Burn

He gave father and daughter a few minutes to catch up before he sidled up to Harper. Lucian gave him an assessing look. “You must be Lucian,” said Knox, conscious that a silence had fallen. “I’m Knox Thorne.”

“I know who you are,” said Lucian. “Can’t say I ever expected to see you at my mother’s house. What’s she done this time?”

“I’m not here to see Jolene. I’m here with my anchor. She also happens to be my mate.”

Lucian’s brows flew up. “Really? Who—” He paused, taking in just how close Knox stood to Harper. His face reddened, his lips thinned, and his nostrils flared. “Anchor? Mate?”

“That’s right.”

Lucian actually stamped his foot as he looked at Harper, his emotional immaturity quite evident at that moment. “You mated with him? Do you have any idea how dangerous he is? Do you not value your own life?”

With a silent groan, Harper stated firmly, “Knox would never hurt me.”

“You can’t really believe that! You must have heard all the stories about him! He’s ruthless, brutal! He doesn’t have an ounce of mercy in his system!”

“Very true,” confirmed Knox. “In fact, most of the stories about me are true. I’m a danger to every demon out there…except for Harper.”

Lucian sniggered. “Forgive me if I don’t find the words of an evil, conscienceless bastard comforting.”

Harper raised a hand. “Lucian, I don’t want to argue with you – I really, really don’t – but Knox is my choice, and I won’t have you insult him.” But she knew her words would fall on deaf ears. Lucian was wearing his ‘I’m ready to rant’ expression.

“I don’t understand why he’s your choice! It’s not like you could be short of male attention! Why him?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I care about him.”

“But does he care about you? That’s the question! Don’t tell me he does! That demon cares for no one but himself!”

Knox’s chuckle was empty of humor…and the dark sound made everyone freeze. “Isn’t that a case of pot, kettle, and black? Oh, and you really do need to quit talking to her that way. I won’t have it.” His demon wanted to gut the bastard for it. “This is all a surprise for you, I get that. But then, if you were a real part of her life, you’d have already known.”

Lucian’s eyes narrowed. “If you’ve got something to say to me, just say it. No sly remarks.”

“Fine.” Knox stepped into the imp’s personal space. “You’re a selfish, irresponsible, juvenile, self-indulgent asshole. In fact, scrap ‘juvenile’ – you’re not quite that advanced.”

“You son of a—”

“Harper had already been abandoned by her mother. Did you make up for that? Did you make sure that she at least had one parent take care of her from the start? No. You left her with Jolene, and you continued with your self-centered, nomadic lifestyle. And let’s be honest, you wouldn’t even have visited Harper if Jolene hadn’t insisted on it.”

Clenching his fists, Lucian lifted his chin. “She was with me from the age of four—”

“Because Jolene forced you to take responsibility for your child, which was something you should have done from the beginning.”

“What, you think I should have taken a baby around the world with me?”

“No, you should have stayed with her. But that would have required you to put another being before yourself. And you just can’t do that, can you?” Knox shook his head. “It amazes me that Harper is the person she is today after having you and Carla for parents.”

Lucian snorted dismissively. “You think you know all about our lives? You know nothing.”

“Wrong, Lucian. I know everything.”

“Then you know I took care of her—”

“No, Lucian, she took care of you.”

The imp’s jaw hardened. “You’ve no right to judge me.”

“She’s my mate, I have every right.”

Seeming lost for words, Lucian turned to his mother…like a small, petulant child. “You don’t care that he’s speaking to me like that?”

Jolene shrugged. “You need to hear it, Lucian. I’ve tried to make you see yourself as you really are, but you never listen to me. Maybe you’ll listen to him.”

Eyes clouded with uncertainty, Lucian turned to his daughter. “We didn’t have a bad life, did we?”

“No, we didn’t,” replied Harper.

“But it wasn’t a life that gave her stability and security, was it, Lucian?” said Knox. “It wasn’t a life that began from the moment she was put in the care of this lair. You should have put her first, quit traveling, and given her what she needed. You didn’t. And for that, I’ll never, ever like you. I’ll accept you’re a part of Harper’s life, because I’d never ask her to choose, but that’s as good as it will ever get between you and me.” His inner demon, however, would never accept Lucian.

Harper slipped between the two males. “Look, you’ve both taken your shots at each other; let it go. Let it go,” she repeated when Lucian went to speak. Predictably, he stomped off in a huff. He was still wearing that sulky expression when she and Knox left half an hour later.

“You’re upset with me for insulting Lucian,” assumed Knox as Levi drove them home in the Bentley. Tanner rode shotgun.