บททั้งหมดของ Ruin Me Slowly, Daddy~~: บทที่ 11 - บทที่ 20

~~Kate~~Mr Reid turned to me.No warning. No words. No raised voice. Just that slow deliberate turn that made my stomach tighten before my brain could catch up.I barely had time to inhale.His hand came to my waist, firm, certain, and before I could process what was happening, my back hit the wall. Not violent. Just sudden.My breath left me in a sharp gasp.And then his mouth was on mine.Everything froze.The world. The house. The noise in my head. All of it shut down like someone had pulled the plug.I did not kiss him back. I also did not pull away. My brain short circuited.His lips were warm. Too warm. Soft but controlled, like he knew exactly what he was doing and that terrified me more than anything else. There was no rush in it. No desperation. Just a quiet claiming that sent panic straight through my spine.My hands were useless at my sides.I tasted him and hated that my body noticed. Hated that something inside me leaned forward instead of screaming.This is wrong.This

~~Nathan~~I was not comfortable with my daughter going out that late.I just refused to say it.Our relationship had only recently started feeling less like a battlefield and more like something fragile and worth protecting. I was not about to ruin that progress by turning into the overbearing father she already believed I was.So I let her go.I told myself she was old enough. Responsible enough. I told myself I needed to trust her.I did not trust the world.That was the difference.I sent two of my men to keep an eye on her. Discreet. Distant. Invisible. I did not tell her that either. If she found out, she would call it control. I called it insurance.They were supposed to be at a friend’s house.A quiet Christmas gathering.That was what I was told. That was what she said. I was in my study when my phone buzzed.“Sir,” one of the guards said carefully, “there has been a change of location.”My jaw tightened. “Where.”There was a brief hesitation.“A club.”For a second, I though

~~Kate~~Leaving was the only way to protect what was left of my morality. And maybe my sanity.Because having a sex dream about your best friend’s father should be illegal. There should be a court for that. A judge. A sentence. Community service at the very least.Instead, I woke up breathless and guilty.And worse he kissed me against a wall.So no. Staying was not an option.I could not sit across from him at breakfast pretending my body did not remember the feel of his mouth. I could not walk past him in the hallway without replaying the wall. The heat. The mistake.Distance was survival.He parked the car and stepped out first. Snow was already falling harder than it had been earlier. The sky looked heavy. Gray and threatening.He pulled my luggage out of the trunk.For a second, neither of us spoke.“Do take care of yourself, Kate,” he said finally.His voice was calm. Like last night never happened. Like he did not lose control in the living room right where his drunk daughter

~~Nathan~~With Kate gone, I knew it would take days maybe weeks before I could stop thinking about her.God. It was like she left a mark on everything. Every corner of the house, every sound, even the quiet moments felt hollow without her. Being around her was like being under a spell, one I hadn’t asked for and definitely couldn’t control. I can someone have that much control over me and my home with two fucking days she stayed. How?I tried to focus. The documents on my desk sat neatly, each page waiting for my attention. I needed to finish my work so I could spend the holidays properly with Yssa. Christmas was only two days away. I refused to be buried in calls, emails, and strategies. Not this year.The phone rang.I picked it up, and my assistant’s voice filled the line.“Yes? Any news?” I asked.“Mr. Reid… President Jabo has agreed to work with the strategy we drew out,” he said, measured.“Perfect,” I replied, relief barely contained.There was a pause. Then he added, “But he

~~Kate~~ I looked out the window and realized it was already dark. The sun had vanished hours ago, leaving the sky the color of wet charcoal. My stomach did a little flip. Great. Darkness. Perfect timing. And perfect opportunity for me to screw something else up. The ways I’ve changed in this vacation shocked me, it was like am a whole different person. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Alright, Kate, plan: go downstairs, find Armando, convince him to go along with your little lie, and survive the night without dying of guilt. Or embarrassment. Or both. I’d never lied to a parent before. Never. Not once. And now I was about to tell one… well, someone’s parent that Yssa wasn’t going to be home. This was my first time ever being The Liar, The Secret-Keeper. And honestly? I already hated it. I tiptoed down the stairs, feeling like I was walking across a landmine. Every creak of the wood made my heart jump. I peeked into the living room. Empty. I glanced at the kitchen. Empt