CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

YOU

the first time in his six years of being a full time business man, the Duncan Shepherd has stopped working. He hadn't checked his emails, logged onto his laptop, or answered a phone call in hours. The past few hours had been spent with Cindy, trying to save what little relationship they might have left.

"You only married Misty because your mother told you to?" Cindy asked, wanting to make sure she had the story correct. She no longer called her mother 'mom'. In the girl's mind, her mother was dead to her. Misty had been ready to ship her youngest daughter off to New York because she was a bad mother.

The man nodded, his legs crossed, and propped up on the glass coffee table. On his feet were expensive YSL boots, of course. He also wore a midnight blue button up shirt with a pair of black slacks. Despite his disheveled state, Shepherd looked good. Too good for Cindy not to be weak at her knees.

"It's disappointing but sometimes the truth is disappointing." He explained, not trying to make an excuse for his actions but rather give an actual explanation. "A few months ago I would have done anything for my stepmother. In fact, I did. I married your mother because it benefited my family and business."

"Who did you cheat on Misty with?" The blonde pressed on, not wanting his words to get to her head. She was aware that if she gave them too much thought, she would crack right there, and forgive him in a heartbeat.

"I had sex with Esmeralda West, the reporter you met a while back. During my time of being married, it only happened twice."

"West? The reporter who wrote the article that's causing a shit storm on Capitol Hill?" Just because Cindy was going through a midlife crisis didn't mean she was unaware of her surroundings. She was very aware of the article that had been published about Annette Shepherd. After finding out Duncan slept with the reporter who wrote it, it all made sense. "She wrote it because you stopped sleeping with her."

The man nodded, deciding to stay quiet so the teenager could process the information and connect the dots. The seventeen year old did connect the dots and she did so well.

"You stopped fucking her when you realized you had feelings for me."

Cindy hit the nail straight on the head. It didn't bother Duncan that he was cheating on Misty. No, he wasn't emotionally invested in her. It bothered him that he felt as if he was cheating on Cindy because he was emotionally invested in her. In fact, she may have been the first person he had ever been emotionally invested in.

The man said nothing, wanting to give Cindy time to think about everything that had been said and all the things that had been left unsaid. The young girl finally spoke.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Duncan. At the end of the day, you're still my stepfather. You're still a married man."

His fists immediately clenched and his jaw locked up. Screwing his eyes shut, he took several deep breaths to try and calm himself. "Don't do that, Cindy. We have to move forward not backwards." His eyes opened again and his jaw loosened but his hands were still balled into fists. "Please."

The one word came out as a strained plea. He was begging her not to take two steps back instead of one step forward. The pair had just gotten past the step father step daughter label in Paris.

Cindy didn't reply. She still didn't know what to say. Her mind was telling her one thing (to get the hell out of his penthouse) and her heart another (to kiss him). The girl just shook her head and looked away, studying the city skyline that was the view from the top of the apartment complex.

"God fucking dammit!" Duncan cursed, slamming his fist against the leather arm of the chair he currently sat in. "No! You don't get to act like a brat again. Not while you're in my fucking home!" Standing up, he quickly made his way towards her, and stopped only when he stood in front of her. Bending down so he was eye level with her, he forced her to look him in the eye by grabbing onto her chin harshly.

"Tell me what you want, right now. If you want me, I'm yours. If you don't want me, we'll go back to just me being your step father. Simple as that."

God she hated him in that moment. He had finally given her an ultimatum. There would be no more hidden feelings or secret kisses. This was her last chance to actually confess her feelings.

She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted him. That's all she had ever wanted. Since the first day she had met him at the wedding, from the time he had spoke to her political science class, during his mother's party, in Paris, and now.

"I want you."

Those three words were all it took for his lips to be connected to hers. Cindy's eyelids fluttered shut as she passionately kissed Duncan back. She tangled her fingers in his golden hair. His own hands rested on her hips, squeezing ever so gently. They continued to kiss until they both had to pull away to breath.

"And I want you."

Duncan sauntered down the hall, his sleek iPhone pressed against his ear. He impatiently listened to the typical dial tone as he waited for his wife to pick up her phone. On the eighth ring, she finally did.

"Duncan?" Misty asked, slightly confused why her husband was calling her. The two rarely talked on the phone. Their communication was always via text message or in person.

"Hi darling. I was just calling to let you know that Cindy is at my place. She told me what happened and I wanted to apologize for taking her to Paris without your permission. Could we do dinner tomorrow night?" He asked, lying through his teeth. He could care less that the woman was upset that he took her daughter to a different country.

Misty sighed, clearly agitated to be discussing the subject once more. "Dinner tomorrow night is fine. We'll talk about the situation then."

Duncan leaned against the glass pane of his window, observing the busy streets below him. "Perfect. Cindy is going to stay with me for the night, if that's okay?"

"That's fine. I don't particularly want to see her right now anyways."

Misty's response caused the man to roll his eyes. What a piece of shit mother. "Okay, my love. See you tomorrow." Not wanting to talk to his wife for a second longer, Duncan hung up.

Finally heading back upstairs to his bedroom, he quietly got undressed until he was in just his boxers. Slipping in between his silk sheets and mattress, he pulled a sleeping Cindy close to him and fell asleep.

For the night, all was well.