Free Faster Deeper (Take Me...#2) (New Adult Bad Boy Racer Novel) by Colleen Masters Page A

turning down.
    “I’m just a little sick of this
double standard bullshit,” I say, “You go through women like Kleenex, but my
love life has been policed since my first date in the eighth grade.”
    “What do you want, Siena? You’re
my little sister. Dad’s little girl. We’re just trying to take care of you.”
    “By dictating who and what I
should want?”
    “By trying to keep you away from
men who will hurt you.”
    “Don’t you understand? When you do
that, you are men who hurt me, Enzo.”
    “Don’t say that,” he mutters.
    “It’s the truth,” I say, “As much
as it may hurt to hear it.”
    “Why is this just coming up now?”
Enzo asks.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean, you’ve never had a
problem with us being protective before. Why is it suddenly some big deal?”
    “Because...Because I’m twenty-five
years old, and I want to start—”
    “Is there someone you have your
eye on? Someone you don’t think we’d approve of?”
    I stare blankly at my brother.
This little meeting with my dad could be the perfect time to tell them that I’m
seeing Harrison Davies. I can’t let on that I’ve already been his lover for
weeks, that would ruin the timing of this little confession entirely.
    Luckily, the elevator doors slide
open just in time. I hurry out of the car with Enzo on my heels and turn down
the hall toward Dad’s door. As we draw up in front of our father’s suite, the
door swings open before us. Dad is standing there waiting, a brave smile
twisting his otherwise grave expression. It’s the look he wore when he came to
see me the other day, only more pronounced. What in the hell could possibly be
going on here?
    “Good. You’re here,” Dad says,
stepping aside to let us into the room.
    “Are you OK, Dad?” Enzo asks.
    “Come in, have a seat,” our dad
responds, evading the question entirely.
    I make my way further into the
room, a cold dread beginning to blossom in my gut. It’s hardly five o’clock in
the afternoon, but a full bottle of whiskey stands open on the coffee table
with three glasses flanking it. Whatever it is Dad wants to talk about, it’s
clearly something that’s going to need liquid reinforcement. I wish I could
stop time in its tracks, hold off whatever it is I’m about to hear forever.
    “Breaking out the good stuff,”
Enzo observes, trying to crack through the stifling tension that fills the
room.
    “Only the best for you two,” Dad
replies, moving toward the table.
    Enzo and I sit side by side on the
couch as Dad pours out three generous whiskeys. He hands us each a glass and
takes one for himself, raising it to us. I notice with alarm that this amber
liquid sloshes slightly as his hand trembles.
    “To family,” he says, his voice
thick, “And mine, most of all.”
    We raise our glasses to our lips
in unison, and the burning warm liquid offers me a brief moment of comfort. I’m
not usually one for straight liquor, but it sure hits the spot right about now.
I wrap my hands around my glass, bracing myself for the worst as Dad settles
into an arm chair opposite us.
    “So?” Enzo says, “What is this all
about, Dad?”
    “I...Jesus,” Dad sighs, “You know,
I had this whole speech planned out, and now it’s completely gone out of my
head.”
    “Did something happen with the
team?” Enzo asks, “We’re all still gainfully employed and all, right?”
    “Of course,” Dad laughs, “Ferrelli
would never get rid of a Lazio, that’s for certain.”
    A brief twinge of relief passes
through me at that. For a moment, I was worried that Dad was about to call me
out, tell me that he’s already learned of my affair.
    “Is something going on with Mom?”
I ask, casting around in the dark, “Is everything OK between you two?”
    “As fine as it’s ever been,” Dad
replies, “She wanted to be here for this, really. But you know how she is. She
can’t even watch the races, she gets so nervous. I don’t blame her for being too
upset to