Forbidden

Daddy's Day Job

Van

The day passed by in a blur of sleep and sick. Paula's lunch stayed down for a ten minutes before joining the rest of her stomach in the sewers. Sleep followed, but when her eyes opened to a room cloaked in twilight, her stomach lurched and sent her to the bathroom.

She crawled back into her bed, holding her stomach and willing the cramps to fade. A thud drew her attention to the floor, and she saw her phone lying on the plush carpet. She'd completely forgotten about it and would've been happy to leave it there if not for the text message that popped up on the screen while she was looking at it.

She tossed back the covers and reached for the device with her toe. It took two tries to slide it close enough for her to reach over the side of the bed, and by the time it was in her hands, a cold sweat had broken out across her skin. Spying the name Sexy Beast, she smiled. She really needed to change it- she could only imagine her father's response if that flashed at the dinner table.

The first message arrived just a minute after the last. The next arrived almost four hours later.

Sexy Beast: ???

Sexy Beast: So, I don't really know your texting habits, but I'm getting worried

about you. We don't have to chat. Just respond and let me know you're okay.

An hour later, a third arrived.

Sexy Beast: I guess you're going to force me to risk life and limb to sneak into your

house to make sure you're okay. I'm going to leave it up to you to explain to my

mom at my funeral.

Van rolled her eyes though her chest tightened with warmth. The next message was the one that had just arrived.

Sexy Beast: Okay, you've got five minutes and then I am legit coming over.

That was four minutes ago. In a panic, she typed.

Van: Calm down. Calm down. I'm alive.

Sexy Beast: 1. I'm glad you're alive. 2. I'm bothered by the fact you only responded

after threatening to come over to your house.

Van: I'd like to tease you about that, but honestly, I've been sick all day. I just woke

Up. You've not been sick, have you?

Sexy Beast: Sick? No, I'm fine. Are you okay?

Van: Just a stomach bug. Better watch out if you get it. It's bad.

Sexy Beast: I hate that you feel bad.

Van: I'm sure it's just a 24 hour bug. If I don't answer, it means I'm asleep.

Sexy Beast: Sure, sure. One bad date and you write me off.

A knock on the door stopped Van from responding, and she shoved the phone under the pillow. After her father's outburst earlier, she didn't trust him to not rip the device out of her hands if he thought she was speaking to Luca.

"Vanessa? Are you better?"

Her stomach pains had eased again, but she looked down at her arm. Purple fingerprints marred the pale skin- just as she'd expected. How kind of him to provide her with a ticket out of his house.

"Vanessa?"

"Go away."

"Dear lord," he snarled, pushing the door open. She glared at him from the bed, not bothering to sit up. "Get up and get dressed."