Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: I don’t want to cage you
Roger pulled up in front of the nightclub, his eyes scanning the bustling scene outside before shifting back to Lily. She hastily unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to leave.

“Are you sure everything’s fine? You don’t need my help?” Roger asked, his voice laced with concern.

“I’m fine. I can handle myself,” she assured him, quickly stepping out of the car.

But just as she was about to walk away, she hesitated, then turned back and leaned into the window.

“Thanks for the help. Again,” she said, offering a small smile before finally walking off without a backward glance.

Roger watched her retreating figure, an unsettling feeling stirring in his chest. But after a brief pause, he shook it off and started the car, heading home.

Inside the Club

Winter was struggling to handle the two girls who had been partying like it was the end of the world.

Her eyes flicked to Stanley, who looked utterly miserable as Lilac clung to him, while Gina slumped onto the couch, still dancing to the music like a sloppy drunk.

“Winter!”

A familiar voice snapped Winter’s attention toward the entrance, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank God, Lily, you’re here,” she said, gratitude evident in her tone.

Lily’s eyes landed on Gina, her lips twitching in annoyance.

“This girl… How could she get this drunk? Did she forget she has a shoot tomorrow? Is she planning to pose with a hungover face?”

Lily was like an older sister to both Winter and Gina—someone they looked up to and respected without taking offense.

“Lily…” Gina squealed, stumbling toward her and throwing her arms around her.

“Come on, let’s celebrate! The drinks are on Lilac!” Gina slurred, giggling.

“Lilac… Can my friend join us?” she suddenly shouted, waving at Lilac to get her attention. But Lilac, too preoccupied with the handsome guy beside her, ignored Gina entirely.

Gina only laughed. “She’s busy, but don’t worry! She’s filthy rich and—also Kalix’s sister,” she added with a dramatic grin.

Lily and Winter exchanged a knowing look of exasperation.

Gina could be sensible at times, but once she was wasted, she had a tendency to blabber nonsense—nonsense that was best ignored.

Lily let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed Gina’s wrist. “Party’s over. Let’s go home.”

Gina opened her mouth to protest, but one sharp look from Lily had her shrinking back like a scolded kitten.

Without another word, she obediently followed.

By the time they stepped outside, Winter had managed to pry Lilac away from Stanley. Yet, what struck her the most was how calm and patient he had been with Lilac the entire time—gentle, even.

Shaking off the thought, they quickly piled into the car. As the engine hummed to life, they drove through the quiet streets, dropping everyone off one by one at their destinations.

****

By the time Winter reached home, it was already late. Yet, instead of comfort, an eerie silence settled over her heart.

The quiet that was supposed to be calming felt heavier with each step she took upstairs. But before she could enter her room, a firm grip closed around her wrist, yanking her into another room.

Thud!

Winter gasped, her mind racing to process what had just happened. As she turned, her breath hitched.

“Shouldn’t you be on a plane right now?” she asked, uncertainty flickering in her eyes as she stared at Kalix.

But instead of answering, he reached for her—his hands rough yet desperate. Without warning, he grabbed the back of her neck and crashed his lips against hers.

“Kalix—mph!”

Winter tried to push him away, but he was too strong. His hold was unyielding, his body tense with something she couldn’t yet name and the moment his tongue invaded her mouth, her resistance faltered. She melted into the kiss, responding instinctively, drawn in by the raw need coursing through him.

As their lips moved in sync, she felt the stiffness in his body ease. There was something desperate in the way he held her, something that made her forget her own thoughts entirely.

When they finally pulled apart, she noticed something flickering in his eyes—something that looked an awful lot like fear.

“Where did you go?”

Winter blinked, confused. Then, her hand drifted to her pocket, where her phone lay—dead.

Memories clicked into place. After talking to Lily earlier, her phone had barely held on. She hadn’t even thought about checking it again.

“Did you come back… because you couldn’t reach me?” Her gaze snapped back to him, realization dawning, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kalix didn’t answer. But his silence spoke volumes.

Winter gaped at him, struggling to wrap her mind around the weight of his unspoken words.

A heavy silence stretched between them—Kalix trying to mask his embarrassment, and Winter trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.

But despite all the awkwardness, one thing was evident—Kalix had left everything behind… just for her.

“You shouldn’t leave the house like that, Angel,” Kalix suddenly spoke, his gaze sharp and unwavering as it locked onto Winter.

She didn’t dare give him the real reason, knowing full well how Lilac had tricked them just to sneak off to the nightclub.

Kalix, on the other hand, found her silence infuriating. The thought of her leaving without a word—without anyone knowing where she was—terrified him. With threats lurking in the shadows, he had expected her to at least consider her own safety. She could have informed the staff or, better yet, told him. But instead, she had acted recklessly.

And it had nearly stopped his heart.

Winter pressed her lips together, swallowing down every excuse running through her mind.

“You shouldn’t have—”

Kalix steps closer, his frustration barely contained. Instead of continuing his scolding, his fingers graze the side of her face, his touch unexpectedly gentle.

“I need you to understand, Winter. It’s not just about you being careful. It’s about the fact that I can’t lose you.” His voice drops, raw and vulnerable in a way she’s never heard before.

Winter’s heart clenches at his words, at the unspoken emotions behind them.

She meets his gaze, torn between guilt and something deeper—something dangerously close to longing.

Before she can respond, Kalix exhales sharply and steps back, raking a hand through his hair.

“I don’t want to cage you in,” he mutters, almost as if he’s trying to convince himself. “But if something happened to you, Winter… I wouldn’t survive it.”

The intensity of his words leaves the air thick between them. Winter feels the weight of his emotions pressing down on her, and for the first time, she wonders—is this just about her safety? Or is it about something more?