Four.

~ Lucian ~

She thought she could walk away from me. Toy me with the swaying of her hips.

She thought she could look me in the eye with that wicked little smirk, slide into the pool like she owned another world, and put her hands on another man—

or worse, let another man out his hands on her—

and I would stand there.

I know she was my fucking step daughter. But when I saw her last night, the way her jeans hugged her curves, I broke.

Cock twitching slightly at the fucking sight of her. But now here she was, teasing me.

Do nothing.

Say nothing.

Not when every inch of her ski. in that water felt like a a dare.

Not when her eyes kept finding mine like she wanted me to react.

Not when she knew exactly what she was doing.

I lasted thirty seconds.

Thirty damn seconds of watching that damn bastard hand slip over her waist beneath the water. Thirty seconds of watching her tilt her head back, lips parting, chest rising as if she enjoyed it.

As if she wanted me to see it.

Then I snapped.

When I reached the pool deck, I didn’t look at anyone else. Not the other teens. Not Diane. And definitely not that blond bastard swimming away as fast as he could.

I only saw her.

Olivia.

Looming up at me like she’d just committed a sin and was waiting to see how hard I’d punish her for it.

“Out,” I growled.

She defined me. Of course she did.She always does—

she was born to test the limits of my control.

“Make me,” she said.

And I almost did. Right there.

In front of every staring pair of eyes, I would yank her out and smack her tight ass.

But I didn’t trust myself with her then. Not with the anger burning too hot in my blood. Not with the jealousy clawing under my skin.

So I walked away.

Truth?

I was giving myself ten seconds not to drag her out of the fucking water.

Ten seconds to breathe.

Ten seconds to not do something I’d never be able to take back.

But she followed me. Of course, to see how she had won.

Her footsteps behind me were soft, fast, wet splashes against concrete.

“Daddy—”

Daddy, the way it rolled of her tongue. Sweet. Flirty. Seductive.

I didn’t let her finish.

I turned, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her behind the column where no one could see us. The movement was’nt gentle. It wasn’t meant to be. She wanted fire?

Fine.

I’d burn.

“What the hell was that stunt?” I growled stepping too close. “You think you’re clever? You think you’re untouchable?”

She lifted her chin, breathing fast with little puddles of water running down her flawless skin.“I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

My jaw locked “You know exactly what you were doing.”

Her lips curved slyly. “Swimming?”

“Don’t,” I warned, voice low enough to shake.

“Or what?” she whispered.

There it was again.

That dare.

That challenge.

That reckless bravery she used like a knife.

Before she could take another breath, I grabbed her by the neck— not to hurt, not to claim, bit to drag her out from the shadows of her own fearless stupidity— and leaned closer.

Her breath hitched... Good girl.

Hands pressed against my chest, not pushing... just there. Feeling me.

“You don’t get to pull stunts like that,” I said through clenched teeth. My voice felt like gravel. “Not with strangers. Not when I’m—”

I stopped.

Because saying it would cross a line.

A line I’d be stepping out off.

Her eyes flicked up to mine. “When you're what?”

I should’ve stepped back.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I lowered my head, my forehead brushing hers. Not intimate. Not soft. But not rough either.

Just close enough that I could feel her breath and she could feel mine.

“Don’t push me to the wall, Olivia” I whispered.

Her lips parted. “Why? Afraid you’ll break?”

“You’re the one who should be afraid,” I said. “Because I don’t react well when I am provoked.”

“I wasn’t provoking you,” she said, voice trembling just slightly.

Liar.

“You let him touch you,” I spat.

“I didn’t stop him.”

I breathed in once, sharp and dangerous. “You did it for attention.”

“Maybe.”

“Whose attention?”

Her throat moved as she swallowed.

“You already know,” she whispered.

God help me.

I felt something inside me snap again, but this time it wasn’t anger. It was something darker. Heavier. Hungrier.

I pressed her back against the column, caging her in without touching anything I shouldn’t. My palms planted on the wall beside her head, my body close enough she could feel the heat rolling off me.

Still not touching.

Still holding the line by a thread.

Her eyes widened, pupils blown wide. “Dad?—”

“You want me to lose control?” I murmured. “Is that it? You want me to show you what happens when you play these games?”

She didn’t answer.

She didn’t need to.

Her breath said it for her.

Her trembling said it for her.

Her refusal to look away said it all.

I leaned closer until my lips hovered near her jaw—not touching, just barely grazing the air beside her skin.

“You have no idea what you’re inviting,” I said, voice shaking with restraint.

Her whisper was barely there. “Then show me.”

My breath hitched.

My hands curled into fists beside her head.

She didn’t move, didn’t back down, didn’t look away.

“Olivia…” My voice was unsteady now. Too human. Too raw. “I can’t.”

She closed her eyes for one second—one second that nearly broke me—and when she opened them again, they weren’t soft.

They were defiant.

“You dragged me back here for a reason,” she said. “Say it.”

I stepped back then.

Not because I wanted to.

Because if I stayed one second longer, I would cross the line I had sworn—sworn—to never cross.

“Go inside,” I ordered quietly.

“No.”

“Olivia—”

“No.”

Her voice was firm. Steady. A challenge all over again.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady the storm inside me.

“You’re playing with fire,” I said again.

“And you’re pretending you’re not burning,” she shot back.

Silence fell between us.

Hot. Crackling. Heavy enough to choke on.

Finally, I tore my eyes from hers.

“I’m not doing this here,” I said.

Her breath trembled. “Then where?”

“When I’m in control.”

“When will that be?”

I forced myself to step back releasing her neck, putting space between us that felt like ripping skin.

“When you stop looking at me like that,” I whispered. “And we both know that won’t be today.”

She didn’t chase me this time.

She didn’t have to.

Her eyes followed me as I walked away again—this time slower, more dangerous, more undone than earlier.

My eyes trailed over her one last time, I'd only she knew how had it was for me composing myself, how every blood in my vein rushed to my cock, how I wanted to peel the bikini off her exposing her big round tits that were hiding behind the fabric.... barely.

And for the first time…

I wasn’t sure how long I would last without breaking the rules.