“I can tell by those white knuckles of yours that you’re not thinking about Sophia anymore,” my father says.

“Sorry.” I relax and exhale. “I know, I just said everything’s okay, but the reality is I still cycle through thoughts of the past. I have constant daydreams about you being in jail and Paul...”

“Cove,” he interrupts. “I understand. Do you think I fucking believed you when you said all was well? I’m not a complete idiot. I’m your father, and you and I share that past. It’s in my head every day, so I know it has to be in yours.”

“That’s why you zone out all the time when mother’s talking to you?”

“Sometimes, I suppose that’s why.”

“Any advice on how to stop it?”

“Yeah, think about your wife.”

“That can’t be what you do.”

He laughs and whispers his response before heading for the restroom. “I do, son. I’m nothing without her.”

I’m nothing without her. It resonates in my head while I sit alone and wait for my father to return. I believe him. Even though they’ve been arguing, I know he loves her, and the two of them would crumble without one another... like Sophia and me. I’m a fool to think my father would be his younger happy-go-lucky self after years in prison. Jesus, I couldn’t imagine being away from Sophia for that long and stepping right back into the relationship without needing time to acclimate. Different home, aged bodies, horrific memories, his son grown... now I feel like a dick that I haven’t been more understanding. And if I was released from prison and didn’t have any family, anything to grasp onto, I’d be nothing.

“White knuckles again? Can’t leave you alone for a second,” my father takes his seat and holds my hand, once again in an attempt to offer comfort.

“I think it’s a habit. Anyway, thank you.”

“For?”

“Adapting,” I whisper.

He smiles and brings out his iPad. “You’re very sensitive, Cove. From the day you were born you’ve been thin-skinned with a big heart. I hope Sophia can toughen you up.”

“God, you have no idea. She’s not taking shit from anyone lately. You should have seen her at the Scarlett last week.”

“Your mother told me,” he laughs while searching through the in-flight TV channels. “I wish I had stopped by that night.”

“Dad,” I scold.

“I’m not referring to her whipping out her breasts... why did she do that again?”

I shrug, unable to decipher her unorthodox acts.

“Well, I meant her telling off and kicking out the underage guys that slipped by the front doorman. How the fuck did that happen anyway?”

“The doorman was new and let his friends in, Haverty immediately fired him. It was taken care of and it won’t happen again,” I say, adjusting my tie and the collar of my shirt.

“I guess not with your wife around. Maybe you should fire Haverty and hire her as head of security. Your mother said Sophia dragged one of the guys out by his ear. Luckily they didn’t call the cops. She shouldn’t touch the customers... why did she show her breasts again?”

He gets lost in his device as I picture my wife that evening. Her brown hair pulled back with a few strands framing her face. Dark lipstick, three-inch heels, and wearing that fucking tight black dress that makes my dick hard every time she puts it on. Fuck, better think about something other than that or I’m gonna have to jerk-off in one of those wretched airplane bathrooms. But then again... I grin and recall losing my virginity with Soph in such a small space. God, that was fucking amazing. More intimate than I thought it was going to be, my cock about to burst with anticipation.

Fuck, you assbag, you just got hard as a rock and you’re still hours away from your wife.

Shit.

CHAPTER ONE

When I hired Haverty as security for The Dark Scarlett he was a little reserved and self-absorbed. Now, after spending time together and promoting him to head of security for the wine bar and to protect our family, I can’t get the bastard to shut up. He tells me stories about his girlfriend, Alyssa, their two bulldogs, Prudence and Max, and the number of hours he spends in the gym each week. The guy has grown on me and I love the dumbass like a brother, the brother I never had, or the brother I always wanted. Fuck, my dick is still semi-erect and I can’t think straight. I just want to be with my wife.

“Feel like closing the Scarlett tonight?” I ask my father.

“Tired?”

“Yeah, it was a long trip.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Haverty cuts in from the driver’s seat of the Escalade. “Your son just wants to get his whistle wet.”

“You fucker,” I laugh. “The strangest fucking words fly out of your mouth at the most inopportune moments. Wet my whistle?” I respond under my breath. “At least my wife will let me fuck her in the middle of the night, while you’ll have to go home and beat your meat.”

“My Lord, I’m in a vehicle with a couple of fourteen-year-olds,” my father says. “You’re both in your mid-twenties, right? I didn’t just step into a car with two teenage boys, did I?”

“Your son is still pussy-whipped even though the honeymoon’s over.”

“Can you blame him?”

“Well, if my son asked me to do his job for him because he needed to go home and play hide the baloney, I’d make him tough it out. It’s not like he hasn’t gotten any in awhile.”

“It’s been five days...” I stop, before I make an even bigger fool of myself. “Fine, asshat. Drop me off at the Scarlett, take my father home, and then meet me back there to close. Who’s working tonight anyway?”

“The usual. Hollis has the door, two bartenders, four floor servers, that new college student we hired is on clean up, a few others.”

“Who’s on security?” I ask.

“Me.”

“Shit, aren’t you doing a fine job watching over the place.”

He peers at me through the rear view mirror. “Slow night, there was a severe thunderstorm before you landed. The city was dead this evening,” he responds. “I trust that Hollis can handle the few who are there. That new girl’s a bitch by the way. Your wife doesn’t like her at all.”

“Sophia has issues with most women. I blame her mother for that.”

“Well, you’ll see. There was a lot of tension between them while you were gone, and they were both at their worst this evening. I’m just warning you.”

“My wife didn’t mention anything.”

“Not surprised, she’ll take care of it herself, right?”

Damn, I can’t wait to see her. “She didn’t get drunk and flash her breasts again, did she?”

“No,” he shakes his head and chuckles. “That was great though, I wish she’d do it again.”

“Don’t you ever jerk off to Sophia’s nips, Hav.” I look at my father who just keeps shaking his head at our immature bickering. I suppose I better tone it down until I’m alone with Haverty and we can joke about dumbass shit in private.

“Here you go, big man,” he says, dropping me off in front of the Scarlett. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Thanks. Dad, do you mind taking my bag into our building? I’ll pick it up in the morning.”

“That’s fine, son.”

I nod and close the door. Haverty rolls down the front window and calls out before I step into the bar.

“Hey, Cove!” he shouts. “I forgot to tell you, some hot chick named Sophia’s working tonight as well.” He rolls up the window and I watch both him and my father laugh as the car disappears into the night.

“Fucker,” I whisper with a grin. I step inside and look for my wife. I haven’t been away from her for this long since the day we met, and although it’s a slow night, Haverty shouldn’t have left her alone in the bar. “Hollis, where’s Sophia?”

“One of the private rooms. She’s lying down.”

“Wasted?”

“Uh huh,” he nods.

There’s a twinge in my pants as I head to the back. It’s two in the morning and the last of the customers are clearing out as the workers begin to clean and close the place.