This surprised me so I pul ed back a bit, looked at his hard profile then fol owed the direction of angry gaze and saw a limousine at the end of the drive.

Shitsofuckit.

As we pul ed up, the backdoor opened and Preston Mason folded out of the backseat.

Just as I suspected.

Shitsofuckit!

“Great,” I muttered. “If anyone could kil this happy buzz, The Supreme Asshole of Al Time could do it.” Mace ignored my comment and ordered, “Stay in the truck,” as he came to a halt then put the SUV in neutral and set the brake without turning off the ignition.

“Mace –” I started, thinking good advice would be to suggest he ignore his father, I ignore his father, we walk in, forget he existed, resume the happy buzz and get on with our night which would consist of making our happy buzz way happier.

He turned to me and gave me a look.

I shut up.

He threw open his door and angled out of the SUV.

I sat and watched him approach his father. Then I sat and watched him have words with his father. Then I sat and glared at his father as his condescending gaze came to me. Then I sat and watched as Mace’s eyes did a sweep of the area while his father jabbered, probably being a serious dick, before Mace’s hand came up abruptly, palm out.

Preston clamped his mouth shut and Mace turned and strode angrily to the truck.

He yanked open the door and reached into the ignition but his eyes were on me.

“Inside, babe,” he ordered, I nodded then he went on.

“Wait for me to get to your door.”

I undid my seatbelt and Mace switched off the ignition, pul ed out the keys and rounded the hood, his head turned to his father, his deep voice sounding though I couldn’t make out what he said. Then Mace made it around, pul ed open my door and put his hand to my arm to help me out.

Then he marched me to the side door where Preston was waiting.

Fabulous. Now we were going to have unwelcome company in my pad.

I tried to shoot daggers out of my eyes at Preston Mason as Mace and I approached but unfortunately this didn’t work though that didn’t mean I quit.

Eventual y I had to give up when Mace got the side door open and propel ed me inside with his hand now at the smal of my back and I had to start concentrating on walking up two flights of steps in high heels without fal ing on my face.

We made it to my apartment successful y without me turning and giving Preston what for for ruining my happy buzz but worse, pissing Mace off when I knew he too was experiencing a happy buzz, Mace-style. And a Mace-style happy buzz when I was in close proximity usual y included me getting laid, thoroughly and very, very wel which made it even harder for me not to let loose on his dick of a Dad.

Mace dealt with the alarm and I saw Juno was lying on the bed, clearly tuckered out from a day of sleeping. She woofed at us in greeting but made no move. She did, however, train her doggie eyes on Preston in a confused but alert way and it was good to know my dog could read a different kind of vibe, one she’d never had to read before and that was when her people didn’t much like someone.

I moved around to turn on lights and as I did this, Preston murmured, “Charming.”

I stopped turning on lights and looked to him to see he was studying my space and obviously didn’t think much of it.

Seriously, Mace’s Dad was a dick. My apartment was smal , sure, but it stil rocked.

“Kitten, do me a favor,” I heard Mace say and my annoyed gaze went to him to see he was talking to me but his eyes were locked on his Dad, “get changed in the bathroom and hang there, do your thing, give us some time.”

Um.

Hell no.

I had not just been through two weeks of the emotional ringer to end al emotional ringers, letting Mace back in my heart, trusting him, finding out what happened to Caitlin and taking our future in my hands to reunite him with his family only to have his dick of a Dad give him shit without me taking his back.

Unh-unh.

No way.

“No,” I replied and Mace’s eyes sliced to me. I knew he was ticked, hel , even if I just met him, the look on his face would tel me he was ticked so I quickly explained, “No one f**ks with my man.”

Mace drew in a breath but some of the anger slid from his face.

Then he started, “Stel a –”

“No, Mace. Your Dad is a dick and he’s not gonna be a dick to you without me at your back.” Then before Mace could reply, I turned to Preston and stated, “We’ve had a really, really good day and those have been few and far between lately so say what you have to say and then get out so we can forget you exist and get on with making it a real y, really good night.”

Juno woofed her agreement to my invitation and Preston’s lip curled at my insinuation.

“Wel ?” I prompted when Preston didn’t speak and I walked to Mace then didn’t give him a choice as I burrowed a shoulder under his armpit so he had to wrap his arm around me. When he did this, I wrapped one arm around his back and rested my other hand on his abs.

his back and rested my other hand on his abs.

Preston studied us and his lip stayed curled.

Then he replied, “I assume you’re not going to offer me a drink.”

Total y a dick.

“Sure, I’l offer you a drink,” I told him. “If you’re here to apologize to Mace for being The Supreme Asshole of Al Time, beg his forgiveness and promise to dedicate al your energies to philanthropic work from today until the day you die. No, if you’re here to continue to be a dick.” Preston looked at his son. “Seriously, Kai, is this your choice?” he asked, throwing a hand out to me.

Mace’s body went rock-solid.

Oh shit.

“Moving on!” I declared quickly then to Preston, “Say your piece and go.”

Preston looked back at me. “Fine, Stel a, but I advise you not to be here when I say my piece, as you so eloquently put it.”

I opened my mouth to speak but didn’t get a word out.

“Your cracks at Stel a end right f**kin’ now,” Mace growled, Preston’s eyes went to his son and so did mine and I knew Mace pretty wel , I loved him and I hoped to spend the rest of my life with him but that didn’t mean his look wasn’t real y freaking scary.

That said, it was also hot and he was pissed on my behalf so it also felt real y freaking good.

I turned my eyes back to Preston, trying hard not to smirk only to see he had entered a staring contest with Mace.

This went on awhile.

This went on awhile.

Considering father and son clearly had a life edict that included “never say die” I lost patience and snapped,