The dinner was downright awkward.
Jake hadn't returned, and Scarlett was nervously downing her food. She was eating too fast, close to choking. The pizza was good, but it was unnerving to have Griffin's attention.
So far, he hadn't talked, yet looking at her was all he needed. The man was intense and also wickedly handsome. Scarlett felt his eyes like a physical weight on her shoulders.
Sometimes Griffin would smile at her, making goosebumps prickle over her skin. Scarlett didn't understand why she was so hyperaware of Griffin. He was good-looking, sure, but what else?
She dug deeper into her mind but found no answer.
Eventually, Griffin spoke. "Miss Greyson?"
Scarlett immediately straightened her back, and her voice came out embarrassingly skittish. "Yes?"
Why was she nervous?
Griffin was a person. Desirable and hot, but he was Jake's dad. Scarlett told herself to get a grip.
"Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions?" Griffin asked.
His demeanor was calm and attentive, and for some unexplainable reason, Scarlett blushed.
"Not at all," she replied. "Ask away."
Griffin eyed her from his seat like a lion taking in its prey. "How long have you been seeing my son?"
Scarlett gulped. Was this the infamous "are you good enough to be dating my son" talk? It was a frightening conversation to have. Scarlett prayed she would pass the test.
"For about two years."
Griffin kept firing. "And you live together?"
"Yes."
"Do you share the same bedroom?"
"Yes."
"And you're comfortable with that?"
"Uh... I guess?"
"Did you live alone before you met my son?"
"Yes..."
"Do you share your incomes?"
"Yes..." Scarlett squirmed in her seat. Griffin's eyes were relentless and too invested in the speed interview.
"And are you studying full-time?"
"I am, but I'm also working," Scarlett was proud of the last part. "I work extra at the superstore. I don't make a lot of money because of my studies, but it has been... Keeping us on our feet."
Griffin's eyes narrowed. "And Jake?"
"What about him?" Scarlett's heart clenched. There was no stopping the questions from coming.
"Does Jake work extra aside from his studies?"
Scarlett didn't know what to say. Jake didn't work extra, but she wasn't sure if she should mention that. Yet... Lying didn't feel right. Griffin also seemed too intelligent to be fooled.
"No," Scarlett said and nervously looked at Griffin. His face was a wall without any hint of emotion. She cleared her throat. "Jake doesn't work anywhere."
"I see."
Griffin didn't ask anything else. Instead, he stared at Scarlett with his palm covering his lips. It made Scarlett straighten her shoulders to appear taller and more proper. Elegant.
She attempted a smile, and Griffin shifted in his seat.
"Let me get this straight: you're studying full-time, and you're also the sole income maker in the household?"
"Umm... I guess?"
"Interesting." Griffin smiled, but he looked vaguely disappointed behind it. His eyes were waging storms.
Scarlett gulped. "Is there... Is there something you're trying to say?"
He looked her up and down, seemingly not pleased. "I'm trying to figure out what someone like you is doing with my son. You seem like a good person, Scarlett. Well-behaved with goals in mind. You even come with a pretty smile. In my opinion, you're way too good for my slot machine addict of a son."
"Wait... What?" Scarlett blinked repeatedly. A wrinkle formed between her eyebrows. "Hold on. I-I don't understand what you're talking about? Slot machine addict? Jake?"
Realization seemed to dawn upon Griffin.
His eyes slightly widened, and anger ticked against his jaw. "Jake hasn't told you about his habits."
His sentence was spoken as a fact, not a question.
It made Scarlett grow cold. "Told me what?"
Griffin held her gaze. "I assumed my son was here to ask for more money due to his slot machine addiction."
The blood drained from Scarlett's face, and she almost choked. "Slot machine addiction?"
"Jake spends more money than normal on stupid games that he never wins," Griffin said. "You wasn't aware?"
Scarlett clenched her fists in her lap. They were shaking. "No..."
Darkness took over Griffin's features. Scarlett had a feeling the anger wasn't directed at her, though. Or perhaps it was wishful thinking since she found Griffin scary?
"I see that my son still hasn't changed."
Scarlett stared down at the table. "I thought we were low on money because the landlord raised our rent..."
"I'm afraid not."
Scarlett exhaled. "This is a lot to take in..."
Silence fell for what in Scarlett's world felt like five long years. Her head was about to explode. She had never suspected Jake was even interested in games.
"Are you in love with my son?" Griffin suddenly asked.
His intense eyes roamed over Scarlett's face as if she were the only thing that mattered. Those piercingly brown eyes burned into Scarlett and compelled her to answer with the truth. It made her shudder.
"I love Jake," Scarlett declared. Her heart was shattering while she spoke. "But... What you've just told me is rather shocking, and to be honest..." she laughed, but the sound spoke of her inner pain. Her entire world was falling apart. "I'm not sure what to do..."
"Understandable," Griffin's eyes were alight with sympathy. He had barely even touched his pizza and rubbed his chin. "I have an offer for you if you're interested."
"An offer?"
Griffin lowered his voice. "I could easily pay off my son's debt, but there is something I want in exchange."
Scarlett took a deep breath. "Alright, what is it?"
Griffin was both handsome and rich. He seemed to have everything a man could ever wish for. Scarlett couldn't imagine what a billionaire could possibly want from her.
Scarlett was also half-questioning if Griffing was really Jake's dad. While Jake wasn't bad-looking, he hadn't inherited many attributes from his dad. They were like day and night.
"Move into my mansion."
It took a while for Scarlett to process Griffin's words, and shock seeped through her once she did. "WHAT?!"
When Griffin said nothing, Scarlett became confident that she had misheard him the first time. She gathered the needed courage to look at him and blushed when she found him already observing her.
His hand was cupping his chin while the elbow rested on the armrest of his luxurious chair. His long index finger tapped against his skin, and Scarlett judged he was trying not to smile.
It made her blush.
This man was stupidly handsome.
"Sorry for raising my voice," Scarlett said and cleared her throat to regain some of her composure. "Why would you want us to move in with you?"
Griffin shrugged. "Loneliness?"
The tiny smirk on Griffin's lips told Scarlett he was full of bullshit. She would never say it out loud, though. Swearing was beyond her, and she always tried to act appropriately.
And it was more important than ever to act kind and respectful now that Scarlett was faced with possibly the only man who could save her from immediate homelessness.
"I see," Scarlett wet her lips. "It's not my decision to make alone without Jake's consent, but it sounds like a great offer in my ears. The debt would be taken care of, and we would have somewhere to live. How much would you charge us for rent?"
Griffin smiled, it was faint, but it was there. "Nothing."
Scarlett stared at him. She was about to ask him if he was joking, but Jake chose that moment to stroll into the kitchen.
"Sorry," Jake scratched the back of his head. "The phone call took longer than expected," he grinned. "Hey, dad."
Griffin's mood immediately turned sour, and he stood up from the table without breaking into a smile.
"I will be upstairs in my room," Griffin's eyes traveled to Scarlett's, and he briefly smiled. It almost seemed warm. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to knock on my door. You know where to find me."
"Noted," Jake said and grabbed a cold pizza slice. He made this "unf!" sound while chewing with his mouth open. "Delicious!"
"Great," Griffin shook his head at his son, disliking his lack of manners, and then headed for the door. "You two have a good night."
"We will!" Jake replied, but Scarlett disagreed with him.
How could she have been such a fool to trust Jake? Many issues needed to be resolved tonight, and she didn't look forward to questioning her boyfriend. Was Jake really a gambler?
Her stomach was churning with discomfort. Scarlett had saved up money that suddenly had been gone; had Jake spent them on games? If the answer was yes, how could her own boyfriend do that to her?
Scarlett had barely slept last night. She had fought with Jake, and it had been one of their terrible, ugly ones. He was her best friend on the planet, and they had been through a lot during this past year. It was hard to stay mad at him. Jake had looked so guilty when Scarlett had questioned him about his gambling problem. It was no wonder she had forgiven him when she saw the vulnerability in his eyes. Yet, the end of the fight had done nothing to calm her churning and clenching stomach. The gambling worried her, and Scarlett felt like a complete freeloader sitting inside Griffin's luxurious kitchen. Why did Jake have to have a gambling problem? In Scarlett's depressed state, she cursed the entire bird population. Why did they have to sound so happy when they chirped? She hated everything right now... Tiredly, Scarlett lifted her coffee cup to her lips, not even glancing up when Griffin entered the kitchen. He stretched his arms in the door opening. He yawned and gained
When Scarlett entered the third floor, she found that Griffin's door was wide open. He had told her to meet him in an hour, and she was five minutes late. Was she supposed to enter? Scarlett gathered courage by taking a deep breath. She then entered through the door and stepped into a luxurious bedroom. Her jaw slackened to the floor. The room was huge, with another set of stairs inside. Windows were lined up further ahead, but the curtains blocked the light. The tiles on the floor were glossy white, and the couches inside were also white and clean. All the furniture seemed expensive, but there wasn't much personality behind the interior. Scarlett didn't feel like someone lived inside this room. At least not someone with a personality. There were no photo frames or paintings that made sense. Only clean futuristic design. "Do you like it?" Her attention swept up and landed on Griffin, and Scarlett almost choked at the view. Griffin was toweling an insanely ripped chest while anot
Scarlett's heart raced out of rhythm while her eyes were kept on Griffin's face. She was entirely backed up against the wall, surrounded by his intimidating size and muscles. He was a big man, capable of doing whatever he wanted with her. The thought made heat prickle along her skin. But Scarlett was determined to fight her attraction toward Griffin. He was her boyfriend's dad—it was disgusting and wrong for Scarlett to find him attractive.Yet her heart was still racing, still thumping against her ribcage."I know you heard me, Scarlett," Griffin leaned in closer and watched her with his chocolate eyes. "And I know you need the money, so... Where do you want my cock?""This is blackmail..." Scarlett breathed."I don't care..." Griffin tilted his head and locked his gaze on her lips. It made Scarlett shiver, causing Griffin's lips to tilt up by the corners. His voice turned lower. "I got to have you, Scarlett. And with time, you will surrender to me too."Scarlett glared at him. "Th
The day had passed rather quickly. Scarlett had studied the entire morning, and now she sat inside a restaurant with her two best friends. They were about to eat dinner.Lucy and Charlotte were talking animatedly. Scarlett, however, didn't pay them much attention. Her head was filled with images of Griffin's muscular body and his piercingly brown eyes. She shuddered, suddenly remembering how he had made her call him Daddy.It was embarrassing to admit, but she was wet again. Griffin had such a cold yet sexy voice when he spoke to her. He was dominant yet so very gentle with his hands."So, how are things going with Jake?" Lucy suddenly asked and slurped loudly on her milkshake."Yeah, you moved in with his dad, right?" Charlotte's eyes were already sparkling with interest. The lanky blonde was a bubbly person. "I heard he is a billionaire and a very successful CEO, right?""Very successful?" Lucy snorted. "Griffin Archer owns iSky, and you know how popular their phones and computers
When Scarlett came home, Jake was nowhere to be found. He wasn't inside their bedroom, and Scarlett had searched everywhere for him. Was he at a friend's place?Confused and annoyed Jake hadn't texted her, Scarlett picked up her phone to call him. The first beeps went through, and on the last one, Jake finally picked up. "Uh, hello?"Scarlett froze. Jake sounded exhausted, and in the background, Scarlett could hear a shower. Where the heck was Jake? And was that sexy music playing in the background?"Hello," Scarlett furrowed her eyebrows. "It's me. I only called to check where you are.""Oh, Scarlett! Hello!" Jake nervously laughed. "I'm at a friend's late, and... I probably won't come home tonight."In the background, Scarlett could swear there was a woman's voice laughing before asking, "Who are you talking with?"It made Scarlett blink into the wall. "Jake... Was that a woman who just spoke to you? Where the heck are you?""Fuck, I can't hear you, Scarlett. The reception is terri
Scarlett was searching for Griffin. She could hear him trudging up the stairs, and she picked up her pace."Griffin, wait!"Griffin pretended not to hear her. The man was headed for his room, and Scarlett was racing after him. Things were bad between them before this. And even though Scarlett should hate Griffin, she didn't want him to. It was an odd emotion to deal with, one she didn't understand. Regardless of what it meant, it kept Scarlett running until she finally caught up to Griffin. He stood at the top of the stairs and met her eyes without breaking into a smile. Every hair rose to stand on the edge of Scarlett's wet body. Griffin appeared pissed off. His eyes were like two dark holes, and she hesitated to follow him when he entered his room. But her reluctance didn't last long. Scarlett wanted things to be right between them since they lived together. She closed the door behind her and watched Griffin light up a cigar inside his room.Brooding and pissed, he walked out on
It was impossible to fall asleep. Scarlett rolled around in the king-sized bed and groaned when her phone vibrated. She had forgotten to turn off the sound and fished up from underneath her pillow.There was a new message from Jake.Her eyebrows furrowed. "That's odd... Why is Jake still awake?"Scarlett pressed on the messenger bubble, and an uneasy feeling entered her chest upon seeing he had sent a video. She clicked on it and had the shock of a lifetime.Jake was having sex with another girl who looked like she enjoyed his dick between her legs. Scarlett and Jake's sex life wasn't exactly great, and now she had her answer why—Jake never had energy because he fucked other women.Scarlett swallowed but couldn't get rid of the lump of hurt in her throat. Her head was racing with thoughts and questions.Could she even be mad at Jake? The sex with Griffin had been hot and nasty. It had also technically been cheating, even if Scarlett had done it to save Jake from his debt.Fuck!Was t
A sharp intake of air was the only thing Scarlett could manage. She had been persuaded by lust. Griffin moved closer to her, sliding his fingers down to her underwear. His fingers gripped the lace and pulled. It felt dirty and wrong, yet Scarlett was shaking with a need for her boyfriend's dad.Her pussy throbbed, and Griffin crept closer. His scent was that of cologne, cigars, and fine whisky—how would she ever resist him?"Jake cheated on you first," Griffin whispered darkly, pressing his lush lips against her ear. His hot breath on her skin and his sexy voice in her ear made her tremble. "Wouldn't the best revenge be to have his dad?""I'm not sure… I don't know if revenge is what—"Scarlett closed her eyes when Griffin cupped her wet cunt. He was gentle with his fingers—too delicate. Yet a shudder swept through her.The older man was a pure tease, and the worst thing was his self-confidence. Griffin was an experienced lover, and he knew how to please Scarlett. Understood how to