Harmon — Who the fuck are you?

HARMON

"Oh angel, no. He wishes. We're just

… old friends. Isn't that right, Chance?" JR said coolly, catching up to us without breaking a sweat to throw Olivia a dazzling smile. "I'm all about you, angel. Want to show me around the island?" JR flirted smoothly, puckering her lips and blowing Olivia a kiss.

"Sure thing sugar," said Olivia, once more beaming at JR, lust flooding her eyes. "Just let me deal with—"

Words weren't working. Putting myself between them while I walked Olivia's ass to the resort didn't seem to stop them interacting either.

Plus fuck JR for trying to bed my baby girl.

"What part of shut up did you not understand?" I thundered, completely losing my composure as I pulled Olivia towards me and threw her over my shoulder.

"Fucking put me down. It's my mouth, you control freak. I'll use it any way I want," Olivia screamed, banging her fists against my back.

"You're just pissed I'm not the one using it any way I want, baby girl. Stop disobeying daddy because I won't fuck you," I said, taking the bait and goading Olivia right back.

The distinct sound of me slapping Olivia's ass rang out into the air.

"I see how it is," said JR, smirking at me as Olivia yelped, the struggling and screaming quietening down once more.

"It's not like anything, baby. He's just—" Olivia defended, but all the fight had left her.

Baby girl, are you okay?

A pang of guilt at my choice of words went through my chest. The more I tried not to hurt her, not to lead her on, the fucking worse I seemed to make things.

Still not safe. No time for feelings. Get her the fuck away from JR.

"That's okay, angel. Relax. Don't let him get to you," said JR, reaching out to Olivia.

"This is my turf, JR. Touch her and I'll have you whacked and take my chances with Marino," I said, the very real threat of death in my voice.

Deafening silence fell between the three of us as JR contemplated her next move while I tapped into a darkness locked away inside me many years ago.

"Daddy please. You're overreacting," Olivia's small voice finally said.

"You just know how to pick them, don't you baby girl? Let daddy fix your mess," I said, my hold on Olivia tightening as I waited for JR to challenge me, praying she couldn't see right through me.

Hoping that she somehow missed that I would give my life for the woman over my shoulder.

"There's my guy. Welcome back, Chance," JR said at last, electing to stop in her tracks, grinning at me. "He really isn't overreacting at all, angel. I'm a bad girl. I fuck like one too. I'll make you never crave dick again. Send her to me if you can't get the job done. I'll be waiting for you downstairs, Chance. Let's chat, just us besties. Later angel," she said, quiet reverence in her eyes that I hadn't seen since back in the day.

Before everything went south between us.

The memory of that dreadful day threatened to resurface, fraying at the edges of my mind. I forced it to the back, to be dealt with another time.

The long list of shit we had to attend to took a back seat to getting Olivia to safety.

Olivia allowed me to cart her back to my usual suite like she was drunk off her ass.

Only this time she wasn't. She stopped asking to be put down though and I certainly didn't want to let her go.

Once we reached my suite, I set her down on her feet and turned my back on her instantly, willing myself to stay put instead of flee, like I so desperately wanted to.

She'd have questions. Who wouldn't after that shitshow?

My brain checked out again.

I should have been thinking of how I would explain this shit to Will and what we were going to do about JR and Marino.

Instead, all I could see was my baby girl going to second base with a killer before my very eyes.

Having had to watch them flirt the entire flight for fear of what JR might do, the engorged vein on the side of my forehead felt like it would burst at any moment.

"Did you just threaten to have someone killed for making out with me?" Olivia asked, coming up behind me and running her fingers along my shoulders.

Fear. Anger. Guilt. Too many emotions for someone who was retired from the life.

Marino was the devil on a good day. When he was desperate, he was a straight up nutcase and he was coming for my family.

My past finally came knocking. I should have known better than to put down roots with that sick fuck putting out feelers for me every couple of years.

I got cocky. Thought I handled it, but he finally found me.

Fucking COO of Hunter Industries. What was I thinking?

Baby girl, what wouldn't I do to protect you from who I was?

"Yes. What about it?" I said, too mad at myself to try and play it off as petty jealousy. Heading for the built-in bar, I grabbed a glass to pour myself a drink. "You want anything?" I asked her as I watched the bourbon flow from the bottle into the glass, looking to still the panic.

Had to move. Do something. Should be on the phone with Will already, but I couldn't calm down.

"Why? Who is she, Harmon?" Olivia asked, following me to the bar, coming up behind me once again. "Who the fuck are you?" she called out in a shrill voice, yanking the drink out of my hand and banging it down onto the bar.

Asking the one question I never wanted to answer.