Free River's Escape (River's End Series, #2) by Leanne Davis

pants were down. But what shocked her even more was who she saw standing there. Her dad was leaning against the doorjamb while glowering at her.
    “What the Sam Hell is going on in here? And why is this shithead’s penis hanging out of his pants?”
    She closed her eyes when her father’s rough-hewn voice roared into her bedroom. Barely a half second later, the door was filled with Ian. She turned away, her humiliation causing her to blush from her neck to her face.
    “Close the door!” she screeched. Drew had the decency to turn around, still favoring his injured hand while grasping for his pants.
    “I will not. I heard him call you a bitch. You dare call my daughter that?”
    She turned slightly, shocked to see her father raising his chest and kind of peacocking around. She had been inviting boys to her room since she was sixteen. No one ever said a word. Never. Not her father. Nor her older brothers. No one asked what she did, or didn’t do, and no one seemed to worry if she had sex, or not.
    “She bit me!” Drew exclaimed as if that excused and explained everything.
    “Why? ‘Cause you were flapping your junk at her? ‘Course she bit you. Get your sorry ass out of my house and don’t ever go near my daughter again.”
    She turned back around. Her father was kicking Drew out? She didn’t know whether to be mad at him, or to hug him for showing he cared.
    Ian stepped back from the door. After quickly assessing the small entourage in her doorway, she stared down at the floor before her. This was undeniably the worst moment she ever endured.
    “I think she’s the kind of girl who invites men into her room. What did you think we were doing in here, old man?” Drew said after fully clothing himself and turning back to glare at her dad. He was a sad sight. Smaller now that his posture had shrunk and his muscles were atrophied from spending too much time in bed. His hair was extra long and white, and it kind of fell around his head like a mad scientist. Still, he was defending her. She never dreamed he cared about what she did in the room.
    “You ain’t no man. Now get out of here, boy. Ian, assist this asshole to the door. He don’t seem to know proper English.”
    Ian stepped forward, grabbing Drew by the forearm and escorting him unceremoniously out the door. Drew snarled as he yanked his hand away. “Don’t touch me, fucking faggot.”
    Ian didn’t say a word, and his facial expression didn’t change. He simply lifted his hands off Drew and nodded as if to say, go. Drew passed him and her dad with a snarl.
    She fell down onto the side of her bed, her legs suddenly trembling. She never experienced an incident like this. Did she come close to being kind of, or almost, assaulted? No. It couldn’t have been that bad. But it was a little bad. A little frightening. She never expected to find her dad coming to her defense. Could he always hear her through the walls?
    “I’m sorry, Dad.”
    Her dad snorted. “Why the hell are you sorry? You call yourself names?”
    “No. I just… I didn’t think you cared if I had my boyfriends in here.”
    “I don’t. So long as nothing is going on. I know my daughter. I don’t have to set the rules for these boys, you do. But when he refused to take no for an answer? That’s not okay. Not your fault. Biting him? Now, that’s my girl.”
    She glanced up and tried to swallow the lump of tears in her throat that threatened to fall from her eyes. “Please don’t tell Caleb and Jordan. They’d…”
    “Beat the shit out of him. Listen, girl, we might not be all hearts and flowers and all, but no one messes with you, got that?”
    The tears escaped. Just a few. “Thank you, Dad.”
    He teetered on one leg. “Well, that’s more than I’ve done all week. I think I’m going to rest now. Glad you’re okay.” He patted her leg and exited. Ian let him past. Then, to her surprise and shock, Ian didn’t follow him out, but stepped into her room. Her room! Ian never