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TRIGGER WARNING

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Dane

His first thought when he became aware again was, I'm going to be a father?

The second was, I'm naked.

He was in a plush chair—had to be one of his father's because it was big enough for him. His father bought custom furniture because he felt too humbled by the normal stuff that made him fold in on himself. Usually when Dane sat down, his elbows were pressed into his sides, and his knees folded high in front of him. But he was comfortable.

Sucking in a breath, he pulled his head up and blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

He was in the studio apartment he'd been given, though the chair was new. His father stood next to a bookcases against the wall. And there was someone behind him that he couldn't see, but he could feel them move—and sense their eyes on him.

He jerked his head around to find a woman, staring at him curiously. At first glance she reminded him of Lila. Her blonde hair down in waves around her face. She was dressed for corporate work in a pencil skirt and white blouse, with a jacket that matched the skirt. But on second glance… Very high slits in the skirt, the blouse open three buttons at the top, and the make up just a hair too heavy.

And he was naked. His heart began to race.

"What are you doing, Dad?" he asked, his voice a rasp.

"I'm putting an end to the bullshit so we can move on," his father said lightly, flipping through one of the books, then returning it to the shelf. "Dane, this is Violet. Violet has agreed to be recorded today and she'd like to… meet you." Douglas's eyes lit with a sick light.

Dane let his head bow and rubbed his eyes. "Dad, I'm not—"

"Yes. Yes, you are. Because you know your wife, and you know she'll fight. Unless she's certain. We're going to make her utterly certain, Dane."

His heart pounded on his ribs. No. He wouldn't. No.

His father tipped his head and Violet walked around Dane to stand in front of him and began undressing, sliding her hands slowly up and down her body as she did so.

Dane's stomach turned. "I'm not attracted to her. I can't. I can't make myself want someone else, Dad. I don't want anyone but Lila." He met his father's gaze. "I've been completely honest with you, and this is what it gets me? It might have worked when I was twenty, Dad, but not now. Fuck." He shook his head and leaned forward, rubbing his hands through his hair.

His father walked slowly over to stand next to his chair. "I understand your torment, Dane. You're in love. It's natural to feel a sense of… concern about cheating. But you will do this, and here's why." He leaned down to murmur into Dane's ear. "Your wife is upset, obviously, about the last video. But even with that—even with her admitting that it's shaken her—your brother can tell she's still looking for you. Still hoping to see you walk in the door. She almost cried when she walked into your office for the first time, did you know that?"

Dane clenched his teeth so hard they threatened to crack.

"No? Well, she did. She's got a big heart, Dane, and she gave it to you. But here's something I know about your wife that I'm willing to bet you know too." He leaned even closer, and whispered. "She refuses to let any man take advantage of her. And I'm willing to bet, if she sees you cheating, with her own eyes, that will steal the last of her fight. What do you think, Dane?"

He couldn't breathe, but he forced himself to turn and meet his father's gaze, right there. Almost like looking in the mirror. "I think you're right," he snarled.

Douglas nodded. "So, we're going to give her what she needs to finally get free of you. And that's going to make you free, Dane. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Not the word I would have used."

His father clapped him on the back and stood. Violet had stopped in her strip tease and been watching them. Now she looked at Douglas with a question in her eyes and he nodded.

Dane stared at the woman and felt no desire for her. He shook his head. "I can't make myself want her, Dad," he croaked. "This isn't going to work."

"You don't have to actually have sex with her, Dane. It just needs to look like you really are. Your wife needs to believe it. You need to make her believe it."

Dane glared at him, ignoring the rapidly-more-naked Violet. "She knows me well enough that she'll know if I'm faking—"

"Then don't fake it."

"What the fuck is wrong with you? I just told you—"

Doug's eyes flared and he stormed back to Dane, grabbed his hair and yanked his head back to hiss in his face, "I'm not listening to any more of your whining. You're going to fuck her, or do whatever it is you need to do to get your jollies so your wife knows you weren't faking. You're going to do that because if you don't, I'll never believe you, Dane. I'll never trust you, you hear me? You don't do this, and all bets are off. Lila's mine—and so are you. But you get this done, and you get what you want: Your wife and child are safe, and I call off the dogs. You stick around and everybody's happy. Do. You. Hear. Me?"

Dane nodded once, breathing through his teeth until his father released his hair and straightened, tugging his sleeves down and glaring. "Don't make me angry, Dane, it won't work for either of us."

Dane sat in the chair, slumped. He could see Violet's now bare legs, she her shuffle towards him when his father made some kind of gesture and he heaved a tormented sigh. His heart pounded so hard he thought he might actually have a heart attack.

Lila was pregnant and he was going to touch another woman?

Every molecule in his body recoiled from the idea.

But it recoiled even more from the idea of his father putting his hands—or ordering anyone else's hands—on Lila. Or… or their… baby?

He swallowed hard and looked up at Violet, who eyes were hooded. She gave him a smile as she rolled her hips and walked up to stand right between his knees.

"Nice to meet you, Dane," she said with a wink as she straddled him like a horse and sank into his lap.

Dane prayed he wouldn't throw up on her.