couples lurking around the hallways with their tongues buried in each other's mouths.“Rachel!” Chloe called, her voice sharp and loud.She didn't get a response. But on getting close to her room, Chloe found its door slightly open. “Must run in the family,” she whispered and pushed it open.Rachel stood at the edge of the bed. She was alive, but shaken. A guy stood in front of her; it was her boyfriend. But something about how close he was standing to her felt different. His hand was on her wrist, his grip visibly tightening as Rachel tried to wriggle herself free.“Let go of me,” Rachel snapped again.“