KAEL’S POV
Riley’s father held her in a firm but warm embrace, and for a brief moment, I saw her shoulders relax. The tension she had been holding since we arrived seemed to ease, if only slightly, in the presence of her father. It was a stark contrast to the strained interaction with her half-sister just moments before.
Then, just as suddenly, he pulled back, his sharp eyes flicking past Riley to land on me. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face as he straightened.
“And who is this handsome gentleman we have here?” His tone was light, teasing even, but there was something beneath it, a quiet curiosity, an observation I wasn’t sure I liked. “I know Brittany wouldn’t bring this type around here.”
I didn’t miss his choice of words. This type. My muscles tensed, but I forced myself
