Alaric Wolf sat behind his desk across from this beautifully erotic woman trying to figure out how he knew her but nothing came to mind.

She was positively gorgeous. Lushly round in all the right places, where women were meant to be round. Her tan complexion was perfect without the help of make-up and sparkled with light freckles. And those big black curls that hung past her shoulders which she attempted to bind back with a headband, added to the innocence of her image.

Nothing about this woman should have floored him but when she held his gaze with those bright gray eyes, he almost stopped breathing. She looked innocent and wholesome, just the kind of woman he avoided.

“So, what can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry I should start off by tell you my name so you can understand why I’m here.”

“It could help.”

“I’m Serenity Amour, your daughter.”

“Get out! Are you serious? God, you’re absolutely gorgeous. I thought we were supposed to meet tomorrow.”

“We were but I guess I needed to meet you, sooner than later. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? Hell no I don’t mind.”

“Oh.”

“How about we get out of here and get something to eat. I believe we have a bit to talk about.”

She nodded in return and followed him out of the bar. He held the door open for her to walk out towards the parking lot.

A sleek Bentley was the only car parked in front. “Nice car,” Serenity murmured.

Alaric only nodded and opened the door then motioned for her to get in. A few moments later, they glided into the not so busy street. He didn’t tell her where they were going, hell he didn’t even know.

For the first few minutes they rode in silence neither one of them knowing what to say or how to formulate words to express how they’re feeling. Occasionally he glanced at Serenity, studying her tense expression.

Wanting to relive some of the strain, he spoke first. “Tell me about yourself Serenity.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything you’re willing to tell, sweetness.”

“Ok. I like fine wine, good food and a good football game.”

“Football…what team?”

“Patriots, as if there is any other team worth having any interest in.”

The corner of his mouth crooked up. “Sweetie, never say that in front of a Vikings fan. When I say that, I mean never say it as long as you live in Clear Lake.”

They both laughed. “Tell me about your life.” 

She told him about the times her mother was to drugged up to remember her name, or that she had to feed Serenity. She informed him of everything she could remember and he listened.

Before he knew it they were parked outside of his house. He turned and looked at her for the first time since she started talking. “I’m so damned sorry you have to go through that. If I knew anything about your existence, your life would have been so much easier.”

“You didn’t know about me?”

He could see the confusion on her face. “Do I seem like the kind of man that will make a child and abandon it?”

“I don’t know, are you?”

“No.”

He opened the door and got out and she did the same. Alaric didn’t intend on bringing her back to his house but he didn’t know where else to have a quite conversation without the whole city knowing.

“Is this yours?” she asked him.

He was disconcerted by her scrutiny. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly so cautious about the house had always been so proud of. He was at the top of the mountain looking down at the city. His home was minutes away from town but far enough for privacy when he craved it.

“Yeah, it’s mine.”

She looked over to him and smiled. “I like it. Is this where I’ll be living?’

“Sure is.”

He gave her a tour around the house just before ordering their dinner. They ate in a comfortable silence. After dinner they cleaned up the mess and settled down in the living room.

“This house is beautiful. Who ever built it have an amazing eye for detail.”

“Thanks. Your uncles and I built it four years ago. A little project I wanted to accomplish amongst others.”

“A little project, that’s modest. So, what else have you accomplished?”

He gave a self-conscious grimace, and it was the first chink he allowed Serenity to witness in the self-assured manner he wore like a second skin. He leaned back crossed his legs and took a sip of his beer. “Well, I’m an inactive Marine, served for ten years. I own four businesses, part owner of three, and small investments in about nine huge businesses. I also enjoy buying struggling businesses, turning them around and selling them to make a small profit.”

“And have you ever failed?” Serenity asked.

He stared levelly at her. “No,” he said simply.

****

After getting all the necessary paper work filled out Alaric felt it was time for Serenity to meet her family. He needed her to know she had other people to depend on instead of herself. She needed to know she was a part of a family now.

When they drove up to his parents house it was packed. The drive was looked like the parking lot of a small hotel. But that wasn’t a surprise. Before getting out the car he glanced at Serenity profile. She looked nervous but she didn’t say anything.

“You okay over there?”

“Umm, Alaric? Why are there so many people here?”

He could help but smile. “You have a lot of family members who wants to meet you.”

“Right.”

His mother was the first to greet them at the door. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a t-shirt and her hair hung pass her shoulders. Not a single gray hair marred the dark colored hair, so close to Alaric’s. Where his eyes were a vibrant blue, hers were gray like Serenity’s. She immediately opened her arms for her.

“Oh it’s so good to finally to meet you,” she said as she pulled away. “I’m Holly Wolf, your grandmother.”

Serenity smiled in return but before she could open her mouth a swarm of people started introducing themselves. Twenty-eight people later, Alaric noticed her mood went from being happy to meet everyone to distant.

“What’s going on, Sweetness?” he asked as he sat next to her on the couch.

She sat there for a minute before responding. “I don’t know, this all seems a bit surreal, I guess. I went from having no one to having a family complete with sixteen nieces and nephews. It’s just a lot to take in right now. Is it okay if we leave? I just need time to take this all in.”

“Sure baby, no problem.”

****

It had been three months since Serenity moved in with her father. Things were great between them, no fights, no disagreements, nothing. But there was one thing that concerned her, their constant sexual tension.

It was like they couldn’t be in the same room without unconsciously teasing each other. Most of the time it was a brush of his arm against her breast or ass, she would accidentally brush her ass against his cock when passing each other in a tight spot. But neither of them became more cautious about their touches, in fact they became more frequent.

The phone ringing interrupted her train of thought; she gracefully reached for it.

“Hello?”

“Hi baby, it’s Mom.”

Serenity heart plummeted. A sick swelling of nausea began in her stomach and she had to physically restrain the urge to hang up the phone. God, it’s been eight years since she heard from her mother. Eight years of no lame excuses, no birthday calls, hell not even to see if she fell off the deep end.

“Mom,” she said faintly. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, would you expect anything else? So, you’re finally living with your father.”

Serenity closed her eyes and bit down on her lip. In the background she could hear traffic. Was she on a pay phone? It wasn’t like her mother couldn’t afford a cell phone. But she wasn’t going to ask. She didn’t want to know.

“Serenity, are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” she whispered.

“Well sweetie, I need a favor from you. I heard through the grapevine that your father is loaded. And, well… I need some money.”

Serenity swallowed down the disappointment she felt and called back the tears that threatened to spill over. As dumb as it was to hope that one day Madison Amour, would want to finally settle down and become a mother, Serenity clung to the thought nonetheless.

“I don’t think I can help you. I’m sorry.”

“You’re not sorry, you little bitch! I took care of you and this is the way you repay me? You’re so ungrateful.”

Familiar sadness settled over Serenity, crowding her mind with a lifetime of regrets. Madison would never change. Serenity needed to accept that. She had accepted it, but it didn’t make it any easier to acknowledge.

“I love you, Mom.” Her voice cracked and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “But I hate what you’ve become or better yet what you’ve always been. I don’t want any part of my old life back and that includes you. I’m happy now and I want to keep it that way. Please, do not call me again.”

Without waiting for an answer she disconnected the call. Why couldn’t she just have a mother? A real mother. Not someone who was so bent up in her own path, to have a relationship with her daughter.

Serenity’s body shook violently as she sat the phone down and cried. A sob that she’s been holding in for the past eight years released just as she rested her head the desk in front of her. Why did she give her mother so much power over her?

When the phone rang again, she picked it up a flung it across the room. She lowered her head again and wept.

A strong hand gripped her shoulder and she stiffened. “Serenity, what’s wrong?” Alaric’s voice brought her out of her crying haze.

She scrubbed her eyes feverishly, trying to remove any evidence of crying. She felt her chair move, out of the corner of her eye she saw him kneel beside her.

A gentle hand gripped her chin and forced her to look at him. “Are you okay? No, you’re not alright that much is obvious.”

“I’m fine.” She let out a harsh laugh. “I feel like a complete idiot, I overreacted to something, that’s all.”

“Talk to me.”

“I can’t right now, it’s not something I want to discuss. Can you understand that, Daddy?” She silently pleaded with him not to push any farther.

He stared at her for a minute. “Yeah, I can”

He wiped a tear away from her eye with his thumb. Their gazes met and hung, for what seemed like forever.

“I shouldn’t do this,” he whispered, his voice was hard and edgy.

“Do what?” she murmured back.

“Kiss you.”

“Are you?”

Instead of responding, he edged closer to her, he lips hovering preciously close to hers. He closed his eyes for a minute as if trying to decide if he wanted to take their relationship that far. Her sudden intake of breath was all she could do before his lips were on hers.

The moment their lips touched she felt it. Passion so thick you could lap it up, smear it about and get smothered in it. His hands framed her face as he pushed hot and hard against her.

His mouth inched downwards until his teeth nipped and caught her lower lip. He licked and sucked it before releasing it and moving to the corner of her mouth. Serenity tilted her head back as Alaric moved from her mouth to her neck. Tilting her head back she gave him better access as she ran her fingers though his dark hair.

In that moment all of her sorrow and pain was forgotten the only thing that existed was this man in front of her, her father. He consumed her with his kiss, his touch, and his presents.

She reached for him, needing to feel him, running her fingers over his broad shoulders wasn’t enough for her. She pulled him closer; he was now between her legs with his arms around her waist. Putting her hands on the back of his neck she deepened the kiss and nipped back at his lips. She met him kiss for kiss, nip for nip and lick for lick.

His hands moved from her waist to under her shirt. She released a satisfying sigh as he circled his arms around her bare skin and pulled her closer to him. He dug his fingers into her back and massaged her sides. The strength is her touch was consuming. His touch was what she wanted, no what she needed.

“Daddy,” she whimpered against his lips.

As if stepping out of a daze he pulled away and closed his eyes. His arms fell as he pushed away from her and stood.

His hand crept up to the back of his neck and he rubbed it in agitation. “God, Serenity sweetheart, I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.”

She stared at him. “Sorry? I wanted it to happen or I would have stopped you.”

“It shouldn’t have happened. I took advantage of you while you were vulnerable. What kind of asshole of a father does that make me?”

He walked backwards to her bed room door. His eyes flashed a ray of emotions, desire clouded them thickly it was difficult to see the others.

Serenity stood, but leaned against her desk not trusting herself to stand along. “Why are you sorry? I’ve been living here for a few months now and from the minute we noticed each other there was tension. Taking advantage of me? I want this and don’t you fucking tell me it shouldn’t have happened when you damn well know you wanted it and much as I did.”

“Want it?” He let out a harsh laugh. “Damn, Serenity that’s the understatement of the fucking year. I need you so bad I can’t sleep at night knowing we’re in the same house. I want to own every inch of you. But no matter what I want it shouldn’t have happened. Mark my word it won’t happen again.”

And with that he stalked out of her room, leaving her to her thoughts.

She picked up her phone and called Ally. “Auntie, is it okay if I spend the night at your house for a few days?”