That probably had something to do with all the orgasms, but you wouldn’t see me complaining.
“How about, after we dry your hair, we order some desserts?” Chase offered. “I'll even hide them from Spencer.”
A groan escaped my lips. “Has anyone told you that you’re perfect?”
“You have, but I would happily hear it again.” He laughed and grabbed the showerhead to start rinsing my hair.
Twenty minutes later, I was dressed, hair dry, and looking for my shoes. We were going out for ice cream, and I was excited. As much as I loved the apartment, I was going a little stir-crazy.
“We have a visitor,” Spencer declared, walking into the living room. He had been upstairs watching the Garnetts, so his appearance made my brow furrow with confusion.
An older gentleman, who I instantly recognized, walked into the room behind him.
“Dad?” I asked, standing and heading toward him. “What are you doing here?”
He wrapped me up in a hug, the familiar popcorn scent comforting.
Luke Hewitt, a high-school basketball coach, looked out of place in the ultra-modern apartment.
“I wanted to check up on you, kiddo. Your mother has been… well…”
“I’ve been ignoring her,” I admitted, crossing my arms. There was no way in hell I was going to back down and accept the way my mother had treated my pack mates. “If you've come here for her sake, then?—”
“Not at all,” he rushed to say. “She’s made her mistakes, and that's on her to fix. I just wanted to see for myself that you're doing okay. You have a pack now?”
I nodded. “I do. This is Spencer, Bear, and Chase.” I gestured to each of them as I introduced them, and they leaned forward, shaking my dad’s hand. Spencer kept a stoic face through the greeting. The other two were slightly friendlier.
“And you're happy?” he asked, turning back to me. “We heard rumors…”
“I think we should all sit down,” Chase suggested, motioning to the couches.
My dad did as directed, perching on the edge of the sectional, while we all took various seats around the room, except for Spencer, who stood close to my side.
“Your mother is concerned that you’ve rushed into things or were pushed into them. You moved in with these guys so fast.”
“I did,” I agreed. “But I had to, considering someone was planting cameras in my apartment and trying to watch me in the shower,” I added, doing my best to keep my tone matter-of-fact.
“W-what?” my father asked, no doubt startled at my directness.
“You failed as a parent,” Spencer declared simply. “I'm not going to mince my words because I love your daughter. In your desperation to keep her near you, you cut off her options, so she was forced to live in one of the most dilapidated buildings near campus. You left her weak, open, and vulnerable to a stalker.”
My dad's face paled and turned a sickly gray color. “Wait, so the kidnapping rumors?”
“Real.” I confirmed. “If it wasn't for my pack, I probably wouldn't be alive.”
He swallowed, digesting that piece of information for a moment. “Your mother… She was so convinced that if we didn't financially support you, you would come home eventually. I should have realized you were stubborn—I think you get that from your pa.”
I smiled at the mention of my other dad.
“We really failed you, didn't we?” my dad whispered in a small voice.
“There’s nothing we can do about it now. I am happy and safe; with a pack I love.”
“So, what’s the plan from here? Are you going to continue your studies? Do you plan to stay here?”
“For now,” Spencer interrupted. “Last week, we purchased this apartment. It’s in Flora's name. We won’t be going anywhere until she’s finished her degree, at the earliest.”
“Wait, you bought the apartment?” I asked in surprise.
