I kissed her roughly, running a hand up her shirt. I felt her moan pitch higher as I slid over her skin, sliding under her bra. I cupped her breast, squeezing it. She moaned loudly, and it echoed around us. I get her nipples a tug, listening as her body jerked at the movement.
Fuck, it was taking everything in me not to yank her shirt up or her pants down. I wanted every inch of her skin. I wanted to know her scars and her wounds just as much as her perfections. I wanted to skate my tongue over her and see what she tasted like.
I bit hard on her collarbone, listening as she whimpered, but her fingers tightened against my shirt. I slid my hand down,over her stomach. I could feel her shaking, her breath falling in pants.
I slid my hand lower, finding the button of her jeans. I undid it, sliding my hand down. She was wearing cotton panties that I was ready to slide my hand right under.
And then I heard someone cough. We both froze, and I looked over my shoulder. I could see a shadow standing just a few feet away from us, and I had no idea how long they had been standing there. Any normal person would continue walking like they didn’t see us.
I felt my heart race as I leaned back. Nora placed her feet on the ground. The person walked closer, and I realized it was my father. He looked smug and disgusted as he looked between us.
I leaned back, and Nora quickly tried to pull herself together. She ran her hands over her hair and fixed her jeans. My father shook his head as he laughed at us. “Really, Kaleb? Kissing in an alleyway. Have you no decency?”
I straightened my back and rolled my shoulders. “You know that we are together. Can’t help it when the mood strikes.” I knew my father wouldn’t just accept the word but rather needed to see it. I didn’t need him to see this, but whatever worked to get him to believe this lie.
My father snorted. “This doesn’t prove you’re together, but rather you’re trying to hide the truth, Kaleb. You’re standing outside where anyone can walk by and see you. This is just an act.” He waved a hand at us. “This is something teenagers do, not adults who actually care about each other.”
I could see the horror written on Nora’s face. I frowned because what had just happened was nothing but our emotions. This part hadn’t been a lie. It was raw and real.
“This is not fake,” I snapped.
He continued to laugh. “You can keep saying that, but you’re not fooling me. I know you, Kaleb.” He looked at Nora. “This isn’t someone you would go for.”
I curled my hands into fists. “Excuse me?”
“No offense, dear.” My father offered her a pitiful smile. “But I’ve seen my son’s type. He likes women with big breasts, huge careers, and a purpose in life.”
Nora looked like someone had slapped her, and I stepped toward my father. I blocked his way, ready to hit him. “Shut your mouth. You have no idea about me or my needs.”
My father only chuckled, shaking his head. “I was the same way once, son. Trying to defy my father, thinking I knew what was best. But I was wrong. And soon you’ll know that too.” He glanced at Nora once more before looking back at me. “When you’re done making a fool of yourself, you know where to find me.”
I ground my teeth together. I wanted to hit my father. I really wanted to just take him out for speaking like this. He didn’t know me. I hadn’t been around for him to know me. And to say I was like him was the biggest insult possible.
“I don’t need to find you because I’m happy. We’re actually so happy that Nora is moving in with me.”
I watched his eyes widen slightly before his face fell neutral. “Is that so?”
I glanced at Nora, who quickly nodded her head. “Yeah, we were just discussing it before…well…this.” She gave him a big grin. “Maybe you don’t know him after all.”
My father looked furious as he looked between us. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“She’s moving in a week from today,” I spat. “We were celebrating.”
He turned without another word, and I tried to take a few deep breaths to calm myself. I hated how I was using her like this. I looked over my shoulder at Nora, who looked at me with softer eyes now.
“I’m sorry,” I offered. “I should have had better control.”
She bit her lower lip for a moment before she took a couple of steps toward me. “I agreed to this. So, don’t apologize.”
I ran a hand over my face. “I…I know I should have stated you were moving in, but god damn…he just…” I threw my hands up. “He’s so fucking hard to deal with. It was the first thing that came to mind.”
A small smile pulled at her lips. “I’m aware. I’ve heard a lot from Jade.”
Of course, she had. Because he was worse to Jade, I thought maybe when I left, things would get better, but the opposite happened.
“He doesn’t know me,” I told her. “And he doesn’t know my type, he doesn’t know who I am, he doesn’t know what I’ve done. I am not like my father.” I needed her to know that. I knew he had a reputation, and I didn’t want her to think I would follow in his footsteps.
“And he’s wrong about you,” I stated.
