He raises an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “About the woman you’ve been spending time with. Lo Marsh.”
I roll my eyes. “You mean my friend?”
“Your friend who I told you to stay away from. You know why. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“Dad, I’m not doing this,” I snarl, trying to keep my temper in check as I turn toward the fridge.
He leans back in his chair, swirling the bourbon in his glass, his eyes never leaving mine. “Youaredoing this, Hayes. You may not like it, but you need to hear me out. I’m trying to save you from yourself.”
“Save me from myself?” I repeat, scoffing as I reach into the fridge for a soda. “What the hell are you talking about?”
His smile falters, but only just. He sets the glass down, his hands clasping in front of him as he looks at me with a mixture of exasperation and authority. For a moment, the crack and sizzle of the soda is the only thing that fills the kitchen.
I take a long pull from the can, relishing the burn of the carbonation, trying to ignore my father.
He has no right to talk about my Omega.
“You know what I’m talking about. Lo Marsh is trouble. She’s an Omega with a scandal attached to her name, and her family? Well, her family is a stain on this town. You’re not blind, Hayes. You know what happened with her. And you know damn well that if you keep pursuing thisthingyou have with her, it’ll destroy everything you’ve worked for. Your career, your standing, the reputation of this town. You’ll drag us all down with you.”
I feel a chill run through me, but I don’t back down. I’ve always hated how he talks. He believes everything can be bought or controlled; that people are chess pieces and not real, living, breathing humans with their own fucking wishes and desires.
“I’m notpursuinganything,” I snap back. “And you don’t get to dictate my life, Dad. You’ve done that long enough.”
His eyes harden, his jaw setting in the way that signals his patience is running thin. “I’m not dictating your life, Hayes. I’m protecting you. From scandal. Fromher.” He leans forward, his gaze sharper now, more cutting. “And you’re at a crossroads. You’re making a name for yourself as the mayor’s assistant, but you’ll never reach the heights you’re capable of if you let her distract you. You’re not a boy anymore. You need to be responsible. It’s time you grew up and settled down properly.”
I bite back the urge to shout, to lash out. I know exactly what he means by “settle down properly.” It’s the same thing he’s been telling me my whole life: find a respectable Beta. Get married. Be the image of success and stability that he’s convinced will somehow make everything right. That will bolster the family name in a way he never could. He wants me to follow the script, to be everything he thinks a Whitlock should be.
But it’s never been my script.
Just his.
“I’m not going to back away from her just because you think she’s a risk,” I say slowly, trying to keep my voice level. “I’mnot going to throw my life away for a game of appearances just because you have.”
His eyes narrow, disappointment and something else flashing in them. “That’s not what I’m asking, Hayes. You’re better than this. You can’t let yourself get caught up in her drama. You’ve always known what was expected of you. Don’t let some girl, especially one like her, distract you from your duties.”
I feel the blood start to boil in my veins. “Some girl? You think Lo is justsome girl? You don’t know her like I do, Dad. She’s been through hell, and she’s stronger than you’ll ever give her credit for. This town, including you, turned their back on her when she tried to expose her family, and now you’re acting likeshewas the issue all along.”
My father doesn’t flinch, but his tone hardens. “You don’t know what you’re saying. It’s your future at stake here. The Whitlocks don’t get involved with scandal. You have the town’s trust, their respect. You’re the mayor’s assistant, for crying out loud. If you get tied up with someone like Lo, you’ll lose it all. You’ll lose everything you’ve worked for. You’ll lose me.”
The last words hit hard as a punch. I feel it deep, right in the pit of my stomach. He’s always known how to hit me where it hurts. He’s always made me feel like I was standing on a ledge, with him holding the only safety net.
But this time, it’s different. I’ve been living for him for years, following the path he’s set out, doing what he wanted me to do. But I can’t anymore.
Maybe I don’t want to live for him and the Whitlock name anymore.
CHAPTER 25
Lo
Okay, I’m officially starting to think the universe has a vendetta against me.
It’s been a decent enough day so far. Ford and Toby are over, helping me with the mess that is my house. Toby’s, uh, about as useful as a sloth in a marathon, but Ford? He’s been a quiet godsend.
It’s kind of funny, the way he moves around my life. Not intrusive, but always there when I need him.
And I’m starting to think I might need him more than I expected.
Still, I can’t pretend that having Toby around doesn’t feel… weird. After that last interaction with him, I’m not sure where I stand with him anymore.
