As I enter my house and walk up the stairs, I’m thankful that it’s early enough that no one is up yet. Hopefully, I can grab a quick shower and a change of clothes and get out of here before Dad wakes up.
Going into my bedroom, I smile as I think about the plans Aurora and I talked about last night. Our plans for our trip to England, me taking her to homecoming and prom. Our plans for college. We agreed that we wanted to be together, no matter what. Where I go, she goes and vice versa. For the first time in my life, I’m thinking about a future that doesn’t revolve around football. Sure, the game is important to me, but not as important as Aurora.
I take some clean clothes out and shove them into my bag. I decide that I’ll grab a shower at school after I work out in the weight room. Turning around, I startle when I see my dad standing in my bedroom doorway like a fucking creeper.
“Nice to see you remember that you live here.”
Ignoring him, I finish packing my bag. “I need to get in my workout before school. Can your lecture wait until tonight?”
Dad steps inside the room, blocking my escape. I don’t see the backhand coming until it’s too late.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve mouthing off to me,” he sneers as I stumble backward from the force of the blow.
Wiping the blood from my cut lip, I look at him in disbelief. Then I get angry.
“You fucking hit me again and you’ll regret it,” I threaten him, spitting blood on the pristine beige carpet.
He balls his hands into tight fists at his sides. Remembering Aurora’s words to never allow him to hit me again, I mirror his stance. I won’t back down. He’s hit me for the last time. No more.
“I told you to stay away from that girl.”
“Yeah, well fuck you! You can’t tell me what to do anymore.”
“The hell I can’t! I’m your father!” he shouts at me, his face red and his eyes blazing fire.
I’m not going to stand around any longer and listen to his ridiculous diatribe about how much I need him and how I won’t survive on my own. Screw that. I’ll get a job if I have to. I’m not going to live under his roof and his rules for another second. I’m done.
I try to push past him, but he shoves me back.
“You are an ungrateful little bastard!” he yells at me. “I have sacrificed everything for you! I stayed married to a woman I abhor because of you. You are nothing without me! I gave you everything and this is the thanks I get for it?”
I’m standing there, stunned speechless, his vitriolic words like knife wounds, preventing me from punching him in the face like I so desperately want to. All I ever wanted from him was his love.
“You’re pathetic,” I growl, picking my bag up off the floor where it landed after he slapped me.
I try to leave but he blocks the door again. “Where the hell do you think you’re going to live? Withherin that big, fancy mansion? And with what money? I doubt Fallon Montgomery will want another stray bunking at his house.”
My eyes flare when I realize he’s referring to Aurora. He knows.
“Yeah, I heard about how little Aurora St. Claire thinks she’s a Montgomery now.”
“Sheisa Montgomery. There’s a DNA test that proves it.”
The wicked smile that spreads across his face has me taking a step back.
“Not surprising that Phillip Montgomery would never claim her as his own.”
I’m not going to stand here and listen to him bash Aurora. “We’re done here.” Finally able to push past him, I’m out the bedroom and turning toward the stairs.
“You walk out that door and you’ll regret it,” my dad calmly announces to my retreating back.
“Not as much as I regret putting up with your bullshit every day of my life!” I shout at him as I storm down the stairs, flinging the front door open, and walk out.
Chapter 26
“What’s up, hood rat?”
Knox is standing in front of the coffee maker when I walk into the kitchen. He usually leaves for school earlier than me since it’s a thirty-minute drive to Fallen Brook High. I take in how good he looks in his low-slung jeans and sleeveless hoodie before averting my eyes. Apparently not fast enough.
