I pressed another quick kiss to her cheek and grabbed my purse off the island. “See you later.”

I headed out the kitchen door to the driveway.

“Hey, thanks. I appreciate you dropping everything and coming to get me.”

Lord was eying the house. A big, white, antebellum monstrosity Denton had moved my mother to as soon as they’d said ‘I do.’ My childhood home was sold and everything in it that had belonged to my father had been disposed of before I’d even realized what was happening. I wasn’t even sure that Denton had known that my mother had held on to the watch. If he had known, it was surprising to me that he didn’t sell that too. He’d been systematic in removing every trace of my father’s existence from our lives.

“Nice digs.”

“Looks pretty on the outside, at least.”

Lord’s eyebrows went up. “You hiding a house of horrors in there?”

“Not exactly, but it’s surely not the happiest place on earth.”

“You ready to get out of here, then?”

“I was ready before I even got here.”

Lord’s forehead creased, but it wasn’t in confusion over my words. No, it was over the man who’d just stepped out of the front door.

“Really, Elle? A pawnshop and now a biker?”

I looked at Lord’s car. Ummm … biker? Not exactly.

“That the stepdad?”

“The one and only.”

“Looks like a dick.”

“If you only knew.”

Rebellion, the kind I should’ve gotten out of my system years ago, flooded me.

I didn’t waste another glance on Denton. I didn’t care what he was thinking at this moment. I just knew my urge to piss him off was going strong. You can’t control me.

“Kiss me,” I said to Lord.

His blue eyes dropped to me.

“Come again?”

“Kiss me. Right here, right now.”

“You looking to piss him off?”

I didn’t bother to dissemble. “Call it rich girl rebellion.”

“I’m starting to become rather partial to rich girl rebellion,” he said, eyes flaring with heat. Wrapping an arm around my waist, Lord yanked me against him. “And fuck if I’ll ever turn down a chance to kiss you, regardless of the reason.”

I clutched his T-shirt with one hand as he lowered his mouth to mine.

Lord’s other hand slid in my hair as he tilted my head. Our lips collided, and I completely forgot about the audience we had. Hell, I think I forgot how to breathe. I forgot everything except for Lord and his lips and hands. And his tongue. Damn, the man could kiss.

Blood rushed in my ears, drowning out everything else. My heart pounded against Lord’s chest, and I wondered if he could feel the erratic rhythm. He had to know what he did to me every time he kissed me.

When he finally pulled back, he said, “Here he comes.”

Who? And the only person I care about coming is me.

Then I realized he meant Denton.

“Disgraceful. Not that I’m surprised. Anything you can do to piss me off, isn’t that right, Elle? You’ll never grow up. You’re always going to be as rebellious and childish as you were at eighteen.”

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Lord barked.

Lord tucked me between his back and the car. Oh shit. I wondered if I was about to watch Denton get pounded into the pavement. Not that I would have a serious issue with that, or really, any issue at all.

“If you wanted to piss me off, you didn’t have to go find someone fresh out of prison, Elle. Just an average low-life would do.”

“Back off, man.” Lord’s words were wrapped in menace that even Denton wouldn’t be able to miss.

I peeked around Lord’s body to see my stepfather, hands on his hips and face turning a shade of red I’d never seen on him before. He wasn’t used to being challenged.

“You know she’s just using you right? Once she’s satisfied that she’s riled me up, she’ll drop you and move on. Well, maybe she’ll fuck you first, so at least you’ll get that out of her.”

That motherfucker.

“I suggest you turn around and go back in the house,” Lord said. His tone was pure don’t fuck with me.

“I suggest you get the hell out of my driveway,” Denton shot back.

Lord’s body tensed. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the fuck back in that house while I’m still willing to walk away.” Lord turned and grabbed my hand. “I think we’re done here.”

“I’m more than good with that.”

Lord led me around the front of the car and opened the passenger door for me.

I slid into the seat and buckled the belt while Lord rounded the hood and faced off against Denton again. I couldn’t hear their words, but whatever was said, it was quick. Lord yanked open the door, climbed in, and turned the key. The engine roared to life, and Lord didn’t spare a single glance at Denton as he threw the car into reverse and hauled ass out of the driveway. He didn’t speak for a mile or so.

“What’s your deal with your stepdad?”

“He’s a dick.”

“There’s gotta be more to it than that.”

I kept it simple. “He wants to control everyone and everything, and I have a problem with that.”

“And why does it matter what he wants?”

“It doesn’t. But I hate how he treats my mother. She can’t breathe without his say-so, and yet she puts up with it.”

Lord’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly I thought his knuckles would pop.

I continued, “She used to be … happy. And now she doesn’t go a day without finding the bottom of a bottle.”

“You ever think about trying to get her some help?”

I looked out the window at the passing houses. “Isn’t the first step in that process the person admitting they need help? She’d probably give me the look that said I was spouting nonsense and take another drink.”

“Sometimes you gotta help people find their way with that kind of thing. It’s what we do for the people we love, if we can.” His words were so solemn, and it took me a minute to put it together. He’d been so young when his mom had left, and his dad had callously told him about her OD. It sent a shameful swirl of guilt through me that I was old enough to help my mother, and he hadn’t been.